Day 3: Chesil Beach

Today we went to a beach called Chesil Beach.

It was formed over many thousands of years, and is a remarkable bank of shingle that stretches for some ten miles from Abbotsbury to the Isle of Portland. More than forty feet high in some places, this bank creates a remarkable natural breakwater on which the pebbles are inexplicably graded in size from west to east.

I think Chesil Beach is a really cool place, because when you look west from the east end (it's probably the same from both ends the east end is just where we were standing) of the beach it looks like it goes on forever.

We also went to Weymouth.

Well that was are story for today, I wonder what tomorrows story holds?......... 

Lulworth

The area around the village of West Lulworth is a destination, drawing upwards of 500,000 visitors a year. To see the various landforms that can be seen in the area. Such as Lulworth Cove which featured on the 2005 TV series Seven Natural wonders and is famous for it's unique shape, which formed as a result of the alternating bands of rock running parallel to the coastline eroding at different speeds. And wave diffraction, the narrow mouth of the cove (consisting of the more resistant Portland and Purbeck limestone) bends the waves into an arc shape as they enter the wider part of the cove (formed of a wide band of soft clays and greensands).

The nearby Stair hole is an infant cove that suggests what Lulworth Cove would have looked like a hundred thousand years ago. There is a narrow gap in the limestone here, allowing the Sea to erode Wealdon clays behind them, which is eroding very rapidly and shows obvious signs of slumping. Exposed on the eastern side of the Hole is the Lulworth Crumple, one of the best examples of Limestone Folding in the world, caused by movements in the tectonic plates millions of years ago (the formation of the Alps), which forced the layers of rock and sediment on the bottom of the sea floor almost veritical. Similar examples of Limestone Folding can be seen at Lulworth Cove itself and the nearby Durdle Door.

Durdle Door is a natural limestone arch that formed on a concordant coastline (where bands of rock run parallel to the shoreline). The arch itself is the remains of a band of Portland limestone that also forms the Man O'War rocks directly east of Durdle Door and the entrance to Lulworth cove. Behind this limestone is a 120-metre band of softer easily eroded rocks (Wealden clays and greensands), and behind that is the much harder more resistent chalk of the Purbeck hills. Durdle Door is privately owned by the Welds family who own 12,000 acres in the name of the Lulworth estate. UNESCO teams routinely monitor the condition of both the arch and the adjacent beach.

Day 2: Durdle Door

Today we went to a place called Durdle Door in Dorset. 

Durdle Door is part of the Jurassic coast and is a one and a half mile work from the village of Lulworth.

At the beginning of the walk there is a hill to hike of, it's not to steep but it's do able. When you get to the bottom of the hill you can see this amazing beach where it looks like its made up of sand, but it is actually made up of rocks/pebbles. you can all so see this arch that has been formed from the waves just washing away at over time and eventually breaking through to the other side causing erosion. Well you see Durdle Door is made up of four different types of rock and limestone is what the arch is made out of. Limestone isn't very dense so it was easier for the waves to scrape away at it.

To get down to the beach you have to walk down some rocks/boulders, it's not very steep and very doable, but can be a bit tricky when you've got two big dogs pulling you down ;). 
The water is great because it's a lovely blue/green colour and is crystal clear. 

Well we stayed on the beach for a bit and then trekked back over the hill and then went to a place called Stair Hole that was about a three minute walk from the car park. 

Stair Hole is, again, made out of limestone so the is a lot of holes the formed the waves the waves washing away at them causing erosion.

Well that was are adventure for today, I wonder what's in store for tomorrow.......    

Jurassic Coast

The second wholly natural World Heritage Site to be designated in the UK and Stretching 115km (96mi), from Orcombe Point near Exmouth to OldHarry Rocks at Handfast Point on purbeck island. The length of the Site can be walked on the South West Coast path.

Documenting over 180 million years of geological history, showcased in the cliffs that characterize the Coast, which formed during the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods of the mesozoic era.

It was these cliffs and coves (along with it's position on the English Channel), that made it one of the staging grounds for the D-day invasions of Normandy. And some places are still used as military training grounds to this day. While others were closed and opened to the public, such as the the Royal Navy base at Portland Harbour. Which later became a popular location for wind surfing, wreck diving and sailing. So much so in fact that the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy, which hosted the the sailing events in the 2012 Olympic Games, can be found there.

Day 1: Leaving

We drove down from stoke to Dorset. We got to a camp site called Higher Moor farm, we started setting up the tent and not soon after we finished setting up, a thunder and lighting storm hit, typical. I had literally never seen so much lightning in one place before! you could actually see the streaks of lightning in the sky, three words, it. was. AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D We then had some food and fell asleep.

Well that was day one, not very exciting except for the storm. But the real adventure began the next day.....