UK: Dorset Details

EXPLORING DORSET COUNTRYSIDE

We hadn’t seen these friends in almost ten years, but readily accepted their invitation to visit them in Dorset and stay overnight. We took the Southwest Train from Waterloo to Wareham and thus began a wonderful visit. R and S were relaxed hosts and we picked up as if we had just seen them last week!  

Going to Dorset was a trip back in time. Small villages, narrow lanes bordered by hedges, historic stone churches, and open fields—heath and flood plain—backed by high ridges. Even the remains of Saxon walls and Corfe Castle which predates the Norman invasion of 1066.  

The first afternoon we walked a trail in a nearby national park at nearby Arne which was the essence of fall. Yellow to brown trees, leaves scattered on the woodsy path and eventually views of the islands in and around Poole harbor.  We rewarded ourselves after our long tramp with tea and hot chocolate.  

Dinner was at a very old and historic pub, Scott Arms in Kingston.  Old and historic, but previously lacking business. Its new owners upped their game and the menu now strikes some Caribbean notes in addition to the more traditional pub fare—jerk flavored chicken, vegetables with goat cheese, and, scampi tail breaded and fried with chips and peas (the all-time favorite English vegetable, I think). All washed down with beer, cider, or even wine, if you must have it.

The next morning we awoke to a crusty frost with all the garden trees and flowers thickly coated. I marveled at how lovely it all was, a bit like a fairy land, and quickly grabbed my camera to capture its beauty. I hadn’t seen frost like that in a decade!

CORFE CASTLE

Fortified with porridge, fruit, and orange whiskey marmalade, we ventured to Corfe and a walkabout around Corfe Castle.   It stands on a ridge and looms over the surrounding area. I was wearing all the layers I had with me and still found it chilly.   

Lunch was at Clavell’s Café and Restaurant where we tucked into the vegetarian special for R and S (they eat healthily), a sausage and onion baguette for Greg, and a tasty cod, prawn and spinach puff pastry pie for me. Served, of course, with peas and chips.

KIMMERIDGE FOSSILS

This part of Dorset is not far inland from what is called the Jurassic Coast, the site of many notable fossil finds. One man, Steve Ketches, began collecting fossils as a young child and then continued to collect, focusing his efforts on the one location of Kimmeridge.   His impressive collection is now featured in a new small museum which opened just two weeks ago.  These are mostly marine specimens since they were found at the coast and they are most attractively displayed.  The labeling, done as someone might make handwritten notes, makes the information conveyed very accessible and seemingly informal. Shown here is part of an ichthyosaur fossil.

I should note that our friends are not only passionate about preserving their environment, but also keen long distance walkers, even competitors, hence all the walking we did with them.  They participate in 24 hour 100 mile races which take place around the world.  She is a record holder for her age group and has competed everywhere from Colorado to South Africa to this past spring, their home county of Dorset.  During that twenty-four hour period, you do any combination of walking, running or jogging with the goal of completing the one hundred miles well before the end of the time.

Note:  All photos copyright JWFarrington (some rights reserved)