Gary & Arnies 69k trek - day 1 c

Parkstone Railstation to Old Harry Rocks  8 miles

Shaz dropped us at Woking and the train journey was uneventful. The walk to the ferry was hard getting the hips used to the weight.  Got there eventually after stopping on a few benches to take the weight off for a bit. After crossing on the ferry made a beeline for the shell bay sea food restaurant.

I took the pack off and thought I was going to float away very weird feeling. Just had scampi and chips as sitting outside with Arnie oh and a couple of pints of Devon cider, had to be done.  Damm it's hot wasn't expecting to need sun screen this soon.

We hike around shell bay next into Swanage and old Harry, so update later .....
 

 

The SWCP follows the line of shell bay and takes in the interesting sights of the naturist section . I bumped Into Barney from Wales and his lady friend Moira who did all the talking . They certainly helped pull me along the beach.

At the end of the beach the path bares right inland and uphill. I missed the turn left where the path goes of left into a wooded area and had to retrace my steps about 100yds. Then a little later the path was closed and we had to head inland to go round it.

I think it was at this point I missed the pub I was aiming for, well we walked past it, silly move as it left us without water, not good, but I begged half a bottle from some people having a BBQ to save us having to walk a mile and a half back to pub, we can get some more water at Swanage tomorrow that's not far away.

We loitered at the head where the rocks are for a bit and then decided we had to have water but as we started the mile walk back to pub I spotted some guys with a bbq so managed to get 1/2 bottle of water from them.
 

We then made camp for the night at 1930 in a wood just back along the path from the rocks. Had enough water to try out a self heating meal chicken curry and rice was actually good and hot, was expecting luke warm but it really heats up.

Woke up in the night could hear someone or something moving around the tent I banged the tent side to scare it off but didn't work. Then the zipper on the tent started opening and I start shouting who's there ... I've got a dog .. who's there....... Then I woke up ... I'd been having a nightmare, lol weird.