Keith Walker Shows Us The Dorset Coast (Part 1)
07th August 2026
In: News, Members' Articles
Keith Walker - The Dorset Coast Part 1
As you may remember from other articles, I grew up in a town on the Dorset coast. As a youth, the coast was just the coast to enjoy. Swimming, fishing (especially night fishing), coves to explore on our bikes and later sailing; just fun.
If you drive around Dorset now, it is impossible not to see numerous signs proclaiming the “Jurassic Coast’. As kids we knew fossils had been found especially at Lyme Regis, but the coast was just the coast, and the Jurassic pre-fix was unknown. If we turn to Wikipedia it tells us “The Jurassic Coast, also known as the Dorset and East Devon Coast, is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. It stretches from Exmouth in East Devon to Studland Bay in Dorset, a distance of about 96 miles, and was inscribed on the World Heritage List in mid-December 2001.”
Over the years it is fact that a number of locations on the Dorset coast have appeared in lists of top UK locations for photography, often involving a sunrise. As an example, the beach at Durdle Door will be crowded with photographers on the one morning a year when our ‘The Photographers Ephemeris” (TPE App-free to download) tells us the sun will rise through the ‘door’.
All these years on the coast is still delivering fun, but for a different pastime as I capture it photographically. The images that follow were all taken on various digital M’s.
A Spot of Fishing - West Bay Harbour entrance
Burton Bradstock
Durdle Door
Portland Lighthouse with Old Lighthouse in Distance
Lulworth Cove
Lulworth Cove with Sun Setting over The Isle of Portland
As you may remember from other articles, I grew up in a town on the Dorset coast. As a youth, the coast was just the coast to enjoy. Swimming, fishing (especially night fishing), coves to explore on our bikes and later sailing; just fun.
If you drive around Dorset now, it is impossible not to see numerous signs proclaiming the “Jurassic Coast’. As kids we knew fossils had been found especially at Lyme Regis, but the coast was just the coast, and the Jurassic pre-fix was unknown. If we turn to Wikipedia it tells us “The Jurassic Coast, also known as the Dorset and East Devon Coast, is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. It stretches from Exmouth in East Devon to Studland Bay in Dorset, a distance of about 96 miles, and was inscribed on the World Heritage List in mid-December 2001.”
Over the years it is fact that a number of locations on the Dorset coast have appeared in lists of top UK locations for photography, often involving a sunrise. As an example, the beach at Durdle Door will be crowded with photographers on the one morning a year when our ‘The Photographers Ephemeris” (TPE App-free to download) tells us the sun will rise through the ‘door’.
All these years on the coast is still delivering fun, but for a different pastime as I capture it photographically. The images that follow were all taken on various digital M’s.
A Spot of Fishing - West Bay Harbour entrance
Burton Bradstock
Durdle Door
Portland Lighthouse with Old Lighthouse in Distance
Lulworth Cove
Lulworth Cove with Sun Setting over The Isle of Portland
Comments
By Nick Richardson: All nicely seen and taken! Thanks for sharing. By Cled Lewis: Lovely photos which tell a story of a beautiful part of the country and a description of an idyllic childhood which would be at home in “Boy’sOwn”
Thank you Keith. By Alan Humphries: Excellent images Keith, I am already looking forward to Part 2. By David Askham: Lovely littoral landscapes, Keith, of one of my ancestral homelands. Thank you. I think my favourite is theone of the boys fishing at West Quay harbour entrance. I enjoy signs of human habitation in the landscape. By Keith. Walker: Thanks for all the kind comments but they are only snaps - perhaps what David means by littoral!
Can I support Ken’s plea for articles by saying it takes very little time to put something together when you have chosen a subject. By David Askham: 'Littoral' '...relating to or situated on the shores of a sea or lake'. Or, in the case of Dorset, sharing a county border with the English Channel. By Keith Walker: Thank you David. Should have looked at the Dictionary, as my English teacher constantly advised!
Every day is a school day! Take care.