Portland Day two 9th May 2026

 The only problem with our Airbnb is parking.  There isn't any.  But we both get lucky and find spots in the High Street, just outside.  We have to feed the meters but we must be off by 09.00, because only one hour is allowed after the free period expires at eight.

We decide to start the walk at the lighthouse.  Becky's car remains on the causeway, and I drive us to the paying car park at Portland Bill.  Then we do something really weird.  We pay to climb to the top of the lighthouse.  155 steps.  I will be 82 on 30th May.  Just saying.  We have a great volunteer guide. By the time we come down, there's nothing we don't know about lighthouses.  He assures us that they are still essential to navigation.  Becky is not so sure, with the wonders of Satnav.

"He's a lighthouse nerd, so of course he is going to say that!"

Then  off we go.  Becky is chipper and showing no sign of being 'fluey'  The sun is shining but there's a stiff breeze and clouds on the horizon.

Chris is in Bristol with her sister.  "It's raining here, she texts"

The west side is much more about the quarrying.   Huge discarded blocks everywhere., but the path is good.  We stop for a water and chocolate break under darkening sky and as we finish rain starts.  We can see the squall barrelling across Lyme Bay.  Then we get lucky.  Round a corner there is a sort of stone bridge and we can shelter.  Later we discover that the quarrymen built it to tip unwanted stones over the cliff into the sea.

It only lasts about fifteen minutes but it lashes in horizontally.   The path runs through Tout Quarry Sculpture Park.  It's an abandoned quarry where sculptors of varying ability have been let loose.  Becky finds it creepy and we move on to fine a nice unsculpted stone to sit on for lunch.  

There's a way to get down to the causeway without going on the road, but it is extremely steep and we stick to the streets through Fortuneswell.  We are back at Becky's car by early afternoon.