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The Geography Department |
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Chesil Beach - Chesilton, Isle of Portland
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Chesil Beach - 1998 storms August 2000 April 2006 April 2007
Durdle Door - April 2006 April 2007
Lulworth Cove Colchester VIth Form College AS Fieldwork Oct 2001 Lulworth Cove 4 April 2007 am. Lulworth Cove 4 April 2007 pm.
West Bay harbour engineering works Feb 2004 West Bay harbour defence works, October 2004 West Bay, harbour and cliffs, August 2005 White Nothe April 2006
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April 4 2007
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Chesil Beach and Chiswell, with its pub and its gabion defences, left. In the centre and right shots The Fleet can be seen across the shingle beach, and part of Wyke Regis on the 'mainland', with oil storage tanks in the middle-ground. |
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Detail shots of the naval base and the expanse of Portland Harbour - setting for some of the yachting races in the 2012 Olympics! |
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1024-DSC01986.JPG 211KB
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1024-DSC01985.JPG 228KB
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3872-DSC01987.JPG 1219KB
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April 2006
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From the viewpoint on The Verne - marked on maps at SY 68981 73087 |
Looking up through Fortuneswell towards The Verne. |
Overlooking Chiswell, the Cove House Inn and Chesil Beach. |
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800-P1040230.JPG 157KB |
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Views along the beach to West Weare - from the gabions above 'The Cove House Inn', the beach, and the promenade. |
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800-P1040231.JPG 173KB |
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The defences appear to be in danger of being compromised by undercutting - sheet piling is revealed. |
West Weare - a landscape of fallen blocks and landslips. |
A really solid sea wall, well packed with defensive shingle. |
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800-P1040235.JPG 231KB |
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The eastern end of Chesil Beach - and the Isle of Portland |
The sea and beach at last light. |
In the evening light the beach ridges are especially noticeable. |
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800-P1040237.JPG 149KB |
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Chesilton August 2000
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Chesil Beach end its sweep to the south-west against the impressive limestone-topped cliffs of the Isle of Portland. Landslips of Portland Sand have covered much of the slope. The defences here are impressive, as is the drop to sea level - look at the size of the people on the beach! Behind the sea wall are buildings rising up towards the plateau of Portland, where there is a fine viewpoint. |
Gabion cages give way to recurved sea wall sections in front of the pub.
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Turning back to the North-West and the expanse of shingle against an impending storm in a surreal combination. The blocks of shingle-filled gabions are in the centre, just to the left of the pub.
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800Chiswell029_9.JPG 153KB |
800Chiswell028_10.JPG 174KB
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800Chiswell033_5.JPG 123KB
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Turning around 180 degrees from the shot above is a section of shingle which has been pinned down by steel matting. The view illustrates the low level of building behind the shingle, and the naval oil tanks of Portland Harbour beyond. The facing shore is Weymouth. |
From on top of the gabion castle the cliffs, pub ('The Cove House Inn') and streets beyond are all visible. |
The flood gates of the defence scheme, with the houses of the town ranged behind the narrow dyke that is Chesil Beach.
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800Chiswell026_12.JPG 148KB
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800Chiswell025_13.JPG 164KB
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800Chiswell023_15.JPG 128KB |
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1996 storms
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Chiswell showing the defences at work! |
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From the top of the hill the beach and town are shown to be very close together; there is no room for retreat! The Cove House Inn is at the centre of the photograph and is also at the heart of the sea defences.
800Chiswell5-96.jpg 124KB
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The sea wall is a very different picture after winter storms. The dinghy was badly mailed and, indeed, holed. Heavy cobbles litter the promenade.
800Chiswell4-96.jpg 142KB |
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Even the highest gabions have been sprinkled by thrown pebbles. Looking north-west towards the Fleet.
800Chiswell2-96.jpg 129KB |
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The gabion mesh, similarly overtopped by pebbles, looking towards the south east.
800Chiswell1-96.jpg 128KB |
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The sea wall has had new railings; the rusted stubs of the old showing through. The beach is marked by the dark brash line of debris and litter.
800Chiswell6-96.jpg 118KB |
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The profile of the concrete sea wall section shows up well. Also in evidence is the firmly shut, heavy steel flood doors!
800Chiswell7-96.jpg 125KB |
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The most telling photograph, is I believe, this one of a dinghy tied to a lamp post in the street behind the beach!
800Chiswell3-96.jpg 150KB |
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Dr Ian West - pages on Portland
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