The Fleet and Chesil Beach are situated on the coast of south west Dorset, between Portland and Abbotsbury. The Chesil Beach is a simple linear, shingle storm beach which links the Isle of Portland with the mainland. This pebble and cobble feature is joined to the mainland at Abbotsbury 13km from its start at Chiswell. The beach continues joined to the mainland for a further 6.5km to West Bexington. From Ferrybridge to Abbotsbury Chesil Beach is backed by the shallow, tidal Fleet lagoon. The Fleet is 13km long and varies in width from 65m -900m, covering 500ha (1200 acres) at high tide.

Abbotsbury Swannery

At the Fleet's most western end,in Abbotsbury embayment, lives a unique colony of mute swans. Abbotsbury Swannery was first mentioned in 1393 but it seems certain that a colony of Mute swans have been nesting in the Fleet long before that date. Indeed it seems probable that the swans were already there when the monastery was founded in the 11th century and that the monks took advantage of their presence and potential as a source of food and income. Today the Swannery is still managed but not for food, it is conserved for its unique colony status. Thousands of visitors enjoy watching the parent swans and cygnets between April and October each year.

Ferrybridge

Today Chesil beach is also joined to the mainland at a point near to its eastern attachment via a man-made bridge. The road this bridge supports is the only road access to Portland and at one time there was also a railway bridge running parallel to it. This bridge was originally built in 1839 previous to which only a crude ferry boat was available. In 1903 a viaduct was completed across the mouth of the Fleet and Portland was connected to the mainland by rail until it was finally dismantled in 1971 due to a drop in passengers. The road bridge is not the original as it was replaced, after much argument, in June 1985 and the Fleet entrance diverted beneath it.

The Fleet

The Fleet is one of the few remaining undisturbed brackish lagoons left in the world. The connection with the sea is via Portland Harbour at Smallmouth. Here the roadbridge at Ferrybridge restricts the channel to 75m wide. The depth of the water within the Fleet varies from around datum level from Butterstreet Cove to Abbotsbury to -5.2m O.D. under Ferrybridge. The influence of the tide decreases as you move west up the Fleet. The salinity also varies leading to a gradient of salinity from a nearly fresh water environment at Abbotsbury to a saline environment at Ferrybridge. The variety of conditions along the Fleet are extremely important in the distribution of organisms found there.

Portland Harbour

Although associated with naval, commercial and recreational activities the shallow waters of the Harbour are rich in marine life. The unusual phenomena of a double low water (as at Kimmeridge), provides superb opportunities for exploring the mudflats. Rich sediment communities are dominated by fragile sea pens, burrowing anemones, large sea squirts and black gobies.

The area can be explored by walking the coast path, or better still by following one of the two self guided trails (leaflets from Chesil and Fleet Centre).

Portland Harbour covers an area of 10 sq. km. Two castles, Portland and Sandsfoot were built by Henry VII to defend the area and protect shipping. The breakwaters were built in the 19th century and until recently the Harbour was a major naval base.

Isle of Portland is a huge block of limestone, 5 miles long and 2 miles wide, rising to almost 500 feet. The limestone has been quarried for hundreds of years and has been used in the construction of many famous buildings in London such as St. Paul's Cathedral and much of Whitehall.

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