After a comfortable night and a big breakfast at the Ilchester Arms in Abbotsbury we head off up the hill to the little chapel before finding the coast path and the sea.

The path joins at the very end of Chesil Beach where we admire the view back towards the Isle of Portland – the first part of the walk is mostly on the shingle and quite hard going. We come to a little car park below Abbotsbury Sub-Tropical Gardens where there is a little board walk heading out to the sea.

The pathway runs just inside the beach beside farmland which is at times very muddy encouraging us to jump over the little stream to find a drier path. As we near West Bexington the path becomes firmer with banks covered in what we believe to be leeks!! They are extremely prolific.

As we pass some lovely large beach huts and chalets on the grass area just inland we spot the little shepherds hut we’ve booked for our stay in a couple of weeks’ time.

A helicopter is to-ing and fro-ing overhead and as we arrive at West Bexington it appears to be transporting guests to the local eatery!! We decide to join them but as we have a dog and muddy boots we opt to sit outside under a little shelter, enjoying the view of the sea.

Our onward journey is along Hardy Way, we opt to go beach side of the lagoon, I now realise that the path goes land side! The Burton Mere lagoon is edged with a huge swathe of reeds, now brown but swaying beautifully in the breeze.

The cliff path slowly rises up and skirts a large caravan park before descending back down to Burton Bradstock, the beach, a nice looking but sadly closed cafe and our car to take us back to family waiting in the hotel.