Leaving the frenetic seaside town of Weymouth behind us we stop at the Fleet Lagoon and then cross the Ferry Bridge causeway to a new marina on Osprey Quay. The historic Ferry Bridge Inn was sadly demolished recently but Portland Castle built by Henry V111 stands sentinel just along from the quay. A must see for another day.
Driving up a narrow, very steep road from Fortuneswell, “ houses above houses” as described by Thomas Hardy in the Well-Beloved, we reach Easton, park in Tesco’s, leave the car behind and walk towards a quarry. Two old 17th century windmills and wild flower covered footpaths create a landscape just waiting to be painted. We are in another world. Our footpath ends at a road but crossing over we find a thatched roofed museum – the inspiration for Avice’s cottage in The Well Beloved. There are large pieces of fossilised wood in the garden creating natural nature sculptures. We walk on, under an old stone archway and look up at Rufus Castle (Bow and Arrow castle), its 15th Century ruins still clinging on to the top of the cliff.
Then a real treat awaits us… Church Ope Cove, on the edge of wildness.
The cove is rocky and has a pebble beach… steep steps will take you down to the beach but we stand at the top, gazing out to sea. It’s a blue sky day, very warm, the sea is turquoise and unusually calm.
Retracing our footsteps we walk back slowly towards the quarry and onto the lower path enclosed by high banks of valerian, mallow, ox eye daisies and birds foot trefoil. Red, mauve, white and yellow. Free flowing and untamed. A myriad of colour.Houses are being built in a disused quarry close by and more likely to come, but in the meantime, butterflies and insects can roam and feed in this beautiful wild flower garden covering the creamy white limestone, glistening in the sunlight.
The Isle of Portland remains an enigmatic place. Often hidden by mist and surrounded by turbulent sea. Migrating birds pause here in spring, butterflies find warmth and sanctuary in summer, fog or flood warnings can be heard in the autumn with landslips constantly changing its shape over time. Boat yards, quarries, houses, all chip away at this strange island of stone but the foot paths are still there, waiting to be walked.
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