South West Coast Path - Portland Circular walk/Weymouth to Osmington Mills

This was the sixth stage of 10 days walk along the Jurassic Coast section of the South West Coast Footpath between Exmouth and Poole. This was the day of the important England vs Slovenia football match which if England lost would most likely dump them out of the World Cup. The viewing of this game was all planned into the walk, so the morning would be taken up with walking the Portland circuit, then after the game we would walk up to Osmington Mills.



Date of Walk: 2010-06-23

Start point: Ferrybridge, Weymouth

End Point: Osmington Mills

Start Time:9:30

End time: 18:30

Distance: 17 miles

Walkers: Griffmonster, Kat

Weather conditions: Bright sunshine and very warm

Path taken: Followed the South West Coasstal Footpath.

Pubs:

• The William Henry, Weymouth (http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/home/pubs/the-william-henry) A Weathersoons place so cheap beer! Good to see a selection of local ales and all very drinkable especially Dorset Gold!
• The Lugger Inn, Chickerell (http://theluggerinn.co.uk/) Lovely little pub down a lane in Chickerell, would not have visited the place if it wasnt for the want of a toilet. Lugger Ale and Piddle brewery beers. Excellent
• The Victoria, Langton Herring Large pub on the main road just before the campsite. Friendly enough landlord but very little custom. One of the few customers was the ex-physio of Rushden Town Football Claub in the 80's. That's my team. Small world!

Notes:Portland island was a treat to walk with magnificent views across Chesil beach to the west and to Purbeck hills to the east. After a steep climb once we were on the island the going was never too arduous. We walked the island in a clockwise direction so the sea was on our left as opposed the the right which had been the case throughout the walk. Once round the island we got a bus into Weymouth in order to watcht he football match, then continued on up the seafront to Osmington from where the CoastLinx X53 service took us back to Weymouth. We managed to miss the bus back to Chickerell and was advised by a chap waiting for another bus to catch the number 3 which would take us onto the Chickerell Road. True this happened but it took us through a rather colourful housing estate where youth would offer rude gestures to the bus driver, gather in gangs in the middle of the road and where a middleaged woman looking the worse for wear of drink was arguing with two police officers. From here we walked the 2 miles back to camp!

Equipment: 40L rucksack as a daypack - Panasonic camera 

Accommodation: Bagwell Farm Camp Site, Langton Herring (http://www.bagwellfarm.co.uk/) - a pleasant site a few miles west of Weymouth

Public transport: Coast Linx X53 Langton Herring to Weymouth, First group 100 to Ferrybridge, Coast Linx X53 Osmington to Weymouth, First group 3 to Chickerell road

Route:

View Larger Map

Last Updated: 2014-01-02Z