Wednesday 9th April 2025

                                                        Blackthorn near Ferrybridge
 


Abbotsbury to Weymouth (Ferrybridge).  10.9 miles

We get an early bus to Abbotsbury and have a coffee in a little deli and butcher which I spotted yesterday.  We get bacon rolls for lunch.  Surprisingly, it’s run by a South African couple. The walking is mostly easy, but the distance is at the outer limit of our ability.  We definitely would be struggling if there were cliffs to climb. Much of the walk follows the shore of the Fleet lagoon.  There are interesting birds, but of course I don’t have my binoculars.  Whilst taking a break overlooking the lagoon I manage to stand on my glasses.  Fortunately, I never do SWCP without a spare pair.  But still.

As the evening approaches and we are cold and very tired, we are confronted with a ‘path closed’ sign.  From bitter experience we have learned to take these signs seriously, but we can’t face the detour which will add a mile.  Luckily a local woman tells us that it’s only a short section of the path has collapsed.  She says it is actually passable so long as you are reasonably agile and don’t mind the mud.  We reason that it’s been so dry that the mud shouldn’t be a problem.  We are literally minutes away from the Ferrybridge. We decide to risk it and basically, it’s a section of decking and steps which has gone.  We clamber over it quite easily and we are at Ferrybridge.  This is the point where the causeway leaves the mainland for Portland.

We quickly get a Portland bus back to Weymouth and the King’s Statue terminus.  A pint at Black Dog, then supper at Oliveto’s Italian in the bandstand building.  It is quiet and nice with good food and a view of the sea.  £86.00 + tip.

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