Anyone planning on doing this walk tomorrow?

yes, would not miss it....

If anyone misses the train or wants a later start, the 9.35 train connects with the 12.14 bus. You then have the option of staying on the bus to the Scott Arms 6 min beyond Corfe Castle where you may catch up with those starting the walk in Corfe Castle and will certainly be ahead of those starting in Wareham.

Seven alighted from the designated train with five opting for the long walk and two taking the bus to Corfe from the village of Wareham....a later starter met the shorter route walkers at the pub in Kingston, making for 8 in total. The long walkers enjoyed the varied terrain across heathland and wetlands and made good progress towards Corfe until the unexpected happened....on a narrow section of path contouring the base of a hill we were caught behind a gently ambling bull (yes, a fully intact rather handsome specimen)...behind which we all walked in single file for almost a kilometer....It was really rather amusing....at the end of the path, the gentleman kindly and patiently stepped aside to let us exit the area through a gate leading to Corfe Castle....I am not sure any of us have ever spent quite so long in such close proximity of a bull.. plenty of time to examine and observe his powerful physiology....Despite this slow-down, we arrived in Kingston in good time and based on a report that the Jerk BBQ came quickly, most of us indulged in a pub lunch (relegating our picnics to the journey home) before setting off on the sea cliff portion of the route with its stunning views of the spectacular Jurassic Coast...Arriving at Worborrow Bay, 4 of the long walkers opted for an initially rather bracing, but ultimately very refreshing swim, in this remarkable setting surrounded by dramatic cliffs....The swimmers finally made it to Lullworth Cove about 19:40 where we found 2 of the shorter walkers who had enjoyed a dinner in LC after one had had a dip in LC...before catching our rather delayed taxi to whisk us away to Wool for the 20:34....one shorter walker had caught the 18:12 bus and one longer walker had caught the 19:12 bus....A full and fine summer's day in fab company.....on a breezy quintessential British summer 's-day (meaning some sun to start, followed by cloud and a few light mist showers).

9 actually, as 1 (slightly) earlier starter walked the 'main' walk route (the green line on the route map), ascending to the inland ridge from the Blue Pool. And without any pub lunches or other delays, she got to Lulworth Cove way before anyone else and never met the group.

The 'pub' in Kimmeridge is Clavell's Restaurant. It's really a pub/restaurant, with a large beer garden at the front. Serves food all afternoon.

Any advice on cheapest tickets? Thanks.

i hope to do this Dorset doddle as it is one of my fave walks Jane the sandwich shop in Corfe Castle is excellent

For those preferring a later start while still enjoying all the coastal section there is another option: catch the 9.35 train to Wareham followed by the 12.11 bus, but instead of getting off at Corfe Castle, stay on the bus another 6 min to the Scott Arms at Kingston.

You will arrive there at approximately the same time as those starting the walk in Corfe. I say this with confidence as this is what I did last year!

Hello,

I am intending to join you on this hike, along with two other friends

In the description it says that we should buy a day return to Wool.

I am a little confused here because you said that the starting point is Wareham ( and not Wool) yet the return is from Wool station

So normally we should two single-route tickets (one from london to Wareham and the other from Wool to London)

Could you please clarify this

Could Stargazer gaze on the questions, please? Cheers.

The walk starts in Wareham and finishes in Lulworth cove where you then take a bus or taxi to Wool station. Since Wool station is further away, a day return to Wool will cover both your outward and return journeys and would be the most cost efficient ticket. Cheers, Stargazer

Thank you, Stargazer.

Hello,

Thanks for replying

I have checked the national rail website, apparently there's no train heading to Wool(thus passing by Wareham) and leaving London at 8:35, I found 08:05 and 09:05 as departure times

Could you please advise on which of these trains should I take?

Hi again, in the morning we are going to Wareham, a stop before Wool. A return ticket to Wool is valid to Wareham. In the evening, we will return from Wool. Cheers, Karen

Hello Karen,

I just want to know at what time we are gathering at Waterloo station, in order to go together?

Can we precise a meeting point and a time please?

Can someone meet me at waterloo station under the huge clock at 7.45 a.m. 8 a.m. the latest to buy a group saver ticket? If no one confirms i cant go...

We typically meet on the train platform where the walk starts...in this case Wareham....the group is usually quite obvious.....

We are pretty independent , so group save doesn't tend to work. A Network railcard gives the same discount.

I'm getting the 0935 & walking from Corfe

PeterG.. thank you for your reply. I do not have a network rail card but was hoping teo people might happen to go to Wareham to catch the 830am train. It looks like there is no one else but me. So i am going to abort my plans because i do not think i will pay the full price of ticket cost.

Stargazer thank you for your reply. I gather that we meet at Wareham for the start of the walk... but i do not have a railcard. I was hoping to find others who is in the same boat as me who happen to be doing this walk tomorrow and may want to join me to buy a group save ticket. Thats all

A simple solution to not having a Network Railcard is to buy one. It pays for itself very quickly if you are a regular walker, and means you are independent. Google it. Having one also means you are more aware of the rip-off prices charged by some Meetup-only walking groups.

17 emerged from the official train and assembled on the platform (including 1 relative newcomer and 2 first-timer friends) and following the usual formalities, we divided into two groups -- 7 opting for the full monty long-haul route direct from Wareham station and 10 choosing the shorter route starting in Corfe Castle (of these most took the new train service from Wareham to Corfe; while 1 took the bus and reconnected with the others in Corfe); two late starters took the bus to Corfe and one other to Kingston, making for a total of 20 on this Dorset delight under light clouds clearing in the evening .

One of the Corfe walkers stopped in the pub in Kingston for a drink and lite bite and met up with the late Kingston starter, eventually, these two reconnected with the rest of the Corfe starters who had picnics at Swyre Head....Many butterflies were spotted on route to Worborrow Bay where 8 swam and 1 paddled....This group arrived in Lulworth Cove with time to dine, with some going to the pub and others a fish and chip shop...To some surprise, they bumped into one of the late Corfe starters who had walked the original "inland ridge" route directly to Lulworth Cove.

Meanwhile, the long walkers saw some stags and donkeys on the traverse across the heath where the heather is only just beginning to show some color and enjoyed an alfresco churchyard picnic where we met one of the late Corfe starters -- two of this group then set off for the rest of the walk; while the others washed their lunch down with a quick half in the garden of the pub with its expansive views to Corfe and beyond. Amply refreshed, we set off for the real highlight of the route, the dramatic cliffs of the Jurassic Coast...we caught up with the two who had set off from Kingston earlier in Worborrow Bay where 4 went swimming (making for a total of 12 swimmers for the day) before completing the epic journey in soft evening sunshine, arriving in Lulworth Cove in time for a drink and some chips before our awaiting chariots whisked us away to Wool for the 8:34 train and a jolly journey home....

For anyone thinking of doing the shorter walk, it would also be possible to catch the 9.35 train from Waterloo that arrives at Wareham at 11.48. This connects with the number 40 bus at 12.04 arriving Corfe at 12.19. You would almost certainly still be ahead of those doing the full walk from Wareham.

I am thinking of doing this later option and would be keen to hear if anyone else is interested.

PS. For an even shorter walk, the above bus continues on to Swanage, stopping at the Scott Arms pub at 12.25.

15 on this walk, eight starting from Wareham, six from Corfe, one from Kingston. The train to Wareham ran on time but the SWR special to Corfe Castle was an hour late, so we “short” walkers all got the bus, which was late and very crowded. This meant we did not start walking till midday, having got an 8.30 train. We had a pleasant walk up across Corfe Common to Kingston, where the Scott Arms and its wonderfully scenic garden provided a drinks stop. Here we were joined by a late starter who had got the bus to this point. We found this pub quite quiet but the main walkers 50 minutes later reported a big queue to be served.

We pressed on to Swyre Head where we picnicked. The views here were gorgeous and the whole ridge from here to Worbarrow Bay is a delight. There were oodles of butterflies, including lots of very rare Walls (a type of butterfly). But this was also a long long ridge. Butterfly-spotting apart, I was hammering along and indeed felt in a rush all day. But the sun shone from a lovely blue sky, despite more clouds evident inland, so it was worth it.

We got to Worbarrow Bay at 4pm and four of us swam, the water clear but colder than it ought to have been. As we prepared to leave, the main walkers arrived. Several of them swam but with time pressing we “shorties” did not wait for them. This proved wise because after the near vertical climb out of the bay we hit a mass charity endurance event involving possibly the entire Millennial generation of Great Britain who were walking from Poole to Land’s End or some such and who infested the entire rest of the route like ants. The steep descent to Mupes Bay was a particular trial with participants with over-tired limbs struggling to descend the steps. Even pushing past them in the most aggressive way possible I did not get to Lulworth till after 7pm, in time to get fish and chips and gulp down a litre of water.

Others of the group followed but there was some speculation whether the main walkers would make it before our booked minivan taxi at 8pm. They did but there were too many of us for one taxi and no others available. Our driver insisted he could do two round trips to Wool before the 8.34 train. We were sceptical but he was right. We all got the train and armed with plentiful “supplies” soon managed to clear a large area around us on the train and enjoy a happy run back to London.

Thanks for posting this walk. It was a great day out. How nice on these long, hot summer days to be up and out for an 08:30 train and making the most of the sunshine. (Who can sleep in this heat anyway?) Some might not favour the early start, long journey combo, but as a Mon - Friday, 9 - 5 office drone, the occasional 2-hour train journey to a location outside the usual London catchment area is always a great opportunity to catch up with some reading and really feel like I have escaped the commuter belt.

The taxi situation at Lulworth wasn't as precarious as Walker's report might have implied. Flagrantly going against the 'every walker is responsible for themselves' spirit of the club, Stargazer had arranged the 8-seater in advance of the walk, and once numbers were more or less confirmed upon arrival at Wool in the morning, arranged a second pickup with the same taxi.

As for the charity walkers, it wasn't ideal, but I've no doubt even our small groups are someone else's bete noire: There you are, trying to enjoy a peaceful walk around Sevenoaks when 30 chatty Londoners show up... Even if their endurance event doesn't result in a cure for cancer/alzheimers/diabetes etc., reading the various t-shirts was a reminder that I am lucky to be in good enough health to enjoy a tough walk for no other reason than fun.

A jolly good day out.

Stargazer did indeed try to book the second taxi at the start of the walk: I should have made that clear. His/her organisation was excellent.

As for our groups probably disturbing others out walking, yes, absolutely. We also can clear entire railway carriages on our return journeys. And in winter, while assiduous about taking our boots off in the lunch pub, we routinely tread mud all over the tea room floor. And yes, I am as guilty of all these crimes as everyone else.