Foreshore Project
Castle Cove Sailing Club are returning this area into a space that respects nature and the local community. The work cannot all be undertakenimmediately so we plan to bring you updates when we have them. We know that people will always want to visit our beach for many different reasons, but predominantly it is because it provides a connection to Portland harbour an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest). The intention is to celebrate its beauty and to provide public information about the harbour, including its history, ecology, safety, weather and the sailing activities that take place.
Please read the other signs for information about using the beach and harbour.
We would like to hear your feedback on our plans for this small area of land and also any suggestions you may have, please follow the link below to get in touch with us (please select 'Foreshore Feedback' as the topic).
https://www.ccsc.org.uk/contact
January 2024 Update - Improving the Gabions and Plans for 2024
January so far has seen the arrival of more earth to cover the gabions installed last year with the intention of creating something of a greener perimeter along the road edge. Grass is growing in the area covered in August 2023 and slowly we hope the earth bank will be the home to wild grasses, wild flowers and other plants that would naturally grow on the shore side. We have had some suggestions to create a garden area on the foreshore, with succulents and other non-native flowering varieties. This may come in time though we and Natural England are wary of introducing species that may become invasive to the detriment of native varieties.
We hope to progress the installation of a cycle rack for use by cyclists dropping in from the nearby Rodwell Trail. The installation is expected to be completed by Easter and we look forward to seeing how well they are used over the summer with the potential for more to be installed in the future.
No progress at present on the creation of a footpath on the shore side of the gabion bank intended to help separate walkers from road users. We await the removal of the concrete blocks and hope this will happen before long. Meanwhile we hope the foreshore and the beach continue to be enjoyed by all and we welcome further ideas as to how the area in general can be enhanced. The outline plan includes ideas for seating and a picnic area but without detail as yet.
At the western end of the beach our attempts to control erosion of the bank continue. The outcrop is an SSSI in it's own right and is of geological interest. We have repeatedly planted gorse and briars in the hope of encouraging natural defences however the fences put there to protect seedlings have been knocked over and have had limited effect so far.
APRIL 2023 UPDATE - Sign Installation
We have been working hard to get a sign in place so that passers by and users of the beach and foreshore area get to know what we plan to do with the land. On Thursday 6th April an Information sign was installed, with a link to this website to help everyone get up to date information. We needed to re-word the white 'Public Notice' sign that was on a post at the end of Old Castle Road. We have taken this sign down and replaced it with a new sign on the ramp down to the beach. There is an area of land above the beach which has become unstable and, on the advice of Natural England, we have fenced it off to allow vegetation to reestablish which will help to stabilise the area
MARCH 2023 UPDATE - Gabion basket installation
On Saturday 25th March a group of more than 30 volunteers moved 24 tonnes of Portland stone to fill 23 gabion baskets. These baskets replace the unsightly concrete blocks which will be removed. One of the things we might do is grow some coastal loving plants in the top of some of these gabion baskets - what do you think about this as an idea? Please do get in touch using the link above.
