Weymouth and Portland
Weymouth Harbour
Weymouth has been a port for many centuries and evidence shows that Roman galleys sailed up the River Wey as far as Radipole, where they could be beached and their cargo unloaded for transport to the Roman Town of Durnovaria (Dorchester).
In 1348 its growth and popularity as a trading port with Europe led to its darkest hour when visiting ships brought more than just their cargo, the Black Death, which consequently had a devastating effect on the population of England.
Today, Weymouth is more historically associated with, and had its future as a holiday destination established by, King George III who convalesced there in 1789. For the next 15 years he visited Weymouth regularly, and in 1809 the thankful citizens erected a statue of the King near the beach, to the expense of 200 guineas.
Weymouth’s fine Georgian seafront is an impressive backdrop to the long arc of golden sand. Its picturesque harbour is the heart of the town and offers a fabulous selection of places to eat and drink. A small fishing fleet still exists and a passenger ferry service to the Channel Islands and Cherbourg in France, offers many day trip opportunities.
At the mouth of the harbour stands Nothe Fort, a restored Victorian fortress built to repel invasion by the French, whose massive cannons never fired a shot in anger. The history of the Fort is explained through the many displays, exhibits and audiovisual facilities on the ramparts, gun decks and underground passageways.
Weymouth is also blessed with two RSPB Reserves offering a unique chance to explore wetland wildlife, right in the centre of a busy seaside town. In spring and summer the reed beds at Radipole Lake, home to such rare birds as Cetti’s Warbler and Bearded Tit, are alive with birdsong and the reserve paths are boarded with wildflowers that are covered in bees and butterflies.
There is even the chance of a close encounter with the resident Otter. Summer at Lodmoor, situated on the outskirts of town, means the moor rings to the strident calls of the breeding Common Terns, a seabird city within yards of a busy coastal road. In winter the moor is home to over a dozen species of waterfowl, with hundreds of individual birds scattered across the moor, joined most days by hunting Peregrine falcons and, if you are lucky, the sight of the rare Bittern flapping lazily across the reeds.
Take a short journey west and you can visit the Isle of Portland. At the heart of the ‘World Heritage Coast’ it is known primarily for its famous stone and lighthouse and is approached by a causeway, running parallel to Chesil Beach. Inhabited since early times, traces of occupation have
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been dated back 7,000 years. The Romans knew it as “Vindilis’ and Thomas Hardy wrote about it as ‘The Isle of Slingers’ due to the fact that Portlanders used slings to propel Chesil Beach stones at Kimberlins (strangers) to keep them away.
Rising sharply from Chiswell some 500 feet to its northern heights, Portland then slopes gently down to the southern tip, where the newer of the Portland Bill lighthouses stands. A visitor centre at its base provides some fascinating history on the area. The tides roar around the Bill in a very visible race at up to seven knots, great care is to be taken by vessels when navigating this notorious shipwreck area.
On a summers evening, the view from the hilltop immediately above Chiswell affords one of the most beautiful views in England. Stretching out below is one of the largest man-made harbours in the world, whose breakwaters were built by convict labour in the late 1840s. Overlooking the harbour is Henry VIII’s Tudor stronghold, Portland Castle, a medieval coastal fortress perfectly preserved, and a marvellous place to visit.
Portland Bill 7
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