On this road you pass a turning for Kimmeridge and then you will pass a road with a gate saying No Entry. That way lies the lost village of Tyneham sitting in a valley. The entire village was requisitioned during WW2 and villagers were told they could come home when the war ended. But of course they never did. You can attend a church service there once a year, but otherwise it is gone but not forgotten. A novel about the big house at Tyneham is The Novel In the Viola by Natasha Solomons - well worth a read, good on the facts, writing a delight, and just a slight tweek in the name of the village.
Anyway, on past that turning, a lovely drive if the road is open, all the way to East Lulworth where there is a castle, and then on down to the coast at Lulworth Cove. And after parking the car and stopping for a cuppa, we walked down through the village and stood on the steps down to the little beach just watching people, the water, the birds and generally drinking it all in.
And what a glorious little bay it is - it looks like an almost perfect circle from ground level - and as though a giant just took a bite out of the coastline! This part of the coast is dark, as there are no towns to pollute the night sky - I think I must aim to go down one night and look at all the stars I never see.
Anyway, a fascinating detour for us, and a place to go back to again and again.
No comments:
Post a Comment