Geograph - photograph every grid square

Chesil Beach is a steeply sloping bank of shingle which stretches for 18 miles from Bridport in the west to Chiswell in the East. It was formed by storm waves carrying pebbles in the prevailing southwesterly direction until they were deposited against the barrier provided by the Isle of Portland. Larger pebbles travelled furthest, and at the Portland end, where the beach reaches a height of 18m, these are the size of oranges. The stones then become smaller until they are pea-sized at the western end. According to local folklore, a fisherman could tell in the mist what part of the beach he had landed on from the size of the pebbles.

The beach is no longer growing; it is believed that the construction of the harbour at Bridport has prevented further stones from being deposited.

I have also uploaded long distance views down the beach from here, at SY5485 : Chesil Beach waterline looking eastward, near East Bexington Farm, Dorset and SY5485 : Chesil Beach waterline looking westward, near East Bexington Farm, Dorset, and a close-up of some of these wet stones which are very colourful at SY5485 : Pebbles from Chesil Beach, near East Bexington, Dorset.