7. Chesil Beach

Chesil Beach, aka Chesil Bank, has its name derived from the Old English word for gravel or shingle; it is a "barrier beach" and one of only 3 shingle beach structures in the UK. It is 18 miles long and runs from the Isle of Portland to West Bay. Behind it is a shallow, tidal lagoon formed from ice-age meltwater known as The Fleet which is home to many wading birds.

We reach via the coastal road along the Ridgeway and enjoy good views. We walk for a while on the shingle beach and can see St Catherine's Chapel, originally part of the monastery in Abbotsbury, from here. Later on we enjoyed views of Chesil Beach, and some of the old coastal defenses, from a viewpoint at the Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens (see next post).Read more