Ray and Peter were kindly given a lift to the ferry at Sandbanks by Pam. It was rather dark and foreboding when we started walking but turned out to be a very pleasant mostly bright day but with a bit of a sea breeze to keep us cool.
Having had an uneventful sea crossing we set off around Studland Bay and followed the Coast Path all the way to Swanage.  On the way we spotted a couple of quite large jelly fish on the edge of the sea and a couple of aircraft continuously  flying around the bay.
The tide was very low and it was interesting to see the low water around Old Harry.
We had a cheap and cheerful lunch at the Fish Plaice in the town. It gets two stars because the price is so competitive!
We then had a stroll along the front to take what may well be our last look at the murals on the derelict buildings which are due to be demolished shortly.

This was a really nice day and very pleasant walking weather.  The walk starts through some pleasant farm land going up to West Knighton and then on to Stafford Farm where there are some nice old buildings.
We found a very pleasant spot for our coffee close to West Stafford and it was good to see the rural community spirit at work.  St Andrews Church is some 600 years old although apparently very little of the original building remains.
It was a very small diversion to go and look at The River Frome  just past Lewell Mill Farm and well worth the effort.  There were also numerous wild flowers brightening up the hedge rows with the wild roses looking particularly fine this week.
It looked for a moment as if the small pedestrian railway crossing just after Lower Lewell Farm may have been closed but all was well and we reached the other side safely.
The sand and gravel pits on the left create an almost futuristic looking landscape.  There was no work going on but still plenty of notices warning of deep water and dangerous quick sands.
A little further on we walked past the water cress beds, which were being cleansed up for the new crop, before joining a short section of the Jubilee Trail and then continuing back into Broadmayne.
A very pleasant day out.

Rob, Clive, Peter, Ray

It was a dull grey day and it poured with rain just as we turned into first field.  Umbrellas were a necessity for Peter and Rob, Ray had left his at home and Clive likes getting wet.  It slowed down by time we reached top and did not really bother us much after that just the occasional drizzle.

It is a steady climb through the fields from Durweston to the top of the ridge on a level with the appropriately named Travellers Rest around 320 feet above the road.  We spotted fields full of opium poppies just starting to bud opposite Websley farm.  An interesting opportunity for photography towards the end of the month maybe.

When we got to the Blandford Forest area we found that there was a track that was not marked on the map but ran along the edge and into Norton Wood.  This turned out to be quite a challenge as there were many trees that had been up rooted in the storms earlier in the year and these were blocking the path in several places.  A couple of the pictures below show how bad this was in places!

We stopped on the way home for lunch at The Lambs Green Inn.  After hearing that the fish of the day was haddock we ordered three portions and they were excellent in both quality and quantity.  As the menu said a whale of a fish.