June 25, 2017

Seatown

From Seaton I took the SW Coast Path Association recommended inland route to Lyme Regis to avoid the land slips along this stretch of the coast path.  It was an interesting route but not spectacular with one exception, the Rousdon Estate.  The estate is entered through a gateway arch with a gate house which then gives access to an absolutely straight road to the gate on the opposite side of the estate.

The entrance gate to the Rousdon Estate

As I walked along I came across houses from various eras.  There is an old church by the drive which offers regular services.  The estate was recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086 and after several changes of ownership it was purchased in 1872 by the Peek family (the Peek Frean biscuit family) who owned it for many years until it was bought by a consortium as a private estate which has a working farm and housing for a small village. 

Saint Pancras Church, Rousdon Estate

At the centre of the estate there is a large Victorian house that became the home for Allhallows School from 1937 to 1998.  As it turns out, we have a resident in Jasper who attended that school when she was growing up in England.

Victorian Manor, Rousdon Estate

From the estate I continued on through Lyme Regis to Seatown where I planned on camping  for the night because there wasn't any accommodation available.  I enquired at the holiday caravan site about camping but when they told me the camping fee I decided to walk a little further until I found a suitable place to camp wild.  I had supper at the local pub/restaurant before starting to walk out of the hamlet but I was stopped by a lady who wanted to know about Hazel's Helper.  After I had chatted with her and she found out that I hadn't found anywhere to stay she offered to let me spend the night in their holiday trailer.  I gladly accepted the offer and spent a pleasant evening with Erica and Pete, her husband.