I’ve lost it!

I can’t believe that I got back from Dorset, wrote a few blog posts and then forgot the very best location. It must be the problems I’ve been having with the monitor. Thank heavens I have my images sorted in Bridge or I would have neglected to tell you about Durdle Door. It was actually one of the places that drew me to the area in the first place. I had already seen loads of photographs of course, but they made me even more determined to take my own.

I guess I realised it would be quite a climb down the steps to the beach, but I hadn’t reckoned on the long and very steep path to the top of the cliffs from the car park. I only found out about this from a guy in my photography forum. I asked if he thought I could manage with a badly sprained ankle and a crutch and he advised me to steer clear. Naturally, I went anyway.

It was a truly gorgeous day and for the first (and last) time during the five days, I found a wonderful old pub in the middle of nowhere and had a leisurely lunch. The staff were kind enough to carry everything outside for me and there I got talking to a lovely couple about our animals. I remember the lady telling me she had been supporting a charity in Wales, but it had recently closed down. She asked if we could do with any help, but I had to explain that they were all our own pets and were never rehomed. It was a kind gesture though and one I will never forget.

So, on to my very last location and the massive car park which required users to input their registration number and set the duration of their stay. It left many people scratching their heads, but I was lucky and got a ticket first time. I wish the footpath had been as easy, but my friend in the forum had been spot on. It was very steep and covered in loose chippings, which made life even harder. I must have looked a sorry sight because several people stopped to ask if they could help by carrying my gear.

Once I reached the top of the cliffs dividing Durdle Door from the Man o’ War Bay, I spotted a wonderful candid opportunity. A young girl with blue hair and colourful tattoos was sitting on a ledge admiring the view.

Getting down to the beach took a while, but wasn’t as hard as I feared. At the bottom, I had some fun with the waves and even managed to get water over the top of my wellington boots. I think that must count as a true seascape!

Then I looked back to the Door itself. There were a few boys playing in the surf and I let them be for a while. When it seemed as though they would never move, I gave them a call and pointed to the camera. They sat down immediately and gave me enough time to take the shot featured at the very top. It is one of my own personal favourites from the entire trip.

The very last image from Dorset was taken at the top of the steps where I waited in the best spot for nearly two hours. I wondered about the decision, but as sunset approached, more and more people assembled around me and I knew I had done the right thing. A heavy band of cloud approaching from the south threatened to spoil our view, but I managed to grab this before the sun vanished completely.

I packed up my gear and as I struggled back up the hill, I came across two sisters from Scotland who were in the area for a photography course. We chatted as we ascended, with plenty of stops along the way and by the time we got back to the car park, I felt as though I was saying goodbye to friends. And that is how I remember my trip to Dorset. Happy memories, stunning views and a lot of very kind people.