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Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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Nature: Wildlife & Welfare - Dorset North

The Day I Met My Hero

I set off for work at 2:50 am to complete what, to anyone who knows me, has been a dream of mine since I can remember. I arrived at work and went to pick up David Attenborough and his film crew. Sir David Attenborough walked down the driveway and...
Conservationist and wildlife campaigner Chris Packham says British supermarkets are ‘selling suffering’ in light of the very worst forms of suffering that chickens on British farms are put through by the meat industry. The TV personality made the comments as he launched a campaign to push for higher welfare standards...

Discovering the Purbeck coast

All the rocks in Dorset are sedimentary and were deposited in water, mostly in shallow seas. They were deposited during the Jurassic, Cretaceous and Tertiary between about 200 million years ago and 40 million years ago and vary considerably in hardness and therefore resistance to erosion. This is well displayed on the Isle of Purbeck...
This walk is best attempted when there is a low tide, especially a low spring tide (which occur around midday when there is a full moon and new moon).Slippery rocks also occur in places especially round the foot of Sandsfoot Castle so care should be taken. The coastal section is on the southern side of a geological...

Discovering Kimmeridge (2)

Kimmeridge has much of interest and one of the things to look out for is the oil well that has been producing since 1961. Despite being on the cliff top it is not particularly noticeable and is well camouflaged by drab paint. One of the most obvious things at the site is a nodding donkey pump...

Discovering St Aldhelms Head

Moving west from St Aldhelm’s Head the coast cuts north to form Chapman’s Pool. Here the Kimmeridge Clay is at sea level and erosion exposes interesting fossils, especially ammonites. These extinct creatures are related to Nautilus which can still be found in modern oceans but have survived for around 400 million years with...
Another good location to see Gad Cliff is from WorbarrowTout which is accessible from Tynham, the abandoned village between Kimmeridge and Lulworth. It lies within the Lulworth Army Firing Range and was evacuated during the Second World War for defence training purposes and has remained empty ever since. However, it is possible to visit when the...
The west side of Worbarrow Bay has more of interest. As with Worbarrow Bay mentioned in article 6 it is only accessible during most weekends and school holidays when the Lulworth Ranges are open. The area can be accessed from Lulworth Cove. Walk around the Cove and use the steps on the east side to reach the coastal footpath. Go through...
Returning from Bacon Hole to Lulworth Cove there are steps down to the famous Fossil Forest section. Unfortunately, no trees are still preserved there but you can see where the trees have been. The rocks exposed are the top of the Portland Limestone and the lowest part of the...
Walking up the steps from St Oswald’s Bay you can return to the Coast Path or walk down into Durdle Cove. This is I think the unofficial name, the Ordnance Survey maps do not seem to give it a name! You are likely to notice the remains of steps down to the beach...