Chesil Beach The Bank
Chesil Beach can be found located on the south coast of Dorset between Portland and Westbay near Bridport. The beach is 18 miles (28 km) long and increases in height towards the east, reaching a maximum of over 15 metres near Portland visitor centre but averages around 11 metres. Chesil is a tombolo which means an island attached to the mainland by a narrow piece of land.
Chesil is one of the finest barrier beaches in the world. It is made up of graded pebbles of various size to small shingle and has stood up to the full force of the Atlantic for thousands of years.
It protects the Fleet, which is the largest salt water tidal lagoon in Britain and a place on international importance for its birds and marine wildlife. Chesil and The Fleet are owned by the Ilchester Estate.
Visitors to the Chesil bank can see that the beach is made up almost entirely of pebbles. At the Portland end of the beach are on average the size of large pototoes and as you move further along the coast the pebbles decrease in size until at Westbay it becomes fine shingle.
Local folklore claims that smugglers knew exactly where they had landed from the size of the pebbles on the beach.
It protects the Fleet, which is the largest salt water tidal lagoon in Britain and a place on international importance for its birds and marine wildlife. Chesil and The Fleet are owned by the Ilchester Estate.
Visitors to the Chesil bank can see that the beach is made up almost entirely of pebbles. At the Portland end of the beach are on average the size of large pototoes and as you move further along the coast the pebbles decrease in size until at Westbay it becomes fine shingle.
Local folklore claims that smugglers knew exactly where they had landed from the size of the pebbles on the beach.
Types of pebble that can be found on the beach include:
- Flint
- Chert
- Quartz
- Granite
- Porphyry
- Breccia
- Portland Stone
- Oil Shale
- Fossils
- Magnetite
- Pumice Stone
- Jasper
- Agate
Swimming
Swimming is not advisable along most stretches of the beach even for the strongest of swimmers due to the drop offs on the edge of the shore and rip currents. Swimming is safer for good swimmers at Portland in the cove staying close to shore, and at westbay.
Fishing
Portland, Abbotsbury, West Bexington and West Bay attract beach casting Anglers and a wide range of fish can be caught, including Mackerel the full length of the beach.
Portland Cove - Bass, pouting and conger. Free very limited parking
Royal Adelaide Wreck on the Portland beach road at the visitors centre - Trigger fish, black bream, Pollock and Bass. Toilets Cafe, Pay and display parking for coaches and cars.
Abbotsbury beach - dogfish, pouting, scad, poor cod, codling, whiting, gurnard and mackerel. Toilets, plenty of carparking, cafe though not always open, toilets and wooden beach walkway allowing easy access to the top of the beach. Daily car parking fee
West Bexington - Mackerel in vast numbers during the summer, large carpark but likely to be full on good days toilets, and a cafe/shop that sells practically everything! Pay and display parking unless you find a spot in the road leading to the beach!
Portland Cove - Bass, pouting and conger. Free very limited parking
Royal Adelaide Wreck on the Portland beach road at the visitors centre - Trigger fish, black bream, Pollock and Bass. Toilets Cafe, Pay and display parking for coaches and cars.
Abbotsbury beach - dogfish, pouting, scad, poor cod, codling, whiting, gurnard and mackerel. Toilets, plenty of carparking, cafe though not always open, toilets and wooden beach walkway allowing easy access to the top of the beach. Daily car parking fee
West Bexington - Mackerel in vast numbers during the summer, large carpark but likely to be full on good days toilets, and a cafe/shop that sells practically everything! Pay and display parking unless you find a spot in the road leading to the beach!
Other Dorset Beaches
Abbotsbury Beach, Avon, Bedford, Bournemouth, Bowleaze Cove, Brandy Bay, Castletown Beach , Chapmans Pool, Charmouth, Chesil Beach , Chesil Cove, Church Ope Cove, Cogden Beach, Dancing Ledge, Durdle Door Beach, Durlston Bay, Egmont Bight, Eype's Mouth Beach,Ferrybridge, Friars Cliff Beach, Greenhill Beach, Hallelujah Bay, Hobarrow Bay, Kimmeridge Bay, Lake Drive Beach Poole, Lulworth Cove, Lyme Regis, Man o War Bay, Mupe Bay, Newtons Cove, Overcombe Beach, Pondfield Cove, Poole Harbour Beaches, Redcliff near Weymouth, Ringstead Bay, Sandbanks Beach Poole, Sandsfoot Cove, Seatown, Shell Bay, Smallmouth Beach, Studland Beach, Swanage Beach, West Bay, West Bexington, Weymouth Beach, Worbarrow Bay Tyneham.
Abbotsbury Beach, Avon, Bedford, Bournemouth, Bowleaze Cove, Brandy Bay, Castletown Beach , Chapmans Pool, Charmouth, Chesil Beach , Chesil Cove, Church Ope Cove, Cogden Beach, Dancing Ledge, Durdle Door Beach, Durlston Bay, Egmont Bight, Eype's Mouth Beach,Ferrybridge, Friars Cliff Beach, Greenhill Beach, Hallelujah Bay, Hobarrow Bay, Kimmeridge Bay, Lake Drive Beach Poole, Lulworth Cove, Lyme Regis, Man o War Bay, Mupe Bay, Newtons Cove, Overcombe Beach, Pondfield Cove, Poole Harbour Beaches, Redcliff near Weymouth, Ringstead Bay, Sandbanks Beach Poole, Sandsfoot Cove, Seatown, Shell Bay, Smallmouth Beach, Studland Beach, Swanage Beach, West Bay, West Bexington, Weymouth Beach, Worbarrow Bay Tyneham.
