Dorset for a week

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We had wanted to visit Dorset for some time, so this cottage was a perfect choice for a weeks holiday with Hayley and Izobelle. It was close to Portland Bill and not too far from Lulworth, in an area called Fleet. 
Fleet is a small, scattered village and civil parish in south Dorset, approximately 2.5 miles (4.0 km) west of Weymouth, and close to the shore of The Fleet, a brackish lagoon behind Chesil Beach. 
The Great Storm of 1824 caused waves to breach Chesil Beach, and many of the buildings in the village were destroyed. An eye-witness described the event:
At six o'-clock on the morning of the 23rd I was standing with other boys by the gate near the cattle pound when I saw, rushing up the valley, the tidal wave, driven by a hurricane and bearing upon its crest a whole haystack and other debris from the fields below. We ran for our lives to Chickerell, and when we returned found that five houses had been swept away and the church was in ruins.
It was much calmer on our visit!


Our end-of-row, former coastguard cottage had panoramic sea views looking out to the Fleet, Chesil Beach, with views from Portland Bill to the Devon coastline. Down a track in front of the property, and we were on the sea`s edge.


One short shower, and we had a rainbow over Chesil Beach. Not a bad start to the week.


Obviously a good spot to launch a boat from, and this old rusty shed, I assumed, was housing a boat


The lighthouse at Portland Bill.

Nearby to our holiday cottage was Weymouth and to the south, the small promontory of Portland Bill. Having heard the name numerous times on the shipping forecast, this was a place to visit obviously.!
Portland Bill is a narrow promontory (or bill) at the southern end of the Isle of Portland. One of Portland's most popular destinations is the lighthouse. Portland's coast has been notorious for the number of shipwrecked vessels over the centuries. The dangerous coastline features shallow reefs and the Shambles sandbank, made more hazardous due to the strong Portland tidal race.
The Bill is an important way-point for coastal traffic, and three lighthouses have been built to protect shipping. The original two worked as a pair from 1716, and they were replaced in 1906 by the current one.
We did not go into the lighthouse but it made a good image I thought.


A wander around the shore line near the lighthouse revealed this rocky foreshore..


Later in the day as we drove back, we came across this monument to the 2012 Olympics overlooking Weymouth harbour. As far as I can remember, most of the Olympic sailing events took place here.


Another place we visited, on the 19th, was Lulworth Cove, and very pretty it was too. Not many people about and rather plesant weather.



A couple more images from Lulworth Cove.


Then onto Durdle Door to see the much photographed rock formation which has featured in thousands of photographers portfolios! I have seen some beautiful sunrise and sunset images from roughly this spot. However, not for me today as we were here late afternoon. We did visit again.


The far side of Durdle Door.



An morning wander down the lane to the water edge and a couple of images of boats drifting at anchor, peacefully in the early morning light.


And then onto West Bay, a little way along the coast. A lovely beach and just the place to spend the day.


...or climb that cliff and look at the view. Or watch Hayley as she descended in front of me!

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Location: Fleet, Weymouth DT3, UK

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