Author Topic: LDWA Dorset Doddle  (Read 8117 times)

Guy

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LDWA Dorset Doddle
« on: 12:57:05, 23/08/19 »
A few photos from last weekends LDWA organised "Dorset Doddle".  32 miles (and a lot of ascent/descent) along the coast path from Weymouth to Swanage.


https://1drv.ms/u/s!Aow5akq97QzFgYZromBLo3K3c7EdDw?e=ITdC1O


Hmm can't get embedded images to work :-(


« Last Edit: 13:02:07, 23/08/19 by Guy »

richardh1905

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Re: LDWA Dorset Doddle
« Reply #1 on: 06:38:24, 24/08/19 »
Nice photos. I have never visited Dorset - an oversight that I must correct one day: the coast looks lovely.
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Jac

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Re: LDWA Dorset Doddle
« Reply #2 on: 09:23:34, 24/08/19 »
Lovely pics - remember those switchbacks well, especially the last set of steps up to St Adhelm's Head
So many paths yet to walk, so little time left

vghikers

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Re: LDWA Dorset Doddle
« Reply #3 on: 12:26:35, 24/08/19 »
Great coastal photos, the ascents and descents look quite formidable  O0

Warbler

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Re: LDWA Dorset Doddle
« Reply #4 on: 13:04:09, 24/08/19 »
I've walked this stretch a few times, in both directions. When walking from the east to climb to Swyre Head, it looks like you are approaching a near vertical wall  :o. But I've always found the decent a much bigger strain on the old legs. They've usually turned to jelly by the time I get down to Durdle Door.

Great photos  O0

WalkingWoody

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Re: LDWA Dorset Doddle
« Reply #5 on: 16:56:47, 10/09/19 »
Nice one!  O0

pgt

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Re: LDWA Dorset Doddle
« Reply #6 on: 08:16:28, 07/05/21 »
It looks like there’s going to be a Dorset Doddle again this year.


https://ldwa.org.uk/Dorset/W/7676/dorset-doddle-2021.html


I did it in 2011, and as we staggered over the finish line we decided that we had proved that we were up to the challenge and didn’t need to do it ever again, but if anybody fancies a glorious walk and a real sense of achievement at completing a very challenging 32 miles then I can highly recommend it.

richardh1905

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Re: LDWA Dorset Doddle
« Reply #7 on: 09:51:05, 07/05/21 »
Looks good - might be tempted if I lived down that way.
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GnP

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Re: LDWA Dorset Doddle
« Reply #8 on: 11:40:56, 08/05/21 »

Looks like a real challenge with some great views .
A night under silnylon. Doesn't have the same ring to it.

pdstsp

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Re: LDWA Dorset Doddle
« Reply #9 on: 12:06:00, 08/05/21 »
Me and Mrs pdstsp walked that stretch over a few days many years ago as aprt of a week on the SWCP.  As we set off I remember thinking, "coastal walk? How hard can it be?".  Six hours later, lying in the shade of an ice cream van, I came to the conclusion, "Very".  Doing this stretch in one day would be a tough one, in my opinion.

harland

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Re: LDWA Dorset Doddle
« Reply #10 on: 12:29:45, 08/05/21 »
I also did this during my SWCP in 2007, took 2 days with c.7,000 feet of ascent that just left a short distance the following day to finish at South Haven Point. Thoroughly enjoyable but "testing"!

WhitstableDave

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Re: LDWA Dorset Doddle
« Reply #11 on: 12:53:57, 08/05/21 »
I'm finding this an interesting topic.  O0

Looking at the results for 2019, the winner took just over 5 hours and the average (median) times were around 10 hours. There was a 12 hour cut-off and about 30 of 230 didn't finish.

The elevation gain has been reported as being somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000+ft and the distance is a little less than 32 miles.

I reckon that under 10 hours should be doable, given favourable (or at least not unfavourable!) conditions.

Obviously, this being the Long Distance Walkers Association, running some or even all of the route isn't just acceptable but pretty much expected  ;) . The elevation profile shows lots of steep ups followed by what I imagine are jog-able downs.

Entry would require a longish drive and an overnight stay in Swanage and (presumably) a couple of LDWA memberships. I'll have to see what my wife thinks... An alternative would be to do a virtual version of the same distance and elevation gain, but using Kent's coastal paths rather than Dorset's.  :)
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pgt

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Re: LDWA Dorset Doddle
« Reply #12 on: 13:14:09, 08/05/21 »
I think that when it started this was a walking event with no mention of a “winner”. By the time we did it in 2011 it was about 3/4 walkers and 1/4 runners.
I think the ultra runners may be more numerous now.
Good luck to them, it’s hard enough to walk it so it must be bloody hard to run the damn thing.
My brother and I were both fairly fit and in our mid 40s. I think we were about 45 minutes inside the 12 hour cut off limit.
And as I said before, it’s a great event.


harland

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Re: LDWA Dorset Doddle
« Reply #13 on: 14:09:45, 08/05/21 »
Regarding elevation gained between Weymouth and Swanage. The SWCP website shows the total for the whole 630 miles as 115,000 feet. I can't recall where I got my figures from, it may have been my SATMAP or another website but my spreadsheet shows 114,930 feet which is close enough to the SWCP figure. The individual figures I have for Weymouth to Lulworth Cove is 2,513' and from Lulworth Cove to Swanage is 4,403'. Whether it is 4,000, 5,000, or 7,000 it is lumpy!

WhitstableDave

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Re: LDWA Dorset Doddle
« Reply #14 on: 19:06:09, 08/05/21 »
We've taken the first steps towards our Dorset Doddle challenge.  :)

We found one hotel in Swanage with accommodation still available, so we booked a room for the weekend. Drive there Saturday, do the walk Sunday, drive back Monday.

We joined the LDWA (again in my case!).

Now it's just a matter of getting in quick when entries open on 6th June (probably)...
Walk, Jog, Run : our YouTube video channel.

 

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