Chesil Bank, Dorset: A Visitor's Guide The massive wall of shingle that joins Portland with the mainland and stretches north west along West Bay almost as far as Bridport. It is considered to be the longest and highest karst feature in Europe, stretching over eighteen miles and reaching heights of up to 45 feet near Portland.
When it comes to where the sea gets its stones from, there have been years of scholarly disagreement. From their western to eastern ends, they grow in size in such a steady manner that, according to legend, a smuggler might hide among them in the dark, he can figure out where he is by fingering them, and fishermen can figure it out by listening to the sound of the surf. Furthermore, to the west, they are primarily varied hues of brown-yellow, whereas towards Portland, they are predominately grey in colour. There is no land between the bank and the Atlantic, and not only have several sailing ships, but also big marine monsters such as sharks, rays, and even whales, been washed ashore. Following storms, beachcombers have discovered a variety of treasures, including Roman coins, gold ingots, fragments of Spanish galleons, and flora from South America.
When an East Indiaman went down with all crew in 1824, another ship ended up over the bank in the lengthy lagoon known as The Fleet, which it encloses and spans from Weymouth to the Abbotsbury Swannery, it was the most severe storm ever recorded.
It is beautiful from above, particularly from Portland and the route west from Abbotsbury, but it is difficult to walk on and perhaps unsafe to bathe in.
Chesil is derived from an Old English word that means shingle.
- Chesil Bank Geolocation Latitude 53.649123° N Longitude -1.822705° E
- Chesil Bank Postcode DT3
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