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Fortuneswell

The Isle of Portland is a large sloping block of limestone, linked at its northern end to the mainland by a naturally formed gravel bank (a tombolo) known as Chesil Beach. The northern end is also the highest, with cliff-tops reaching 140m above sea level. Spreading upwards across this impressive and steeply sloping approach is the collection of districts that is Fortuneswell, lit here by the weak sun of a November afternoon.


101-01 Fortuneswell 101-02 Fortuneswell 101-03 Fortuneswell 101-04 Fortuneswell 101-05 Fortuneswell
101-06 Fortuneswell 101-07 Fortuneswell 101-08 Fortuneswell 101-09 Fortuneswell 101-10 Fortuneswell
To view any image full size - simply click on the thumbnail

The character of the area is the result of centuries of quarrying and military occupation, leaving an industrial landscape that is relatively unique in Dorset. Whilst not attractive in the traditional sense, the landscape is none-the-less part of Dorset's heritage and is celebrated appropriately in the 'Spirit of Portland' sculpture situated high on the stone strewn slopes overlooking Fortuneswell.

  

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In the top row of pictures:

  • Fortuneswell viewed from on top of the shingle bank of Chesil Beach (picture)
  • Cove House Inn and the sea defences, Chesil Cove (picture)
  • Looking out over Chesil Beach from Fortuneswell (picture)
  • Fortuneswell (picture)
  • Chesil Cove and West Weare (picture)

In the bottom row of pictures:

  • Fortuneswell (picture)
  • Chesil Beach and the mainland, Wyke Regis in the centre, Southlands and Rodwell to the right (picture)
  • Chesil Beach, this photograph showing particularly well the height and width of the tombolo at this – its eastern end (picture)
  • The 'Spirit of Portland' by artist & sculptor Joanna Szuwalska – greeting those who make their way up onto the Isle (picture)
  • Fortuneswell and Portland Harbour, Weymouth in the background (picture)

See also: Fortuneswell in October

Nearby locations that also feature in galleries on this site:

directionWeymouth

directionPortland

directionFleet and Langton Herring

More views of Dorset in November


Other sites on the web

The coastline shown here forms part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site

West's Geology Field Guide to Chesil Beach

The Dorset Page:   Fortuneswell – local information and links to further resources on the web

Maps of the area on streetmap.co.uk:   1:50,000 – detail, 1:250,000 – locality and route to get there

picture resolution
The pictures of Fortuneswell in this gallery were captured at medium resolution.
This is images of dorset stock photography gallery 101
All photographs copyright © 1998–2003 John Allen


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