Durlston Country Park, Swanage (Dorset)

As mentioned in my last post, I spent the afternoon at Durlston yesterday. I find this a very interesting location in photographic terms. It's a small stretch of the Jurassic Coastline World Heritage Site, and it's a haven for wildlife. There are many rare birds and butterflies here, and dolphins are often to be seem swimming just offshore.

Although the wildlife fascinates me, I don't have the right camera gear to take advantage of it. I have a cheap and nasty 70-300mm lens; the quality is very low, and as a result, I haven't used it for ages. I prefer to use my 18-200mm lens, but this isn't good for wildlife at a distance.

However - Durlston also has a wealth of features for which this lens is great! Here is my favourite image from yesterday's trip - clifftop sea pinks with a glittering 'bokeh' sea below:

(Click on the image for a larger version)

For once, I think this came out pretty much as good as it looked through the viewfinder!

The part of the park I visited yesterday was the Great Globe area. This is a 40-ton, 10ft diameter globe, which was carved from Portland stone in the late nineteenth century. It was the subject of a collage that I posted yesterday, but my main reason for visiting was to take photos for the multi-facetted image (project 29 - see my next post). Here is a 'straight' shot of the globe:

Annoyingly from a photographer's point of view, when shooting with your back to the sea, the globe doesn't quite line up with the centre of the steps in front of it! I therefore prefer to shoot slightly from the side.

Surrounding the globe are huge stone plaques, carved with facts and figures about astronomy and the natural earth, and quotations from the Bible and various poets:

Further away are eight stone benches, marking the points of the compass. Something I really like is the inclusion of the stone below, clearly 'tagging' isn't just a 21st century problem! 

Elswhere on site, there are various stone carvings and plaques giving a wealth of information about our planet and the solar system. However, these are unfortunately inaccessible at the moment, as a large area is fenced off due to current restoration work on Durlston Castle:

I may not have transport, but I recognise how lucky I am to live where I do. There are so many beautiful places accessible on foot, and Durlston is one of them. Elsewhere in the park, there is a lighthouse, some rocky ledges at sea level and abandoned underground stone workings. Best of all, is a spot from which Peveril Point and Old Harry Rocks can be viewed (unfortunately Old Harry was lost in the haze yesterday):

 

Nearby is a bench, and a stone plaque that says 'Rest and Admire'. I did - I could happily have sat there for hours, but sadly I had to leave that little haven and return to real life!