Putting this out without a proof read as no time…. 🙄😬😂😘

You cannot accuse us girls of hanging around. We have not stopped!!

According to my Fitbit we have walked 34.44 miles this weekend!!!!

34.44 miles 🤯😁🚶🏽‍♀️🚶🏽‍♀️?!?!

Randomly Helen’s Fitbit says she’s done 39 miles but I can assure you I was with her for them all and she did not squeeze in 5 extra that I wasn’t a part of 😂😂😂

So, up and out for 2.5K steps before we got the open top bus to Swanage, across on the Sandbanks Ferry we were watching last night.

It’s not as sunny and the forecast wasn’t great for today but it is dry.

The rising sun at Bournemouth pier.

Here we are on the open top bus on the Starbanks Ferry. ⛴️

Taken out the back of the ferry when a wee fishing boat passed.

The beach out to Old Harry Rocks.

All of these spare chains for the ferry are lined along the side of the road on the way to the toll both.

When we got into Swanage we went straight to the Beavers Coffee Shop for breakfast. I randomly had a mushroom toastie which was really lovely.

Then off out for a wander… the wind is picking up by now.

We walked out into Swanage Pier, it’s beautiful, so ornate and you can imagine the Victorians sitting out there in their big dresses and parasols!

Helen suggested I try some of these in black and white…. It definitely works!

This is all that’s left of the old pier built in 1859.

We then walked away along the front and got battered by the wind!

We then headed out of town to catch the bus back.

We got off the bus at Branksome Chine and walked all the way back down the beach back to the Prom Café for a bite of lunch.

All the ones that lead to the beach are called chines. Not a word I’ve heard before.

All the picnic tables are covered with sand over the winter… to be fair most of the beach benches are too!

And then we came to new beach huts under the east cliff… coloured hut central!

How cool are they?!?! They are by far my favourite beach huts.

We cloned the East Cliff and got the most amazing view, albeit a bit cloudy.

The lovely memorial is in memory of the red arrow airman that died in the Bournemouth air show accident. It was designed by kids at the local school. I thought it was very poignant. It’s had to be moved from its original place as some of the East Cliff collapsed. Thankfully it was able to be moved and cleaned and reinstated.

Then we came across the famous Bournemouth goats…. Who knew that was even a thing?!?!? They live on the cliffs to control the vegetation. this guy was giving us a high five!

Interesting that the live on the cliff and all 5 of them were on the flat strip of land right up the very top, by the fence!!

This is the view the goats have 😂 not bad eh?!?

We went back into the Prom Café for lunch, we were there yesterday lunchtime and I took this photo in the hazy sun this morning.

Helen then had the HUGE drive to get me back to Bristol.

We were so lucky to miss the rain we knew was coming but it rained most of the 2.5 hour drive.

So what can I say…. Thank you so much to Helen for organising THE best weekend. I have loved every minute of it. She lets me be me. I’ve not fasted as much as I would normally but I’ve not eaten meat which I just didn’t fancy. We’ve laughed and giggled most of the time. We’ve both forgotten words mid sentence. we’ve had deep life chats and frivolous chats. We’ve made up village names and I still can’t believe that Splinterbottom is not a village in England. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 it soooooo should be.

We’ve made the best memories and for me, that is all the life is about now… and the 34 or 39 miles we have walked!!

I look forward to her Scottish visit in August and no pressure on me to come up with a great weekend?!?!?!

Flight’s in less than an hour. 47 mile and hour winds forecast.

Stay safe everyone… including my plane! ✈️