We’ve just spent a few days on the Dorset coast, a stones throw (literally) from the mighty Chesil beach, an 18 mile long shingle bank extending from the mainland to the isle of Portland. We stayed right at the Portland end where it stops and the Isle of Portland rears up. We shared a new build holiday home with my brother in law and his wife who’d hired it for the week.
I’d holidayed in this general area a couple of times with my family, too many years ago to remember (think late 60's) but bar a short break to not so far away Bournemouth last year, haven’t been here since.
The first day we arrived at lunchtime and quickly decided a short walk around Portland Bill was our plan. With one of our party struggling to walk far, a gentle 3 and a bit mile stroll on mostly level ground with a coffee and cake stop at the end proved ideal. The walk took in the spectacular red and white Portland lighthouse, and the coast where evidence of the massive amount of Portland stone quarrying had taken place.
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| Portland Bill lighthouse |
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| An old derrick for loading boats with Portland stone |
Day two started dull and soon became rainy, but we ventured inland in vain hope of visiting some gardens. Driving through murk that might have been very low cloud, we quickly gave that idea up and retuned to the house. As the afternoon cleared we went up a short way onto the Isle of Portland and the Tout Quarry and Sculpture Park where there were many sculptures cut into stone in an old quarry. At the top we also had fabulous views over Fortuneswell where we were staying and Chesil Beach.
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| One of the many stone sculptures. The other side of this one depicts a T- Rex head, a nod to the historic Jurassic coast that this part of the country is famous for |
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| Fortuneswell and Chesil Beach with Weymouth in the distance |
An added bonu s(if you like this sort of thing) was the arrival/departure of a couple of American Military V22 Ospreys from the helipad about a quarter of a mile away. Noisy or what? They’re the new Chinook.
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| A V22 Osprey |
The afternoon cleared up beautifully to provide a stunning sunset as we ate out in a pub right on the beach front
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| Dorset sunset |
Day three started bright and windy. We’d already planned to drive 40 minutes or so to Lulworth Cove and walk to the famous arch at Durdle Door. Arriving we noted the steep incline as we paid for the expensive but well marshalled parking (£5 for up to 4 hours, £10 if you’re there for the day). It WAS a steep climb up the first hill, and then a steep descent down towards the twin bays of Man 'O War bay and Durdle Door, but it was worth it despite the inevitable busyness of the place even thought it was midweek and term time. Apparently in high summer it’s horrifically busy. People may remember the national news about crowds here when the end of the COVID lockdown was announced in England.
Anyway, it was worth the mile and a half trek for the views.
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| Durdle Door It’s 144 sets down from the coast path! |
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| Man 'O War bay (Durdle Door the other side of the promontory) |
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| Man 'O War bay |
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| Lulworth Cove |
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| Near the top after climbing up from the car park at Lulworth |
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