WALK WITH ME TRACEY AND AGGIES Epic hike AROUND THE UK COAST PATH

Walk with me ..

During lock down COVID19 I stopped for the first time in ages. I stopped working, stopped getting the train every day, stopped hiking and wild camping on my days off and I thought about myself and my life for the first time in years. I stopped to think about the relationship I was in and slept in the garden in my hammock .. thinking. Writing poetry looking up at the stars, I thought about my life, my 3 children, 8 grandchildren, my 20 years living in the USA, dreaming of home in the UK wondering if I’d ever see home again. I use to fall asleep dreaming of the rolling hills and coastline of England singing in my head, and did those feet in accent times walking upon England mountains green, and in the 14 years I’ve been home, 6 of it has been spent hiking and wild camping!! Exploring this land I love.
I know through things I have been through in my life, dreaming of those rolling hills or hiking them has been wonderful for my soul, my mental health and well being and its helped me to face some challenging times in my life.
So for those who have lost a parent at a young age, maybe those of you who were abused as a child, those in difficult relationships, those who have been homeless, been in jail, been in a custody battle, fighting for your children, for those who want to heal, hike, have a dream, a future and hope, tell me your stories, your hope’s dreams, as I tell you mine through poetry videos and photos as I hike and adventure into this land I call HOME, a land I love, a land I respect.
As I hike and wild camp the UK COASTLINE, every step i walk will be a step towards my future, leaving some of my past hurts and challenges behind me, to a better, healthier, happier, free me…..😍
As seen in these poems I’ve written (see below), walk with me from your homes or physically walk with me if I’m passing your area, lets show people how hiking is so good for our souls, minds, friendships and more.
The reason I have chosen Kynance Cove as my beginning and ending spot…is this..
As a child aged 4 losing a parent was bad enough then being abused by my foster family was terrifying.
The only time they were nice to me was when we were around other adults. When they took me to the seaside, I loved the seafront coves, small beaches where I could hear and see happy families laughing together, seagulls above me, ice cream, sandcastles, the waves hitting the shore, I felt so happy free to explore rock pools finding little crabs and treasures under the rocks, i loved swimming, paddling in coves, awaiting the worst sound of my 7yr old ears..my foster fathers voice saying “time to go” as I knew the abuse would start again when I got home.
So in my child like thoughts I wished I was a mermaid so I could swim off wild and free into the sea, hide behind rocks, happy, safe so no one could hurt me again.
This is why my first night will be at Kynance Cove, after i have swam like a mermaid happy and free to begin this epic adventure with my Big Agnes tent i have fondly called AGGIE.
So walk with me…..hear my story and enjoy my adventure.

Wild Walks with Abbie

Hi there, I am Abbie Barnes. I am a filmmaker and presenter and the founder of Spend More Time In The WILD, a campaign which seeks to inspire and empower individuals to get outside for the benefit of mental and physical health, whilst building meaningful connections with the natural world and each other. I am also the proud Ambassador of UK hiking. ​Part of the project involves me putting out weekly content on my YouTube channel, which now has over 2.7 million viewers worldwide and 25,000 subscribers. This figure is growing daily. Videos vary from feature-length documentary films that follow my adventures on long-distance walking trails around the world, today walk adventures, gear reviews, hiking tips and advice videos, mindfulness exercises, wild food, cooking videos, and more. The project also sees me travelling throughout the country offering inspirational talks and wellbeing workshops for educational centres and workplaces, and I also run monthly WILD  Walks which are aimed at providing a safe space for attendees to build their hiking confidence and deepen their appreciation for the wild spaces in our country. 

 

Osminton White Horse Loop

 I started my circular 9-mile walk from Bowleaze Cove, heading down the road to the footpath that skirts around the edge of Waterside Holiday Park & Spa Holiday park.  The footpath besides the park was lovely and I took my time, saying hi to a passing robin which seemed curious and didn’t fly away!   

 The path then left the park behind and entered into Preston on the outskirts of Weymouth, where I walked through a quiet residential area to pick up a country track leading into the pretty countryside. The track soon became a single-track trail through fields with sheep and cows, overlooked by Chalbury Hillfort, an Iron Age hillfort and scheduled ancient monument.   

 From here the trail picked up the Hardy Way and South Dorset Ridgeway, climbing up onto White Horse Hill, which I followed until I reached the site of the Osmington White Horse itself. Standing on top of the horse meant I couldn’t fully appreciate its scale, so I pressed on along the path alongside Bronze Age burial mounds, before dropping down off the ridge alongside Combe Bottom and into Osmington village.    

 The village was a lovely place and I took the time to check out the St Osmond’s  Church dating to 1170, and the quaint thatched bus shelter dedicated to ​David  Edward Parry-Jones, Lieutenant 1st Battalion ​The Rifle Brigade​, who died in action near ​Caen​ on 3 August 1944. 

With my scouting out of old building complete I joined a path heading south through fields to Osmington Mills and the South West Coastal Path. Here I turned west, following the cliff-top path with fantastic views back over the White Horse to the North. The coastal path took me back to the car and completed my little loop. It had been a lovely walk of far-reaching views, coastal landscapes, and archaeological sites. 

   Here is a link to my walk around Osminton White Horse Loop on my YouTube channel.

Malvern End 2 End

The Malvern End to End is a 9.3 mile route from Chase End Hill in the South, up to End Hill in the North of the hills and takes you across 15 peaks.

You start the walk at a little car park on Chase End road opposite Fernlea Villa. From there you take the well established gravel path up a small incline past an information board. Follow this path up and to the left through a small wooded area, before climbing up a grass bank to the trig point, at the top of Chase End Hill, sitting at 191m above sea level giving great views after a small introduction to the trail. From here you can see Ragged Stone Hill to the North and an obelisk to the North West. A little further West you should be able to see Eastnor Castle in the distance.

The obilisk from Chase End Hill.

From the summit of Chase End Hill, look towards the obelisk where you will need to follow the grassy path down, through the gate and into the Hamlet of White Leaved Oak. There, you will come to a road, which you need to follow to the right. Follow this road until you see a bend in the road to the right. Look to your left and you will see a track. Follow this track until you can see a wooden gate with a style. The track you need to take is just before this on the right leading you into woodland.

After going through the gate and along the wooded path, you will reach a road (the A438). Turn left onto the road, follow for at most 100yds were on the left you will see a car park and a gate leading up a grassy bank. This is the start of the ascent up to Midsummer Hill.

You pass through the gate and up the grassy bank to the woods where you follow the path off to the left. Go through the woods, and this will bring you out onto the summit of Midsummer Hill and the shelter on the top. The shelter was built by Reverend H L Somers to commemorate his son who died in the First World War. Midsummer hill and Hollybush Hill are the site of Iron Age hill forts.

From Midsummer Hill follow the well defined path down to the road with the obilisk in the background. Once you reach the road, follow it to the left and down to Gullit Wood. Once you come to the metal gates, you need to turn right infront of them heading into the woods, this again will take you along a well worn path upto a cattlegrid where you need to take the path going off to the right. Follow this path onto Swinyard Hill and then follow the ridge North to the Silurian Pass. Along the Silurian ridge is a ditch which is an ancient boundary marker which today splits Worcestershire and Herefordshire. After dropping down into a little wooded area, follow the path to the right where you face a short sharp climb onto Hangmans Hill. From Hangmans Hill follow the path and go up the steps to Millenium Hill with views over the British Camp Reservoir over to the right.

From here you take a small path over to the Herefordshire Beacon which sits at 425m [1395ft] above sea level with views stretching out over Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. Herefordshire Beacon is an old Iron Age fort and British Camp. Follow the stone path to the steps and this will lead you down to a carpark at British Camp and the A449 where there is a little cafe, toilets and a hotel and restaurant.

After crossing the road, follow the minor road past the hotel and take the stone path at the rear of the hotel. You will find 3 stone paths and to get to Wynds Point you need the path on the right. This will take you into a small woodland where you follow the path to the left, and up a short sharp climb bringing extensive views of Black Hill. Here all the paths are very obvious and reaching each summit is easily navigated. From Black Hill you head for the next peak which is Pinnicle Hill standing at 358m [1174ft] above sea level. From Pinnicle Hill its fairly direct onto Jubilee Hill which hosts a small sharp climb up and then onto Perserverance Hill. From Perserverance Hill, follow the ridge down to the Little Hamlet of Wyche. You will arrive at the road which has a junction on a bend, from here you need to take the track to the left of the road to Malvern (the B4218). This track will take you up past 2 carparks up to Goldmine.

The ascent up to the summit of Summer Hill is steady and can be accessed by mobility scooters, wheel chairs and prams, making this section accesible to all. The views once the summit is reached are simply incredible. From Summer Hill, Worcestershire Beacon is a stones throw away, having the toposcope erected in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria, this Beacon is the highest point on the walk at 425m [1394ft] above sea level.

From the Worcestershire Beacon, the path to Sugarloaf is a steady descent, and similarly over to Table Hill and North Hill to the right of it but sitting slighlty higher. The path is easy again down to End Hill sitting at 329m [1079ft] above sea level offering extensive views over Great Malvern.

Follow the path down the hill with End Hill to your left and North Hill to your right, into a woodland where you will pass a viewing point giving views of Birmingham on a clear day. Descend down the steps to the road and the Clock Tower. The Clock Tower was built in 1843. In the Clock Tower there is a well and behind it there is a structure with a 50,000 gallon tank storing water for Malvern.

I would say this walk is fairly strenuous, but is certainly worth the hard work put in to reach the peaks as the views stretch as far as the eyes can see. A simply stunning walk.

Below is the link to the video of the walk through on YouTube.