Walking round Lulworth Cove

It is very difficult to walk on the sliding, glistening, pebbles that make up the steeply shelving beach of Lulworth Cove - ribs of white rock are exposed from time to time among the pebbles - waves surge over small boulders, fringed with green beards of seaweed - high cliffs encircle the sides of the cove - there are sections of cliff with sheer faces of chalk - a single tree overlooks the cove from the cliff -  a delicate dark green lozenge against the blue of the sky -

The day I walked here, there were groups of young students, wearing white hard hats, studying the geology of the cove - I remembered Sophie telling me about the Lulworth Crumple - perhaps that evocative term had been used by their tutor, who I could see at the back of the group -

Beyond the mouth of the cove, I could see the blue grey misty outline of the Isle of Portland - like a vague dreamy country - there were powerful waves breaking over the rocks at the sides of the cove's mouth - I could see lines of foam beyond, with spray thrown into the air by the wind -

A tangle of blue nylon rope had been cast up upon the beach - broad ribbons of seaweed, gleaming yellowy brown, caught my eye - there were curious indentations marking their surfaces, arranged in regular patterns -

The sea inside the cove was very choppy, in constant motion - the air was salty and stung my face - I could see no sea birds, no gulls or shags -

I walked round the cove, to the wooden steps which climb upwards towards Little Bindon - where there is a tiny chapel, a remnant of the Cistercian Abbey once there from 1149 to 1172 -