HILLS ROUND BRIDPORT 289 



Bridport, with several curves in the road and an 

 intermediate ascent or two between this point and the 

 town. The cyclist who cares to take his courage in 

 both hands, and has no desire to linger over perhaps 

 one of the most magnificent scenic panoramas in 

 Enoland, can coast down this long stretch with the 

 speed of the wind, and chance the result. But it is 

 better to loiter here, for none of the great high-roads 

 has anything like this scenery to show. From away 

 lip the road the eye ranges over a vast stretch of 

 country westwards. South-west lies the Channel, 

 dazzling like a burnished miri'or if you come here at 

 the psychological moment for this view — that is to 

 say, the late afternoon of a summer's day ; with the 

 strangely contorted shapes of the hills round about 

 suo-o-estino- volcanic orioin, and castino- cool shadows 

 far down into the sheltered coombes that have been 

 baking in the sun all day long. Near at hand is 

 Shipton Beacon, rising almost immediately beyond 

 ' Traveller's Rest,' and looking oddly from some 

 points of view like some gigantic ship's hull lying 

 keel uppermost. Beyond are Puncknoll and 

 Hammerdon, and away in the distance, with the 

 Channel sparkling behind it, and the sun making a 

 halo for its head, overlooking the sea at a height of 

 615 feet, the grand crest of Golden Cap, which some 

 hold to be so named from this circumstance, while 

 others have it that the picturesque title derives from 

 the vellow o-orse that orows on its summit. To the 

 right hand rises the natural rampart of Eggardon, 

 additionally fortified by art, a thousand years ago, 

 whether by Briton, Dane, or Saxon, let those determine 



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