The lights of Durlston Castle appear through a small gap between the Holm Oaks with Woodpigeons in flight above. Beyond it, the grey sky merges into a dull sea whilst showering the park in rain.
The Dell is sodden with water running over the clay and down through the arch of the bridge. Between the flowing pools and puddles, fungi has sprouted upon rotting logs and forgotten tree stumps including Hen of the Woods and a beautiful display of Turkey Tail.
The mild winter has tricked some of plantings into sprouting fresh leaves on Deutzia, Mock Orange, and Fuchsia. A beautiful Cherry blossom takes centre stage, with its pretty rose-pink flowers.
Water flows even more so on Caravan Terrace, cascading over the quarried rock face as a waterfall, and leaving calcareous deposits of tufa in its wake. Below this ledge, I listen to the solemn tunes from a Blackbird and melodies from a Great Tit and Robin.
A good 10 or so Gannets can be seen flying off from Durlston Head. They flap their lofty wings, gliding both left and right, before soaring upward with the wind. Through the swaying Tamarisk fronds, Old Harry rises amongst the cloud.
The wind picks up and rain falls sideways as I turn westward towards the flash of the Lighthouse. Fulmars, Shags, Guillemots, and Herring Gulls fly by undeterred by the poor weather.
I don’t both to look for Adders at Tilly Whim (even though an early riser was spotted here on Friday), but I take shelter in the cave entrance to write up these notes.
Tilly Whim once again takes a battering, but I turn away from the waves and Samphire, and head up the hill through golden patches of flowering Gorse. Two Roe deer watch on from the gully.