BLACKPOOL - HOTELS
Wild, stark and calf-achingly crunchy, the unique shingle ridge of Chesil Beach on Dorset’s Jurassic coast is one of Britain’s most famous landmarks.
From the potato-sized pebbles near Portland to the perfectly round peagravel at Bridport, this Unesco World Heritage site stretches for 18 miles.
Fleet Lagoon, the large saline lake behind it, is home to wading birds such as little egrets, common greenshanks and dark-bellied brent geese, making it an important Marine Protected Area. It’s also one of the locations where the bouncing bomb was tested in the Second World War, as seen in The
Dam Busters film of 1955.
This rugged beauty was the spectacular view from our holiday home at Chesil Vista Holiday Park. What could be better than sipping wine on your own private deck listening to the sound of surf on stones?
Well, for my daughter, Isla, six, it was making a daily run to clamber up the high rock banks and slide back down again and again until she was sweating.
To be honest, the beach did well to compete with the site’s other activities and attractions. The pirate-themed play area was a daily stop, as were the soft-play zone and arcade games. Usually on the way to the lovely swimming pool complex with waterslide.
There are daily organised activities such family sports days, “wake & shake” fitness sessions and Dinosaur Roar, in which kids become mini palaeontologists for a dino dig. There’s also bingo, children’s discos, quizzes, live music and two restaurants.
We visited the Breeze Bar and Grill for delicious hanging kebabs and enormous ice cream sundaes.
Chesil Vista is a great base for walking, with direct access to the South West Coastal Path. On a stroll towards Portland we all enjoyed searching for interesting shells then popped into the visitor centre to discover the history of the coastline and its many fossils.
At the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy you can have a go at windsurfing, kite surfing, paddle boarding, kayaking or fishing.
Or for simple bucket-and-spade fun, shops and fairground rides, the Georgian resort of Weymouth is two miles away – an easy ride on a hired bike that can be delivered to your holiday home.
There’s a safe cycling trail which is
Family of four 3nt self-catering caravan weekends from £99 offpeak/£419 peak at Chesil
Vista Holiday Park; 1wk from £369/£599. watersideholidaygroup. co.uk, 01305 773233.
visit-dorset.com away from the road and has superb coastal views and rest stops.
In Weymouth, we savoured a lipsmacking fish and chips lunch on the beach and went crabbing in the harbour.
There’s also the Sea Life and Adventure Park with fairy penguins, otters, sea turtles and 180-degree Ocean Tunnel and outdoor splash zone.
Bowleaze Cove, a sand and shingle beach just to the north-east, is great for skimming stones, or exploring rock pools at low tide. If you drive along the A353, you’ll spot the famous Osmington White Horse, a hill figure of King George III on horseback, cut into the limestone.
We also took a 20-minute drive to Lulworth Cove, a white pebble beach shaped in an almost perfect circle. The hike from here to Durdle Door, a magnificent limestone arch rising out of deep blue waters, is the best way to immerse yourself in the geological drama of the Jurassic coast.
It’s steep and rocky in places, so wear sturdy shoes, but for us the effort was worth it to get the perfect snap in front of this worldfamous natural wonder.