It is Monday morning. I am aching a bit. I got back late last night from a walking weekend in the Lulworth Cove area - Dorset - The Jurassic Coast. It is an area I know a bit about from earlier geography field trips - many many moons ago!

Lulworth Cove is famous for being perfect "cove" formation - the hard rock barrier (Portland Stone - Limestone) being breached by the sea - which then washes out the softer rocks (shales) behind until it hits another harder rock (chalk) thus forming a perfect circular cove with a narrow entrance. It is very picturesque and provides an ideal shelter for small boats.

This is a part of the coastline now referred to as the Jurassic Coast. From the web site :

"The Jurassic Coast is a Walk Through Time. With its rocks and fossils we can uncover detailed stories from Earth’s ancient past. Through its landslides, cliffs and beaches we can learn about the natural processes that formed the coast and continue to shape the world today.The layers of sedimentary rock along the Jurassic Coast can be read like a book. They reveal the history of Earth across 185 million years and form a near complete record of the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Exploring this immense story takes us on a walk through time across deserts, tropical seas, ancient forests and lush swamps, recorded in rock and laid out along the 95 mile stretch of coast between Exmouth in East Devon and Studland Bay in Dorset.It is a site of outstanding international importance for Earth Science. For this reason the Dorset and East Devon Coast – the Jurassic Coast – was designated as England’s first natural World Heritage Site in 2001."

However while the geology is fascinating we were not there to look for dinosaur bones but simply to get in some good walking in a beautiful area. We have had a lot of rain in the south. Saturday was a challenging weather day. Quite windy - intermittent light rain and cold and at times poor visibility. However with the right gear, a walking pole and plenty of good stuff to eat and drink in the rucksack it was great to be out there. Our walk was 14 miles - a long walk - but on this day with mud and steep inclines both up and down it eventually felt like more. The outward leg was from Lulworth west to Osmington Mill for half distance. The path we followed was slightly more inland - across designated farm tracks with challenging cambers and wind in the face - a battle with the elements and mud. Great stuff. Is there anything better than finding a spot in the lee of the wind after a couple of hours of hard walking - hot coffee from the flask and a cheese and pickle sandwich followed by something sweet - ha! Later half an hour in the pub at Osmington Mill (tea rather than beer). Lovely and warm. After lunch a leg of the well defined South West Coastal Footpath back to Lulworth Cove via Durdle Door. These really were steep inclines and at times the challenging combination of mud on hard rock. The afternoon brightened and the views were often stunning and of course we were adjacent the noisy crashing sea. There were very few other walkers - almost none until we approached Durdle Door which is a famous sightseeing spectacle. From a distance it does not look very big but as you approach it and get a human perspective it is impressive. Another couple of hard miles and it is back to Lulworth Cove and a visit to the adjacent Stair Hole (tidal and sea conditions were not right for spray to be coming out the top). The Cove, Durdle Door and Stair Hole are all examples of the same type of coastal erosion and the effect of harder rock surrounded by soft rock - and how the sea exposes it over time. One of the amazing geological features of this area is the folding and lifting of bands of sedimentary rock - very clearly seen at Stair Hole for example. The chalk cliffs of the Jurassic Coast are a continuation of the chalk downs that forms the backbone of my home - the Isle of Wight and the South Downs of Southern England. They were all pushed up like ripples in a table cloth by the clash of the African and European plates that created the Alps. Amazing when you think about it.

Anyway it was a great walk - very satisfying to do. The evening was rounded off in the local - The Castle Inn, Lulworth. It was Camra National Cider pub of the year 2014 - quite an accolade. They had over 40 ciders on - plus a range of real ales and all of them served by gravity tap rather than vacuum pump - which in itself is unusual today.

On Sunday we planned a 7 mile walk but extended it to 10. It was a much nicer weather day and the going around Corfe Castle, Hartland Moor and Brenscombe Forest was much easier. It was a lovely day. I could try and explain about the history of Corfe Castle. (but I won't - ha!) Save to say it is a standout landmark and you would think impossible to attack with its almost sheer sides. It is medieval. Corfe itself is a very picturesque village / town with one or two atmospheric pubs - but busy.

I have to mention the Kings Arms at Wareham. Now this was a real find. An East Dorset Camra Pub of the year ! It was obvious why. Totally unspoilt. Real local people in it. A proper wood fire. Flagstone floors. Great beer - and the most wonderful roast dinner (comes with a big gravy jug too) - and only £8.95. Perfect - as starving hungry!

It was a great weekend - but as I said I am feeling it today. It must be an age thing - ha!