Today hasn't given us the brilliant sunshine that we've had again during this weekend, but it was still an open opportunity for a walk at the beach.  We did do the 5 minute drive to the clifftop at Barton on Sea, allowed as we were going to spend at least an hour stomping along the beach and being blown about above it.

Taking the sloping pathway down to the beach, we then walked past the lonely and still closed up beach huts and along to the promontory of clay and sand, in it's formidable form blocking the views to the next small bay and makes one believe that entry is forbidden to humans. But the arrangement of the cluster of rocks does allow for the intrepid amongst us to scramble cautiously down onto the shingle beach below. And the reward is just fabulous - the strata in the cliffs coloured golden amongst the grey of the clay, is simply just breathtaking. 

This part of the beach is virtually deserted; a couple with their dogs playing in the sea, and a man nestled into the side of the cliff face are the only inhabitants we can see. The tide is out and it's an easy walk to the next headland, where we stand on a huge rock & take in the views of the curving seascape beyond towards Milford.  

We then retrace our steps on the beach, stopping briefly to throw some big stones, with a resounding and rewarding loud splosh, into the sea, and discovering a heart shaped rock, on the way to take the really steep path up Becton Bunny. I really had to scrabble hard to get up the cliff (the photo is the easy bit!); the Bunny is a cut in the cliff with a stream.

Once back on the clifftop we head further east for a while, enjoying the magnificent views towards the lighthouse at Hurst Castle, and the Needles on the Isle of Wight. At one place, due to erosion the path has dramatically fallen to the beach below due to water erosion making it impossible to pass and we have to access the farmer's field to ensure safe passage. We continue on our way to Taddiford Gap, which is exactly that, a gap or dip in the landscape, before a steep climb up the other side. It was now was really getting starting to blow a hoolie and it was time to turn around and make our way back. To find shelter from the wind we made a detour away from the coast across Barton Common and back to the car along the road. Time to go home!

Can you spot the lighthouse in the photo below?!