Thursday 2 June 2016

Coasteering in Dorset with Land & Wave

"But you did jump off all the higher rocks in Ibiza!" my friend reminds me when I bring up that Mark is planning a coasteering experience to celebrate his birthday. Everyone is invited but it seems this time we've gone too far!

The adrenaline junkie in me is excited a few weeks later as we get wet-suited ready for an afternoon of sharp rocks and steep drops with the Land & Wave team at Dorset's Dancing Ledge. Before I know it the sea is in view. It's a gorgeous day; green fields and spotless blue skies take my mind off what's to come. Then, finally it's time for some fun!

Our guides Ross and Hannah start off light with gentler jumps, helping us acclimatise to the chilly water, slowly building up to the biggest leaps of the day. They're easy enough to entertain, after all the water is a brilliant turquoise and the sun is illuminating the depths below the surface, but taking that final step still takes balls!

I can't believe the time it takes to hit the water but as soon as I do, I can't wait to climb back up and do it again! What a rush! Everyone gives it their best shot and any initial fears are soon replaced with bants and the occasional face plant!

But no one escapes "the gauntlet" - the final challenge where we battle against the swell to traverse a natural wall. I'm literally swept away before an outstretched hand pulls to relative safety, but by this time I'm too busy laughing to be scared! 

Check out the video of our Dorset coasteering experience now!



We ended our weekend with a night at Burnbake Campsite in Studland, Purbeck. This cute campsite was the perfect base for our weekend, and had everything you'd need even for a longer stay. After cooking endless BBQ to feed our tired bodies, we huddled around the fire pit toasting marshmallows until midnight, only to be awoken by the dawn chorus and a screaming child. Such is life on a campsite, but the laid back communal atmosphere meant we didn't really mind, not when when there's bacon baps and hot tea on the go from the friendly food hut!

Burnbake Campsite, Purbeck

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