Day 136 - Dorset Roadtrip

Planned for this trip since a few weeks back - our first and only roadtrip. It was out of necessity as

1. No trains to the Dorset landmarks
2. Buses from London to the nearest towns of the landmarks leaves only once a day at 6pm. That means waste money for accommodation
3. Attractions are far apart, at least 8 km away. Buses don't stop directly near the attractions, and require you to change buses at several towns to get to the nearest stop. Doesn't help that the bus frequency is lousy, so you might spend one whole day just waiting and changing bus.
4. Long distance between attractions mean that you have to hike like almost one whole day from one coastal landmark to another. And there are like 4-5 landmarks to see.

So yes, by going on a road trip, we would only pay 1/5 of the amount required.

We reported at Hertz Victoria Coach Station to pick up the car. Ming Li and I have finished our exams, Esther and Janelle needed a break in between exams, and Ying hong has no exams! Heather have another paper while Ziwei initially couldn't make it, but when she later could, we had already booked a car that is only enough to accommodate the 5 of us. But it turns out we were given a larger car as they have run out of the one we booked. If we have known, we would have gotten Ziwei along.

It's bank holiday weekend, so everyone is leaving London too. They don't call it jams here. Its called "Queues"

Esther, our main driver. Who says woman can't drive? Her driving is really smooth!

The navigation system directed us to cross the Swanage Harbour with what seems like a bridge on the map. Turns out is this vehicle ferry. We cut queue unknowingly (or as the road put it, "infiltration"). It was so smooth, that we didn't know the ferry was moving until it is time to disembark.

Stop 1: Old Harry's Rock and Wife

After a long 4 hours drive and wait in the queue, we've finally arrived. We were tipped off online to park near the place instead of paying £8 to park at the National Trust carpark.

Anyway, anyone who mugged Marrionne Chiong (refer to post on Seven Sisters) would have heard of Old Harry's Rock and Wife.

At the coast

Identify the coastal feature. (Lesson material collection galore!)

Notch! Notch! Notch!

Aren't Old Harry and his Wife, but I think this is pretty pretty too!

Preparing for a lunch picnic. Guess where the mat is from? Singapore Day.

The self prepared spread!

Old Harry, and his wife, and possible would be WIVES and a slave maybe.

Old Harry is the big one in the middle of the picture, while his wife is the smaller stack further away.

An arch should be produced in a century or two. That means Old Harry will khang khang?

Yes the coast is nice, but so are the wild flowers.

Old Harry got a lot of choices hor

Only Ming Li was brave enough to walk to the end of the really narrow path.

Stop 2: Lulworth's Cove

One of the more symmetrical coves in the world. Looks really pretty on the Internet.......

but like nothing much up close leh

white pebbles

Guess its beauty shows from afar, or even in aerial photos like those on the internet.

But we found this really pretty but less noticed formation called "stairwell"

Really interesting. Spotted a few fossil shells as well.

Stop 3: Durdle's Door

Actually can walk from the carpark at Lulworth's cove one, but since the carpark ticket at Lulworth's Cove is valid for the carpark here, might as well drive there instead of walking 4 km lor.

It's quite a steep path down......

Nice Bay

Durdle's Door! Ok, now turn to Marrionne Chong Page......

Obligatory touristy shot.

I tried knock knocking on Durdle's Door, but no reply. Hence this expression.

Stop 4: Chesil Beach

By the time we were done with Durdle's Door, it was around 6pm. It takes about 3-4 Hours to drive back to London. Since the sun set at 9pm, and the highways at this part of UK don't really have street lamps, we were wondering if we should proceed to Chesil Beach, which is about 20km away. But Janelle said, since we're here, might as well lah! And there we are, off to one of the longest tombolo in the world (about 16km. measured using Google Earth during my lessons)

And we were rewarded with a really beautiful sight of Chesil Beach from Portland

Boy we were happy

"Eh is the photo taken?" "taken liao I think. I thought I heard the click sound"

I'm just amazed by it. I've taught about it, talked about it, and finally see it with my own eyes. Can I bring students here one day? Funding please?

It's 720pm

Thought they burn kim zua here in UK also.

The lovely vehicle that served us really well.

The beach/tombolo is actually quite high.

Esther back in the driver's seat, after Janelle took over from Old Harry's Rock

And why didn't we get lost? £14 for the Never-Lost Navigation system! But it can be a bit slow within the city lah. As in ask you to turn left 2 junctions later, but actually referring to the junction just in front. But oh well. At least better than maps.

And so we made the long drive back to London. Reached about 11pm. Luckily no jams. I mean queues.