11 - The final one!

Well, they say that every picture tells a story, and the photos which follow certainly tell Dianne's.

From an idea she had last year to raise money for charity, she embarked on a journey which required planning, training and a lot of hard work.

Here's Dianne account of the final week...


We did it but we had to have a change of plan.

It was impossible to get to Sidmouth because of the snow so the main walk had to start a day late. Karine and Dianne were geared up to walk somewhere on the first day so Karine persuaded Doreen to walk the Stickler route and Dianne persuaded Ron to walk to Shroton and over Hambledon Hill.

By Wednesday evening it was clear that Devon was definitely out so it was decided to go to Weymouth a day early and start the walk by doing the coastal path around Portland.

With that one under our belts we went back to the original course but decided to do each leg from east to west so that we were not walking into the wind. Friday’s walk took us from West Bay to Charmouth during which we reached the highest point on the South Coast of England, Golden Cap at 626 feet.

On Saturday, Pauline joined in and we went from Abbotsbury to West Bay. Sunday saw an influx of walkers for the easiest leg from Weymouth to Abbotsbury. By the time we arrived at our destination we had gathered together eight walkers and two dogs.

Everyone disappeared on Monday when we started at Lulworth Cove in the worst weather we had experienced. The steps up to Durdle Door were iced over and at the top of one cliff the snow drifts were a foot deep.

We made it into Weymouth just a little cold and tired.

I wanted a challenge and I certainly had one but I enjoyed nearly every minute of it.

There are a few people I would like to thank. Karine and Ron for walking with me, Pauline and Neil for ferrying us around and looking after Cocoa when the cliffs got too steep, Mark, Amy. Joyce, Dave and Marcia for making Sunday a fun day despite the weather being overcast, Helen for keeping this blog updated and everyone who has donated money.

The amount raised so far is almost £2,000!

GOOD LUCK!

As the clock begins to tick down to the final hours before Dianne sets off, let's all wish her good luck!

10 - The one with the questions!

So many questions!

On Tuesday, 29th December at the Talbot Hotel, Jane and Lester Wareham hosted a quiz night to raise funds for Dianne's charities. Teams of four (and more!) paid £6.50 per head - which included supper to feed those little grey cells!

And how much did the event raise?

No prizes for answering that question - £427!

Big thanks to everyone at the Talbot Hotel and everyone who came along, without question!

Want more info about the Talbot Hotel? Contact the Talbot Hotel via their website, or ring 01747 811269.

And how much has Dianne raised so far? Over £1,000!

09 - Dianne's card games pay off!

Dianne deserves that sit down! At the end of November, she hosted an all day card sale. Anyone caught wandering around Iwerne Minster was dragged, we mean invited, in. Once they'd been fed and watered - and later, even wined - they were invited to buy greetings cards.

Cards of local landscapes were sold for £1 each and 50p from every sale was donated to Dianne's charitable funds.

So, how much did Dianne raise? A stonking £82!

Wessex Cards still have some stocks left, so if anyone else feels tempted, why not have a look at their website? Cards sold in aid of Dianne's efforts will remain at £1 until 12th January - and 50p will be donated.

08 - It’s a dog’s life as the team hit Budleigh Salterton to Sidmouth

As October gave way to November, Dianne set off on another training session.

Here's her report...

"Karine, Cocoa, Amanda and I set off in the most appalling weather to drive to Sidmouth. We had to take two cars because there are no buses to Budleigh during the winter months. The rain lashed across the road, the fog came down and it was generally diabolical but we battled on and arrived in Sidmouth. A quick run on the beach for Cocoa and then it was off to Budleigh. By the time we parked the car the rain had ceased and the clouds were parting to show blue sky."


"We started walking at 10.30, a nice, gentle stroll beside the River Otter then over the bridge and upwards. The waves were pretty amazing as they crashed onto the beach below us. I would think this must rate as one of the gentlest parts of the route because although there were some steep parts it was very easy on the feet being mostly grassy paths.

Luckily I had recited the route to the others because my map flew out of the pocket of my backpack and into the hedge. I did manage to pull it out of the brambles but a freak wind snatched the pages out of the plastic pocket they were in and straight over the cliff."


Does anyone have pages 29 to 34 of South West Coast Path by Roland Tarr?

"It wasn't a problem; the route was well marked with coastal path 'acorns'.

We arrived back in Sidmouth at about 1.15 where Cocoa had another run on the beach and into the waves and we enjoyed a well earned cup of tea in the sunshine"


Lovely walk thank you Karine, Cocoa and Amanda for your company!

07 - Steaming Success!

The Gift Fair and Coffee Morning held on the 17th October has raised a staggering £326!

Big thanks to everyone who came along and helped, to those who donated raffle prizes and to those who put their hands in their pockets too!

L-R Karine, Sheila, Dianne, Doreen, Helen

06 - The one where they meet a Bear!

Well, from just some of Ron's 50 photos, we can see that Dianne's latest training walk was undertaken in glorious weather.

Dianne agrees, "the weather was glorious and the scenery, spectacular. Our other walks have begun with us driving to our final destination and then catching a bus to the start but there are no buses from Lulworth so I telephoned my friend Melanie who runs the Black Bear Inn at Wool to ask about taxi firms. Her immediate response was "A taxi will cost a fortune. Why don't you park at the Black Bear, catch the train to Weymouth and I will pick you up from Lulworth when you finish."

So that's what they did!

Dianne continues, "We started from the clock on Weymouth seafront. The hills started at Bowleaze Cove and stopped at Lulworth Cove. You can see from the photos how steep the paths were but it was such a lovely day that we just plodded along, enjoying the views. We also met quite a few like-minded people who were happy to stand and chat while we got our breath back. I actually met someone who when I told him what I was intending to do for my birthday didn't say "you’re mad" but instead said what a wonderful way to celebrate."

"As you can see from the time on Weymouth clock we left at 10.45 and we arrived at Lulworth at 4.15 having had a morning break on top of the cliffs above Osmington Mills and lunch sitting in the sun, leaning on an old pillbox overlooking White Nothe.

Melanie collected us from Lulworth and we rounded off the day by joining the regulars at the Black Bear for a curry evening. If you are ever in Wool it’s a very friendly pub and the food is excellent."

Of course, only nice people live in Wool – it’s home to Baggy the Blogger’s parents!

Want to try the Black Bear Inn? Click here for more info!