A few walkers were put off by dire weather forecasts, but seven of us were brave enough to gather at the new visitor centre in the attractive West Dorset village of Symondsbury for a walk which, to our relief, turned out to be far from a complete washout.

We quickly warmed up by scrambling up Colmers Hill, the small but prominent peak above the village. Moving on, we hit the coastal path in driving rain at Thorncombe Beacon, followed by a hasty descent to picnic on the beach at Seatown before tackling the high point of the day.

Golden Cap is the highest cliff on the south coast and, to our delight, the weather took a turn for the better as we neared the summit, rewarding us with the sweeping coastal views for which this spot is famous. The return route took us through the deep sunken lane with its intricate carvings in the soft sandstone on each side. Then it was back to Symondsbury for refreshments at what has become quite a popular place for visitors.