Colmer's Hill

A warm summer's afternoon - what better way to spend it, than going for a walk with Eldest Daughter, Life Long Friend and Wilson, the springer spaniel. ED and LLF hadnt been to the top of Colmers Hill so we drove to Bridport in ED's new car, with Wilson giving excited little yelps all the way from the very rear of the car.

The photo above (taken on another day) was shot through the windscreen of the car as I waited for traffic lights to change in the middle of Bridport. It can be seen from miles around.


It is near the village of Symondsbury and all the land around is owned by the Colfox Estate (even the seconday school in Bridport is called The Sir John Colfox School).


We didnt walk up the permissive footpath (granted by the estate) but along an ancient and deep track around the back. It is a very special site because of the geology that can be seen on the banks. A very mysterious place, even in high summer.

Once off the track and onto the hill the going was much steeper. The ground was nicely nibbled grass, thanks to the sheep that graze it. But we stopped to admire the view many times - apart from ED who had Wilson to pull her up - being on his lead due to sheep and his tendency to race off around the boundary of any field he finds himself in. He is only two after all. A legacy of his genes and training as a working dog, flushing out and retrieving game.

It was much cooler on the top, and a stiff breeze was blowing that couldnt be felt as we climbed up. There is a trig point up there on the little plateau (we could see another two points on the map, despite the nearness to the coast) It was a handy point for a quickly taken delayed action photo. I will not show you the one that went off "early" and caught me running back into position!


I used to be the Line Manager of someone whose father helped plant the trees, apparently during World War I. But I was glad to see that there are more smaller pine trees that have been planted to replace them eventually. They are heavily guarded against rabbits and sheep!

If you can see the hill from miles around, then the view FROM the hill will also be good - and it is! We spent a happy few minutes orienting the map so that we could locate what we were looking at - from the coast to villages and hills way inland.


There is no "boot shot" as I forgot my boots (well it was a warm and dry summer afternoon) and managed to climb up and down in my mules well enough). But I did take a 360 degree quick video to compensate for its lack! You can see the late summer countryside and a glimpse or two of the sea. Lovely!