Author Archives: manonabeach

About manonabeach

On a beach…welcome to manonabeach.com, where I’ll regularly add video of my beach visits, so you can enjoy a flavour of the beach, even when you’re not there.

Chesil Beach

Season: spring

This is a spectacular setting in any weather, but on this occasion the full length of the beach, including the fleets, was laid out in front of me as I descended by road towards the Abbotsbury end of Chesil Beach. A beach clean was being organised by interviewee John for Dorset County Council and I was able to learn from him about the unique geography here.

John’s long term relationship with Chesil Beach.

The sound of the sea at the Abbotsbury end of Chesil Beach.

Season: autumn

This spectacular eighteen miles long pebble beach stretches North West from Portland to West Bay, separated from the mainland by the Fleet lagoon. The area of shallow sand dunes overlaying shingle that points east and inward towards Portland harbour is known as Hamm Beach. Both of the beaches and the lagoon are in the centre of the Jurassic Coast and part of the only UNESCO designated World Heritage site in the UK. There’s prolific wildlife here, including a tern colony in the Fleet Nature Reserve. This is a special place, highly recommended.

A group chat with Andy, Katie, Mark, Sonya, Nana and Hattie.

The beautiful panorama to be seen from the Portland end of Chesil Beach.

Covehithe beach

Season: autumn

Covehithe is shrinking in the face of a relentless onslaught from the North Sea, being gradually eroded away. However, the cliff exposure attracts geologists and fossil-hunters. As well as evidence of the geological formation Norwich Crag, enthusiasts have found echinoids and corals here. There’s a long beach below the cliffs and an elemental feel here, where the land, the sea and the air meet in such a vibrant fashion.

Sarah considers our relationship with nature.

A view along Covehithe beach.

Season: summer

A welcome return to bright sunshine coincided with this seasonal visit to Covehithe. The setting is outstanding, with the beach and its soft, crumbling cliffs situated in front of a national nature reserve, itself a magnet for bird watchers, such as interviewee Phil. Today, walking north along the beach itself, man made and natural debris lay all around, the result of recent fierce winter storms. The coast is receding quickly here in the face of nature’s relentless remodeling of our islands.

What has brought Phil to this beach today.

The magnificent natural setting at Covehithe.

Season: summer

The outstanding natural beauty at Covehithe beach comes into view after a pleasant walk from the ruins of the church. On this occasion barley was ripening in the adjacent fields. The beach sits in front of a nature reserve, which is located just behind the dunes. There are also fine walks down to Dunwich Heath and Minsmere Reserve from here. The beach is flat, sandy and backed by small cliffs that are being quickly eroded. This is a very tranquil and invigorating spot to find yourself.

John’s succinct appreciation of the beach.

A bright afternoon above Covehithe beach.

Season: winter

It was a cold, bright day for this visit. The walk along to the beach from the enormous church gives you a chance to enjoy the reed beds and waterways of the nature reserve that sits just behind Covehithe beach. A recent high tide had pulled large sections of the sand banks down, continuing to reshape this ever changing stretch of coastline. This is an unspoilt wonder.

Gabi, on one of her regular visits to Covehithe beach.

A view along the beach from the precarious sand bank above.

Barafundle Bay

Season: autumn

In many ways Barafundle Bay is the quintessential Pembrokeshire beach, often voted among the best beaches in the country. The price for this fame is a large influx of visitors in the summer, so other times of the year provide a clearer picture of how this beach was in times gone by. There is plenty of room here in summer, though. As part of the Stackpole Estate and being well managed by The National Trust, it’s the point at which the limestone carboniferous cliffs in the south west change to the desert sandstone of the Devonian period in the north east.

Unsurpassed beauty at Barafundle Bay.

A view down to this exquisite beach from the other end of the bay.