Local fishermen are reputed to have landed a mermaid on Chesil Beach in 1757!
Chesil Beach is an 18-mile long shingle barrier beach stretching from West Bay to Portland and is one of Dorset’s most iconic landmarks. From a conveniently placed lay-by on the B3157, on a clear day, you can see almost the entire length of this strange ridge, as well as Abbotsbury Swannery and the tied Isle of Portland. Behind the ridge is the tidal Fleet lagoon, a large expanse of brackish water fed by both the salt sea and fresh water streams.
The pebbles on Chesil Beach are graded in size from potato-sized near Portland to pea-sized at Bridport and are made up of mainly flint and chert from the Cretaceous and Jurassic rocks, along with Bunter pebbles from Budleigh Salterton. It is believed that smugglers landing on the beach at night could could judge their position along the coast simply by picking up a handful of shingle.
The Fleet is a long, narrow lagoon, with only a narrow entrance to seawater via Portland Harbour at Ferrybridge. The sheltering effect of Chesil Bank on the seaward side of the lagoon causes the Fleet to be warmer in summer and cooler in winter than the surrounding area.
This allows several distinct types of habitat: Saltmarsh, Freshwater marsh, and coastal grass cliffs. The area provides important breeding ground to several bird species as well, among them the little tern and ringed plover. The Fleet supports over 150 species of seaweed and 60 species of mollusc. The western end of The Fleet is home to the very large mute swan colony, at the Abbotsbury Swannery
This unique nature reserve is operated by the Ilchester Estate, who have owned the property since 1543. The estate provides a warden to look after the interests of wildlife in the region
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