There’s been lots of talk over the past few weeks of coastal erosion and the dangers it causes to walkers on the cliffs of the Dorset Coastal Path. Much has centred on the high cliffs around West Bay and in The Purbecks.
Yesterday though we took a walk along the coastal path to the east of Weymouth that runs from Bowleaze Cove to Osmington where it was quite amazing to be able to see various stages of coastal erosion taking place. Nature really is a very powerful force !
In places whole sections of farmland appear to have been displaced by a few feet which almost looked like an earthquake had hit the area. On the cliff edges itself overhangs of fields can be seen which are almost certain to collapse at any time now and in places where they have fallen large sections of field can clearly be seen at the foot of the cliffs where they have fallen from the farmland above.
It looks pretty likely that with the waterlogged nature of the ground at present there are likely to be plenty more falls over the coming weeks. Our advise is if you’re walking along the beach stay near the shoreline away from the foot of the cliffs and if you’re on the path that runs along the top of the cliff stay very well clear of the cliff edge. Where there are warning signs in place take notice of them but don’t just assume that things are safe just because there is no warning sign as conditions are changing by the day.
These pictures show some of the ground movement that’s taking place …
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Good info for people using the coast path but this is always happening , I walked along this path in 1985 and the same was happening back then and a lot of the coast is now under the sea.
I’m sure there used to be a pillar box on the headland west of Osmington beach the same as the two that are now on Osington beach , but that one has disappeared under the waves now.