On Cogden Beach, Dorset

Today was just as sunny and beautiful as yesterday, and last night Patrick suggested that we should go down to the sea for a swim, with his sister Mel who also lives nearby.  He made some delicious egg sandwiches, Mel brought tea and cake, and I drove.  They know how much I like the little lanes and ancient tracks wherever I go, and their local landscape in Dorset has an abundance of gems, as well as standing stones, Roman villa ruins, old aqueducts as well as hidden mosaics (which Patrick pointed out to me on a our walk to the river last night).

We parked high up on hillside above Cogden Beach, which is a National Trust wildlife reserve, and walked  the half mile down to this part of the amazing Chesil Beach, which stretches from Weymouth nearly as afar as Bridport's old port, West Bay.  I have been to these spots a few times over the years but I don't hink I have ever had such good weather;  clear blue sky, a very gentle breeze, hot sun, a flat sea pebbles topped by rare sea kale plants harbouring wheatears, swallows and other birds I couldn't identify.

Mel went straight in to swim, Pat warmed up for a few minutes and I sat, as is my wont.  I haven't swum in the seas around Britain for many decades having got too used to warm Mediterranean waters in my teens and then the delights of tropical seas and oceans in later life.  But I did pluck up courage, as I knew Patrick would tease me relentlessly if I didn't, and so I dived straight under the water and nearly died.  I didn't last long but I'm pleased I managed it.

We warmed up on the beach and chatted before our delightful picnic.  I had my camera and took pictures at odd  moments.  I liked this view looking westwards towards Burton Bradstock's beach beneath the nearest cliff, and then on beyond West Bay to the Jurassic coastline's other cliffs that run all the way to Lyme Regis, although you can hardly see them through the haze.

I forgot to add that I promised to promote Patrick's latest brilliant novel,
The Savoy Truffle, which has had me laughing out loud.

Patrick H. shows me the Hellstone, a dolmen sited high on the hills not far from Cobden Beach, in May 2011.

Patrick shows me some remote standing stones in Dorset, in July 2012