What do StarWars, John Carter, Dr Who and Blake 7 all have in common? As well as all being Sci Fi they all filmed at the same location on the Jurassic coast and I discovered where on a sunny winter adventure…
St Aldhelms Head loop, A Jurrasic coast walk.
On a crisp January day, I adventured to explore the Jurassic Coast around St. Aldhelms Head. This was my first visit to the area, and I began my journey at Woodhenge, it’s right next to the car park next to the Square & Compass Pub. This isn’t the neolithic one but a very much recent Anthropocene interpretation created by the pub landlord. The villagers and visitors all love it apart from one grumpy git that lodged a formal objection which forced the council to order for it to be taken down. Thankfully after an appeal they found a heart amongst and have let it stand for 2 years. The landlord was happy as he said its firewood anyway. So like all great art it won’t last forever, get to the Square and Compass pub and see it while you can! The pub is great and well worth a visit but today we aren’t hanging around and set out across the fields towards the coastline, with fascination for the distant views of old quarries carved into the hills and cliffs.
StarsWars Andor discovered on the Jurassic coast
Taking in a moment to enjoy the breath-taking coastline I then strolled along, carefully to explore Winspit Quarry. Appreciating the beauty from a safe distance, mindful of the warning signs indicating their instability I realised they looked familiar.
These quarries featured on the big screen many times. Most recently Star Wars Andor but also John Carter and some TV sci-fi such as Dr Who, Blake 7 and Interstellar 2 (BTW I’ve not seen half of these and that last one, I’m just hopeful it happens!).
I’ve added a promo picture from Star Wars Andor in here which shows it set at this very spot on the Jurassic coast.
Abandoned World War II Radar station on Jurassic coast.
Continuing along the coast, up to the clifftop paths I once again enjoyed the sea views and warmth from the low winter sun until reaching an old radar station. Plaques told of it’s role during World War II. The lower section, I discovered, had once been a station to detect low-flying bombers coming in across the channel. A fascinating area to explore. What took my interest were the interesting rock formations. And I found a really nice little sun trap, and so I had a play, did a little traversing.
Jurassic Bouldering
As well as wearing a lot of layers to protect from the early chill I was wearing my hiking boots. Climbing with these instead of my dedicated climbing shoes added an extra layer of challenge as I sought out any bit of grip I could find. Despite the chilly 4 degrees Celsius temperature, the sun trap provided enough warmth to be comfortable in just a t-shirt. To share my point of view with you I switched to a head-cam mode. You can see all this in the you tube video. I will add the link here when it is published.
Jurassic fossils
There are loads of fossils around these parts, it’s what the Jurassic coast is famous for (hence the name!). I found some big ammonite fossils buried in the wall here, they make great climbing holds! Can you see one in the last photo above?
I played here for way too long and the winter sun was setting fast so I hurried along the path back up along the clifftops, racing against the light, guided by the “Mappy” app to ensure I wouldn’t be caught out after dark. (It is a great free app that works offline too. I have used it for years in the mountains and not had to worry about a phone signal).
A walk with views of Chapmans Pool
Not really seeking any further challenges to add to the day I happened across a huge dig in the cliff path. This was totally unexpected and although tired after playing on the rocks the fast setting sun left no choice. It looks far less daunting in the photo but over 200 steps later it was done and well worth it for the views of the last light capturing the sea cliffs around Chapmans pool. I will definitely return here to watch the winter sunset again. Jurassic Equinox hike anyone?
Cows, Vows and Wow; challenge completed at the last of light!
On this last leg of the loop there are loads of uplifting messages engraved in to rocks on the walls and some friendly cows too. Just at the very last light I turned back inland across the fields, met more friendly cows, maybe a bit too friendly! through the quaint village, and back to WoodHenge and so to home, the van.
Documenting adventures - A learning curve
Thank you for joining me on the inaugural episode of Adventure Every Week. While there may be a few hiccups in this first attempt, it’s all part of the learning process. I’ll do my best to improve with every chapter. Adventure every week: Will I keep this up? I’ll give it a go. Doing the adventures is great, documenting them is another thing! Join in, see if we can make it happen. As they say, like and subscribe!
