Portland, United Kingdom... Part 1 of 2

The first photos in today’s blog are from last evening as the ship was anchored off Portland overnight due to our close proximity to Rotterdam. It was a cool morning for sail in photos but I was able to persevere. We were required to clear UK Immigration before we could disembark. After clearance we took the port shuttle to Portland Castle to meet our tour guide. While waiting for our guide to arrive Cathy and I walked around the Portland Castle, a 16th-century castle built by Henry VIII in 1539. Once our guide Terri arrived, we were off to tour Dorset County. Portland is a small island located off the south coast of England in the county of Dorset. It is the southernmost point of the Jurassic Coast, a World UNESCO Heritage Site. This area is known for its dramatic coastline, towering white cliffs, rugged coves and sandy beaches. Traveling through the countryside of Dorset, we admired the rolling green hills dotted with quaint towns and villages. We explored the Jurassic Coast east to Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove and Corfe. Our first stop was Durdle Door and Man of War Beach. We left the vehicle and walked along a narrow path to see Durdle Door, a natural arch cut into the Portland and Purbeck Stone. Wow what a sight! The rocks on the archway date back thousands of years. The Jurassic Coast is the only place on earth that shows 3 time periods on one stretch of coastline….the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The path down to Man o War beach is rocky and very steep but it was well worth the climb down and back. Not far away from Durdle Door was Lulworth Cove, also formed over 1000's of years ago forming a perfect horse shoe shape into the hill side. We walked along paths and the views are amazing from the hills around the cove. The path looped around and we came to the quaint village of West Lulworth. The next stop was Lulworth Castle, built in the early 17th Century as a hunting lodge. This was a beautiful castle and the grounds were quite impressive. Moving along we drove through the Lulworth Ranges, a live military shooting training to the abandoned village of Tyneham. Tyneham is village where time stopped. In November 1943 notice was given to the villagers that they would be required to leave within 28 days as the area was needed for Allied Forces training. In December 1943 the last villagers left believing that one day they would be able to return. Sadly, this was never to happen. Today, the village is a museum of the remains of the village with only the church and school preserved. Our next stop was Corfe Train Station Corfe Castle and Village of Corfe. The dramatic ruins of Corfe Castle stand on a natural hill overlooking the village with the same name, guarding the main route through the Purbeck Hills. The castle was built by William the Conqueror during the 11th century. It was one of the first stone castles in England. We made a stop at the Corfe Castle Railway Station. The station is packed with 19th century charm, the Corfe Castle railway station is a relic from a bygone era. Making our way back to the ship we stopped at Weymouth. Weymouth is a seaside town, its sandy beach is dotted with colorful beach huts, the Victorian Nothe Fort and lined with Georgian style houses. The harborside is packed with more cafes, pubs and fish and chips shops than you can count. Of course, we sampled the delicious fish and chips. We returned to Portland and Terri gave us a tour of her hometown. Portland connected by a limestone causeway to Weymouth. We drove up to the Olympic Rings commemorating the 2012 London Olympics as Portland Harbor was the site of the sailing event. From the Olympic Rings you could see the expanse of Chesil Beach, Portland Fort, the harbor and the town below…great views. We went to the iconic Portland Bill Lighthouse. Portland is the home of Portland stone and Portland cement and has been used for a number of significant buildings including Buckingham Palace, UN Headquarters in New York and St Paul’s Cathedral. We had a great day touring the Jurassic Coast and covered a significant amount of territory. Terri was a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide…we thoroughly enjoyed our first time to the Portland Weymouth area.