A trip to Bridport, Osmington Mills and the Smugglers Inn

Saturday 23rd September dawned clear and bright with the promise of a fine day. With a forecast of heavy rain and gales for the next few days we grabbed our chance to make the most of the fine weather and went out for the day.

A trip along the coast road to Bridport saw us browsing the Saturday flea market there followed by a sandwich lunch sitting on a bench in the community orchard behind the pretty parish church.The market, marking out the T-shape of the main streets - South, East and West streets - is an eclectic mix of tools and gadgets, jewellery and clothes, cutlery and furniture, along with the more usual 'modern' market stalls selling slippers, tea towels and fresh produce. There are a few independent shops here, including a lovely lighting shop and a good old-fashioned hardware store, as well as some of the more common market-town shops.

On the way back we stopped to admire the view across Abbotsbury swannery and along Chesil beach towards Portland then drove down a long windy lane to the Moonfleet Manor Hotel and Restaurant. Always on the lookout for a good place to eat I asked to see the menu. At £49.95 for a three-course a la carte meal for non-residents I doubt we’ll be eating there too often!

A quick stop at home and then out again to Osmington Mills, seven miles by road east along the coast. This is down another very long and windy lane to the coast where the infamous ‘Smugglers Inn’ is based. At one time it was originally known as the Crown Inn and was home to the leader of one of the most notorious gang of smugglers. He apparently imported brandy that was so disgusting that none of the locals would drink it! In the 1920s to 70s it was known as the Picnic Inn, presumably so-named to attract the charabanc trade on day trips from Weymouth and Dorchester.

Later, in another wise marketing move, it was renamed the Smugglers Inn and the pub, now owned by the Hall and Woodhouse chain, still attracts holidaymakers and is busy all year round with walkers as the South West Coast Path runs through its garden.

After sampling some of the guest beer, we set off for a short walk down the path for a mile or so to Ringstead.

There we walked down to the beach and watched a cormorant fishing, a lady learning to paddle a canoe and a group of three young women setting out what would probably be a rather chilly late afternoon picnic.