The Jurassic Coast: West Bay and Loders
Man, have I had a busy week! I'm back from the Lake District where I met up with uni friends which was amazing fun but I want to do everything in chronological order so I don't forget anything. So, let's continue with Dorset!
I woke up bright and early (for me) in my small yet surprisingly comfortable bed to a scorcher of a day. I'm pretty sure this was the start of the heat wave the UK was experiencing. Despite being attacked by hay fever throughout the night, I was well rested and enjoyed a simple breakfast on the patio outside the caravan, soaking up the sun.
I woke up bright and early (for me) in my small yet surprisingly comfortable bed to a scorcher of a day. I'm pretty sure this was the start of the heat wave the UK was experiencing. Despite being attacked by hay fever throughout the night, I was well rested and enjoyed a simple breakfast on the patio outside the caravan, soaking up the sun.
As I ate and began to painstakingly smother myself in sun cream, we discussed our plans for the day. Top of the list was a trip to West Bay, or as most of the British public knows it, Broadchurch.
For those who don't know, Broadchurch was an ITV crime drama, based around the suspicious death of a young boy, that took the nation by storm earlier this year. Not too long ago I went to see the show's composer, Ólafur Arnalds, play in Leicester Cathedral, so getting to effectively go 'on set' last week felt like completing the tour.
The town is a lot smaller than it feels in the show, despite it being set around the same harbour and beach. We stopped in a pub for a quick refreshing drink before going to see the landmarks we recognised, like the newsagents, police station (which was actually a newly developed block of flats), and cliffs.
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| Danny's iconic cliff - and mum being a tourist. |
The photo doesn't do these cliffs justice, honestly. I can't find a precise height anywhere online but they're incredible to stand beside. After gawping at their sheer monstrosity, we took a leisurely coastal walk up onto the western cliffs. I led the pack, reasoning that it would be good training for Kili, and while we were melting in the heat, there was a pleasant breeze at the top.
We walked along to see the chalet - another Broadchurch feature - and then headed back for a quick spot of lunch in the Ellipse Cafe, right next to the 'police station', which was actually just some newly developed flats. They had a sort of show reel where the cafe had starred in Broadchurch and photos of the employees with David Tennant and Olivia Colman.
When we were sufficiently fed and watered, we left West Bay for home, only to be sidetracked into visiting my friend's friend's country pile in Loaders. She'd be mortified if he found out we were there but I have to say it has to be one of the prettiest villages I've ever seen. They have a stunning pub too.
While we may have almost broken one of their wooden benches by trying to seat five people at once, I was incredible entertained by the chickens and ducks that wandered around the garden.
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