Walking to Weymouth

While sailing along the south coast, there have been few safe overnight anchorages, so most nights we have been in marinas. This has its advantages: facilities like toilets, showers and laundrettes and also it is easy to get ashore. However, marinas are expensive, so, whenever anchorages are available, we like to try and anchor.

Portland is ideal for this. It is a large harbour which is well protected from most winds.

It was a pleasant 40 minutes walk to Weymouth. Then we spent a couple of hours wandering around the town and seafront.

It was a surprising place with three very distinct areas – a bustling town, a holiday resort with a long, sweeping, sandy beach and a quaint fishing harbour.

Weymouth was one of the first fashionable seaside resorts. It was made popular by King George III who visited the town regularly, believing that the waters had healing properties. Along the promenade there is evidence of this connection with a prominent statue and a replica of his bathing machine. Neither encourage me to go for a swim!

The long beach was quiet, due to the showery weather and social distancing. However, it was an interesting walk with many signs of the current times alongside the older history.

Whilst the town and seafront were interesting, I preferred the harbour area with its variety of boats and quaint pastel coloured cottages.

There is also a fascinating lifting bridge. There has been a bridge here since 1597 and this is the sixth one. It opens every two hours, 363 days per year (not Christmas Day and New Years Day) and celebrated its 90th birthday in July 2020. That’s a lot of lifting!