Nibble
New member
- Jan 3, 2007
- 19,238
I grew up on Portland, Navy family. Of course that is all gone now, even the prison is an immigration detention centre. My Gran still lives in Weymouth bay at Overcombe and I visit a few times a year. I always pop over to Portland for old times sake.
You've got Top hill and Under hill. Under hill is slightly more forward thinking, a few bars and of course the Olympic games gave the place a boost with the new watersports centre.
Top hill however is a bizarre, eery place where people still get about on pony and trap and will not speak to outsiders. Social services have quite the time of it up there. It is home to the last prison built by the prisoners themselves.
They've ruined a lot of the walks on the island by quarrying the hell out of the place. Portland stone is of course world famous and St Pauls Cathedral and in fact most of the more prominent buildings in London are made form it.
It's not bad for a holiday if you want to go rock climbing, the climbing is great but beyond that its a day trip at best. Portland Bill is great in any weather but again, a nose about, lunch at The Lobsterpot (a rather depressing restaurant that resembles the old style 1970's motorway cafes) and you're pretty much done.
Interesting hearing the stories my Gran has to tell though.
Walking from the mainland to the dances on the island, she used to deliver telegrams during the war on bike between the island and mainland.
She tells of when she awoke one morning and strolled to Weymouth bay and it was black with boats and landing craft all about to set off to Normandy to take part in D-Day.
There is a village nearby whose name I forget that was cleared and was going to be used to practice the landing invasion but it never got used and the villagers never were allowed back. A strange place but worth a visit.
Over by Weymouth Bay in Overcombe you have what was The Spyglass pub but is now a Harvester (Ugh) but that has fantastic views over the bay. Weymouth town itself is a bit kiss me quick these days but a short drive into the Dorset countryside is rewarded with some pretty amazing countryside indeed.
Weymouth bay is also where the black death was believed to have entered Britain.
You've got Top hill and Under hill. Under hill is slightly more forward thinking, a few bars and of course the Olympic games gave the place a boost with the new watersports centre.
Top hill however is a bizarre, eery place where people still get about on pony and trap and will not speak to outsiders. Social services have quite the time of it up there. It is home to the last prison built by the prisoners themselves.
They've ruined a lot of the walks on the island by quarrying the hell out of the place. Portland stone is of course world famous and St Pauls Cathedral and in fact most of the more prominent buildings in London are made form it.
It's not bad for a holiday if you want to go rock climbing, the climbing is great but beyond that its a day trip at best. Portland Bill is great in any weather but again, a nose about, lunch at The Lobsterpot (a rather depressing restaurant that resembles the old style 1970's motorway cafes) and you're pretty much done.
Interesting hearing the stories my Gran has to tell though.
Walking from the mainland to the dances on the island, she used to deliver telegrams during the war on bike between the island and mainland.
She tells of when she awoke one morning and strolled to Weymouth bay and it was black with boats and landing craft all about to set off to Normandy to take part in D-Day.
There is a village nearby whose name I forget that was cleared and was going to be used to practice the landing invasion but it never got used and the villagers never were allowed back. A strange place but worth a visit.
Over by Weymouth Bay in Overcombe you have what was The Spyglass pub but is now a Harvester (Ugh) but that has fantastic views over the bay. Weymouth town itself is a bit kiss me quick these days but a short drive into the Dorset countryside is rewarded with some pretty amazing countryside indeed.
Weymouth bay is also where the black death was believed to have entered Britain.
