Dorset Magazine October 2013

dorsetmagazine.co.uk16 DORSET September 2013
If you get off the beaten track you will
discover some very special beaches
along the South West Coast Path
WORDS BY ALEX GREEN
Secret Beaches
Discover Dorset’s

dorsetmagazine.co.uk DORSET September 2013 17
SECRET BEACHES
Fleet Lagoon
Best for bird watching
The walk: Moonfleet
Distance: 5.3 miles
Difficulty: Moderate - easy walk with a
gentle ascent and descent
You might think the long, straight,
18-mile length of Chesil Beach would be
far from secret but look behind it and
you’ll find a hidden gem of a beach by the
Fleet lagoon. This walk begins inland at
the Victoria Inn and leads to the South
West Coast Path where it joins the banks
of the Fleet, a freshwater lagoon that has
its own beach. The Fleet is a nature
reserve and is a great place for spotting
migrating birds and the famous
Abbotsbury Swans. In addition it follows
in the footsteps of J. Meade Falkner’s
novel Moonfleet - a thrilling tale of
shipwrecks and smugglers on Dorset’s
wild coast.
Getting there: The X53 Jurassic Coast bus
stops at the Victoria Inn at the start of this
walk (DT3 4EA)
Refreshments: The Victoria Inn
Download walk at: southwestcoastpath.com/
moonfleet
Mupe Cove
Best for rock pooling
The walk: Bindon Hill
Distance: 3.8 miles
Difficulty: Moderate – some steep
stretches of ascent and descent with a
long flight of steps
A breathtaking walk high above Lulworth
Cove with spectacular views over land
and sea. In Mupe Cove, to the east, chalk
cliffs rear dramatically from limestone
ledges and the waves lap around a chain
of tiny islands before curling in around
Lulworth to lick along its shingle beach.
Just a few metres to the west, the sea has
carved caves and arches in the softer
rock. Children old enough for the
distance and hills will love the rocks and
beach, which makes for a quiter
alternative to the popular Lulworth Cove
and is great for rock pooling.
Getting there: X53 Jurassic Coast bus and
West Lulworth car park (BH20 5RQ)
Refreshments: Lulworth Cove
mupe
Chapman’s Pool
Best for following in the
footsteps of pirates & smugglers
The walk: Chapman’s Pool from Worth
Matravers
Distance: 5.7 miles
Difficulty: Moderate – the path is steep in
parts and the headland is exposed
This scenic walk along the limestone
coastline features dramatic caves and
platforms craved out by millions of years of
erosion by the sea, and hundreds of years
of human quarrying. From prehistoric
times humans have lived here and
exploited the cliffs and coves for a wide
variety of purposes, ranging from
prehistoric tools to medieval farming to
smuggling in 18th and 19th century.
Chapman’s Pool itself is a wonderfully wild
beach where the stream joins the sea from
a plunging ravine carved through high
cliffs. The natural and quarried caves make
it a great playground for swashbuckling
kids and would-be smugglers.
Getting there: Worth Matravers Car Park
(BH19 3LE)
Refreshments: The Square and Compass Inn in
Worth Matravers dates back to 1752 and has its
own Fossil Museum.
chapmans
PhotographbyJonBailey
PhotographbyHeatherSnow
PhotographbyAlanLodge
Chapman’s Pool

Osmington Beach
Best for swimming & snorkelling
The walk: Osmington Roman Walk
Distance: 4.7 miles
Difficulty: Moderate - some gentle climbs
and descents, nothing too strenuous
This walk is a brief expedition through
many layers of Dorset history, including a
Roman temple and villa as well as a chalk
horse carved into the hillside. There is
evidence of ancient agricultural methods at
Osmington, and the manor here was
mentioned in Domesday, while its thatched
Smugglers’ Inn dates from the 13th century.
Children will love the white horse and the
foundations of the Roman villa. The Coast
Path runs along the edge of the field above
the beach, which is sheltered from the
nearby headland and is great for
snorkelling, swimming and fishing.
Getting there: Bowleaze Coveway car park (DT3
6PW)
Refreshments: Smugglers’ Inn
osmington
South Beach,
Studland
Best for wildlife
The walk: Studland Village to Old Harry
Distance: 3.8 miles
Difficulty: Moderate - generally easy, level
ground with some long but gentle climbs
and descents
The spectacular chalk stacks of Old Harry
and the Pinnacles off Handfast Point near
Studland were carved by the sea which also
polished the vertical cliffs to a dazzling
white and hollowed out caves and arches
from the soft chalk. There are far-ranging
views over Swanage in one direction,
Did you
know...
At 630-miles the
South West Coast
Path is the UK’s
longest National
Trail running from
Minehead on the
edge of Exmoor, all
the way to Poole
harbour, taking in
the entire coastlines
of Devon and
Cornwall in between.
The South West
Coast Path takes in
five designated
Areas of
Outstanding Natural
Beauty (AONB) and
two UNESCO World
Heritage Sites,
including the Dorset
AONB and the
Jurassic Coast – the
UK’s only natural
World Heritage Site.
The South West
Coast Path is the
best way to
experience the 95
miles stretch of the
Jurassic Coast which
covers 185 million
years of the earth’s
history from
Orcombe Point in
East Devon to Old
Harry Rocks on the
Dorset coast.
On a clear day, the
Isle of Portland
provides views from
Start Point in South
Devon in the west
and as far out as
Durlston Head to
the east – a total of
190 miles! Throw in
three lighthouses, a
sculpture park,
great bird watching,
and several castles
and fortifications
and you have an
unforgettable walk.
Climb Golden Cap,
between Charmouth
and Seatown, for
breathtaking views
- this is the highest
point on the South
Coast.
For more
information about
the South West
Coast Path visit
southwestcoast
path.com
Wareham and Bournemouth in the other,
and across to the Isle of Wight. This is a
particularly good walk on a fine day, when
the blue sea shimmers under the bright sky.
The South Beach is a short walk from the
car park, and from the south end of the
beach you can pick up a path to rejoin the
Coast Path towards Old Harry Rocks. Keep
a look out for nesting seabirds and the
beautiful chalkhill blue and Adonis blue
butterflies enjoying the chalk-loving plants
of Ballard Down. If you’re lucky you may
even spot a pod of dolphins in Studland
Bay.
Getting there: South Beach Car Park (BH19 3AE)
Refreshments: The Bankes Arms
studland
PhotographbySusanGreening
PhotographbyBarbaraHaines

Could your Coast Path
photo win you a holiday?
If you’re heading to the beach via the Coast
Path, don’t forget to take your camera and
enter your pictures in the annual South West
Coast Path photo competition. Your picture
could be featured in the official Coast Path
calendar and the overall winner receives a
holiday courtesy of Cornish Cottage Holidays
with a choice of over 600 properties
throughout the South West. This year’s
theme is wildlife and nature and will be
judged by former Wildlife Photographer of
the Year, Ben Osborne. Don’t miss next
month’s issue of Dorset magazine when Ben
will be giving us his top tips to taking great
wildlife and nature photographs. Deadline for
entries is 31 December 2013. For more details
visit southwestcoastpath.com/
photo-competition
Church Ope Cove
Edward Griffiths, from
Bournemouth, walks writer for
Dorset Magazine
The best thing about Church
Ope Cove is its remoteness and
peace and quiet no doubt
helped by its lack of facilities
like a cafe or ice cream. There’s
a car park just round the bend
from the road called Wakeham
out of Easton, almost opposite
Pennsylvania Castle, which is
used mostly by walkers and
visitors to Portland Museum.
Access to the beach is down
steep paths through the woods
and the old abandoned St
Andrew’s church yard, or steep
steps via Rufus Castle, so few
get down to Church Ope Cove.
The pebbly beach is tranquil
and the sea clear and blue.
Brownsea Island
Susanne Master from
Boscombe
Walking along the cliff top
there are great views from the
south side of the National Trust
section of Brownsea Island. If
you walk down the steps that
lead to the sea there are little
sheltered beaches with views
of Furzey Island, perfect for
watching harbour life and
having a quiet paddle. with
views of Furzey Island, perfect
for watching harbour life and
having a quiet paddle.
Mupe Bay
Vin Kaluza from Bournemouth
Mupe Bay is only accessible
when the Range walks are
open, plus you have to walk
there - either from Lulworth or
Tyneham, which makes it kind
of secret. The waters of Mupe
Bay are always turquoise
because of the chalk
underneath the water.
Ringstead Bay
Adam Lee-Potter, from
Osmington, columnist and
writer for Dorset Magazine
If Studland is the Edinburgh of
Dorset beaches, Ringstead is
Glasgow: wilder, rougher, but
welcoming and grittily
beautiful. Like Studland,
Ringstead is vast, with
something for everyone. A
family-friendly café,
(expensive) car park and
moorings in the middle, a
remote nudist beach to the
east. But I prefer its tucked-
away, western flank, marked
only by a dilapidated
boathouse. The short hike and
not-for-everyone pebbles
mean you often have it to
yourself: a private swim with
stunning views, White Nothe to
one side, Portland to the other.
Priceless. It’s best accessed
from Osmington Mills, an easy
and glorious 15-minute cliff
walk away.
Hengistbury Head
Katrina Weller from the
Seabrook Seals
Compared to Bournemouth’s
crowded town beaches the
adjacent Hengistbury Head is
a peaceful haven. It is a real
beachy beach, and there is
always a good current to fight
against, though novices should
not swim out of their depth! It’s
a perfect beach for sunrises
and views of the Isle of Wight.
Dancing Ledge
Rory Fitzgerald who swims
with the Seabrook Seals and
Purbeck Outdoor Swimmers
The pool cut out of the rock at
Dancing Ledge is like an
infinity pool with a sea view. As
the tide returns the water
becomes a seething Jacuzzi
although that means it is time
to get out and clamber back
up to the coast path before the
ledge is completely immersed
under the waves. Experienced
swimmers can swim in the sea
next to the pool; it is a swim for
those who know where to dive
into the deep water and can
manage the strong, but
invigorating, waves and
difficult exit.
MySecretDorsetBeach
Via Twitter
#secretdorsetbeaches
Jo @JS_thatsme: Chapman’s
Pool followed by pasty and a
pint after climbing back up to
The Square & Compass!
@dikeandson: Got to be
Ringstead! Lovely cafe, dogs
welcome and very few tourists!
Actually why not keep it a
secret ssshhhh...
Why not Tweet us your special
beaches @dorsetmag
#secretdorsetbeaches or email
helen.stiles@archant.co.uk
Worbarrow Bay
Best for dog walkers
The walk: Tyneham Village and Flowers
Barrow
Distance: 4 miles
Difficulty: Moderate – generally easy with
one steady climb and one steep decent
A short ascent from the ghost village of
Tyneham leads to the prehistoric ridgeway
along the top of the Purbeck Hills, where
the massive Iron Age Flowers Barrow
hillfort has a tremendous outlook over
coastal vistas stretching from Portland to
Poole Harbour. There are also panoramic
views over huge areas of heathland whose
military ownership has preserved them
from agricultural development, resulting in
a landscape that is home to an abundance
of wildlife, including many rare flowers,
fungi and insects. This is a good walk for
children, who will love the air of mystery in
the village which was abandoned in 1943
after the area was commendered by the
War Office. Worbarrow Bay is dog-friendly
throughout the year and there’s a nearby
pub where dogs are welcome.
Getting there: Tyneham Village (BH20 5DE)
Refreshments: The Weld Arms, East Lulworth
worbarrow
Rory enjoying the
bubbling Dancing Ledge
Ringstead Bay
PhotographbyEdwardGriffiths
Church Ope Cove
PhotographbySCurtis

What does
the beach
mean to you?
The website manonabeach.com attracts
more than 125,000 hits each year in a 114
countries. The man behind the site invites
you to share your thoughts about your
favourite beach and what it means to you
I
started manonabeach, tentatively
and anonymously, via YouTube in
September 2011. I followed this, a
few months later, with a website
manonabeach.com where people
could enjoy virtual beach visits and share
their thoughts. From its origins in
Cornwall, the project is now national and
features beach visits to Norfolk, Suffolk,
Dorset, Sussex, East Lothian, Fife, Moray,
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Angus. Every
season when possible, manonabeach
returns to each region, building a picture of
beach life throughout the year.
There are now over 1,300 films on the
website and manonabeach.com has
developed into a fully-fledged e-book. Over
30% of the site’s visitors are in London and
manonabeach is watched in 114 countries.
The massive increase in page views since
the website went national reveals that
“manonabeach nights” are happening and
cross-pollination taking place across the
various regions as people discuss: “What
does the beach mean to you?”

The idea is to celebrate the elemental
power of the beach and its profound effect
on people who enjoy being where the air,
land and sea meet. In the narrative
interviews on the site, you can see and hear
people represent their emotions,
perceptions and recollections, all drawn
out by the enhancing effect of the beach.
Essentially manonabeach is a construct, a
passive Everyman, whose role is to bring
qualitative findings directly to you, letting
you draw your own conclusions from them.
The reason for keeping manonabeach
anonymous is so viewers aren’t distracted
by the presence of a personality.
When you visit a lot of beaches, as I have
done, it soon becomes apparent that there
are regional characteristics that distinguish
them and may inform the attraction in each
place - such as the long granite headlands
of Cornwall or the big skies and bird life of
Norfolk and Suffolk. I learnt on my visits to
Dorset that there are a wide variety of
beach goers. Walking along to Sandbanks
from Bournemouth Central beach, past the
wooded chines early in the morning,
mingling with local walkers, runners and
yoga practitioners, was a delight. I was
impressed by how the affluence of
Sandbanks and Poole Harbour sits so
comfortably next to the natural beauty of
the beaches on offer, unspoilt by beach
vendors and concessions. The counterpoint
to that was the stunning scenery at Durdle
Door, Lulworth Cove and Chesil Beach.
My recent spring re-visit coincided with
the giant landslip between Lulworth Cove
SECRET BEACHES
There have been 469
different responses
to this question, in
more than 650
interviews. Overall,
the top five
responses are:
1. Childhood
2. Beauty
3. Dog walking
4. Family
5. Livelihood
The findings break
down into six
categories, each
with it’s own top five:
Livelihoods and
occupations
1. Livelihood
2. Routine
3. History
4. Economic benefit
5. Economic
pressure
Friends and
family
1. Childhood
2. Family
3. All generations
4. Holiday
5. Visitors/tourists
Sensory
1. Beauty
2. Peaceful/calm
3. Freedom
4. Relaxing/chilled
out
5. Wide open spaces
Emotional and
spiritual
1. Everything
2. Memories
3. I love it
4. The pull of all
beaches
5. Being near the
water / the sea
Nature
1. Ever changing
2. The sea
3. Wildlife
4. Seasonal changes
5. Nature
Occupations and
activities
1. Dog walking
2. Fishing
3. Surfing
4. Swimming
5. Walking
and Durdle Door, the results of which you
can see on my scene-setting film at the
latter beach. At Chesil I learnt how
smugglers could judge where they were by
the size of the pebbles - longshore drift
neatly grades them by size along the 18
mile beach . It was breathtaking to stand
on Southbourne Beach and see the evening
light set on the Needles, clear vivid white
shapes known locally as the polar bear and
her cubs. There are so many distinctive
memories from the Dorset trip, from the
Portland stone Olympic rings to the
towering East Cliff at West Bay.
The beach is a wonderful place for us all
to enjoy. It’s ever changing nature, whether
on a daily, tidal or seasonal basis
guarantees an element of surprise in any
beach visit. You just don’t know what and
who you’ll meet, which means that you’ll
always have a different answer to the
manonabeach question: “What does the
beach mean to you...?” I
To answer that question and share your
beach thoughts visit manonabeach.com
“The idea is to celebrate
the elemental power of
the beach and its
profound effect on
people who enjoy being
where the air, land and
sea meet”
Whatdoesthebeachmeantoyou?
Durdle Door
PhotographbyStephenEmerson
Admiring the view, Golden Cap
Aerial veiw of Seatown (taken from a paraglider)
PhotographbyAndreaByrnePhotographbyJonHarvey

Dorset Magazine October 2013

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (19)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (13)

Similar to Dorset Magazine October 2013

Similar to Dorset Magazine October 2013 (20)

Dorset Magazine October 2013