Post by Dave on Feb 14, 2009 11:25:57 GMT
You may have seem the pictures of St Catherines Chapel Abbotsbury on another thread, they were taken when Carol and I have a few days free of hospital visits last year. It was a windy and very wet day, but as we had drove there we were determined to go inside the Chapel and our only surprise was that its just an empty shell.
I drive through Abbotsbury every Monday and Thursday morning around 7.15am, the view of Chesil Beach from Abbotsbury hill must be one the best views anywhere and some mornings when the sun is rising it really is breath taking.
Mind you I nearly never got down the hill in one piece last Thursday, they do not grit the coast road from Bridport to Weymouth, they have kindly taken the time to put signs up all the way along the route, asking you to drive carefully as there is no salt. Sorry but with the snow melt and a hard frost, Abbotsbury hill was just one big sheet of ice and I was very lucky to get down the hill and live to tell the tale. It was also due to my great driving skills, the ones those London drivers do not have or need
St Catherines Chapel - Abbotsbury
Chesil Beach initially formed from predominantly sandy deposits in Lyme Bay as water levels rose rapidly at the end of the last ice age 20,000-14,000 years ago. These deposits were eroded and the sand and gravel driven onshore as a barrier beach. As the barrier beach was driven further east by rising sea levels it overrode existing sediments and the Fleet was formed starting about 7000 years ago. The formation of the Fleet was virtually complete by 5000 years ago.
Sea levels stabilised 4000-5000 years ago and at that time Chesil Beach stood close to its present position. It was predominantly sandy with layers of shell and coarser material indicating over-washing by the sea.
At this time relict cliffs in East Devon, left stranded by falling sea levels during the ice age, were re-activated and the combination of re-working of extensive debris aprons and erosion of existing cliffs yielded large quantities of gravel. Estimates suggest that as much as 60 million cubic metres of gravel could have been supplied. This material was transported to Chesil Beach by longshore drift via a series of pocket beaches.
Coastal recession and human intervention have now depleted the beaches to the west of West Bay, resulting in increased prominence of the headlands. This has cut off the supply of material to Chesil Beach
A few shots of Chesil Beach looking from Abbotsbury
A sunset view of the beech looking towards Abbotsbury from Portland.
One showng the beech and what is known as the Fleet.
I drive through Abbotsbury every Monday and Thursday morning around 7.15am, the view of Chesil Beach from Abbotsbury hill must be one the best views anywhere and some mornings when the sun is rising it really is breath taking.
Mind you I nearly never got down the hill in one piece last Thursday, they do not grit the coast road from Bridport to Weymouth, they have kindly taken the time to put signs up all the way along the route, asking you to drive carefully as there is no salt. Sorry but with the snow melt and a hard frost, Abbotsbury hill was just one big sheet of ice and I was very lucky to get down the hill and live to tell the tale. It was also due to my great driving skills, the ones those London drivers do not have or need
St Catherines Chapel - Abbotsbury
Chesil Beach initially formed from predominantly sandy deposits in Lyme Bay as water levels rose rapidly at the end of the last ice age 20,000-14,000 years ago. These deposits were eroded and the sand and gravel driven onshore as a barrier beach. As the barrier beach was driven further east by rising sea levels it overrode existing sediments and the Fleet was formed starting about 7000 years ago. The formation of the Fleet was virtually complete by 5000 years ago.
Sea levels stabilised 4000-5000 years ago and at that time Chesil Beach stood close to its present position. It was predominantly sandy with layers of shell and coarser material indicating over-washing by the sea.
At this time relict cliffs in East Devon, left stranded by falling sea levels during the ice age, were re-activated and the combination of re-working of extensive debris aprons and erosion of existing cliffs yielded large quantities of gravel. Estimates suggest that as much as 60 million cubic metres of gravel could have been supplied. This material was transported to Chesil Beach by longshore drift via a series of pocket beaches.
Coastal recession and human intervention have now depleted the beaches to the west of West Bay, resulting in increased prominence of the headlands. This has cut off the supply of material to Chesil Beach
A few shots of Chesil Beach looking from Abbotsbury
A sunset view of the beech looking towards Abbotsbury from Portland.
One showng the beech and what is known as the Fleet.
