Finally, we arrived at Tyneham, Dorset's lost village. Inside the village church, St. Mary's, is a permanent exhibition of the history of the Tyneham valley and of local geology and wildlife habitats. More interesting is an eerie re-creation of Tyneham's one-room schoolhouse, complete with coat hooks and cubbyholes for each of the village children.
From Tyneham, it was just another two miles to our destination, Kimmeridge. But clouds had rolled in and it was drizzling. Real hikers might have continued on the path, but we dialed a taxi. Twenty minutes later, we were on our way to Swanage. Or, more specifically, to Chococo.
On the Dorset coastal trail, refuel with English pub food at Smugglers Inn.
(Matt Writtle)
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Without a hint of guilt, I mentally assembled a custom box of chocolates: two nutty nutmegs, two raspberry riots and a violet cream. This time I knew I'd earned the truffles.
Jane Black last wrote for Travel about off-the-beaten path activities in London.
Details: Dorset's Jurassic Coast
GETTING THERE: The Jurassic Coast is a 2 1/2-hour drive from London; take the M3 to the M27 to the A31. If you don't want to rent a car, trains run several times daily between London's Waterloo Station and the town of Weymouth. The journey is about three hours. Round-trip tickets booked in advance start at about $78. Schedules and prices are available at www.southwesttrains.co.uk.
To find the trail, drive or walk to the east end of the Weymouth promenade and park near the Spyglass Inn. There is plentiful parking at both ends of the trail. To return to your car, take the bus, which runs approximately every two hours between Weymouth and Swanage, or book a taxi. A list of taxi companies is available under the "Tourism" tab at the Purbeck District Council's Web site (www.purbeck.gov.uk).
WHEN TO GO: The walks are open every weekend except March 5-6, May 7-8, June 11-12, Oct. 8-9 and Nov. 19-20. Summers are generally a good bet for weather, but the trail -- and local B&Bs -- can get crowded, especially on holiday weekends. May and October are good months to visit.
WHERE TO STAY: There are dozens of hotels and B&Bs in Weymouth and Swanage, but they book up fast -- especially on summer weekends. Search by accommodation type and price at Virtual Swanage, www.virtual-swanage.co.uk.
Along the path, options are more limited. I stayed at the Lulworth Cove Bed and Breakfast (Breach House, Lulworth Cove, 011- 44-1929-400777, www.lulworthcovebandb.co.uk), where rooms start at about $140 per night (two-night minimum on weekends in high season). A less expensive option is Rose Cottage (Main Road, West Lulworth, 011-44-1929-400150, www.rosecottage.fsworld.co.uk), a 250-year-old thatched cottage a few minutes up the road. Room s from $45 per person per night.
There is only one B&B in Kimmeridge, but it's worth a visit. Kimmeridge Farmhouse (Kimmeridge, 011-44-1929- 480990) sits on 700 acres of farmland and is well priced at $45 to $52 per person.
WHERE TO EAT: Bring a picnic along the trail. Other than the Smuggler's Inn at Osmington Mills, which serves typical pub grub at lunch and dinner, there's nowhere to buy food in the 14 miles between Weymouth and West Lulworth. In West Lulworth, the Lulworth Cove B&B (see above) has a trendy, if overpriced, restaurant that serves sophisticated salads and such entrees as seared venison steak and whole grilled sea bass.
Farther along the coast in the village of Worth Matravers, the Square & Compass Inn is renowned for its Cornish pasties (dough pockets of fresh meat and potato) and cider. If you're driving, watch the sun set from the Shell Bay Seafood Restaurant & Bistro in Studland (Ferry Road ). Try the salad of citrus and diver scallops or the local oysters.
After a long walk, you deserve at least one box of chocolate truffles. Visit Chococo (Commercial Road, Swanage) for a raspberry riot (truffles rolled in freeze-dried raspberries) or chili tickle (chili-infused dark chocolate rolled in cinnamon and sugar).
INFORMATION: Useful Web sites include Jurassic Coast (www.jurassiccoast.com) for tourism and scientific information; Purbeck and Swanage Holiday Information (www.visitpurbeck.co.uk) for photos of the path from Weymouth to Swanage; and the Dorset Coast Forum (www.dorsetcoast.com) for up-to- the-minute information (click on "Enjoying the Coast" under the "Information" tab).
-- Jane Black
