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Summary: A Look at Some of Britain's Beauty spots - Chesil Beach in Dorset
Beautiful Britain – Chesil Beach
Located in Dorset, in south west England, Chesil Beach was brought to worldwide fame by the author Ian McEwan in his novel, ‘On Chesil Beach’. The stunning scenery provides a perfect backdrop and is popular with photographers looking for that iconic image.
Stretching some 18 miles from West Bay to Portland, Chesil Beach or Bank consists mainly of pebbles in varying shapes and sizes, polished by the constant action of the waves.
From the large smooth pebbles found near Portland to pea size at West Bay, there are over thirteen types of rock found on the beach including flint, Portland stone, chert and granite, although this is not as common. Jasper and agate have also been found, but these are extremely rare.
For the eagle eyed among us, it is possible to spot a ‘hag’ pebble. These have a hole through the middle caused by the movement of water and are formed over eons. With approx 180 billion pebbles to check, you could certainly fill an hour or two searching!! A word of caution though, the whole area is protected, and it is illegal to remove any of the pebbles to ensure the long term survival of the beach.
Portland Stone, which is quarried close to Chesil Beach, has been used in the construction of many famous landmark buildings in London such as Buckingham Palace, the Cenotaph and St Pauls Cathedral.
Behind the pebble beach is Fleet Lagoon, which separates the beach from the mainland. The lagoon was used by the military in World War Two, for training personnel from the naval base at Portland and as a testing ground for the famous ‘bouncing bombs’.
Fleet Lagoon is just over 8 miles long, and is connected to the sea at Ferrybridge to Portland Harbour. The lagoon is part of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, and many fossils have been found in the sand and mud.
Both the beach and the lagoon have been identified as important areas for wildlife and are recognized as such with a number of national and international designations to protect them. The whole area is at the centre of the Jurassic Coast which has been designated a World Heritage Site.
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