Seatown and Golden Cap

Golden Cap is the flat top of Shorne Cliff. From here the coastal view is east over Seatown, Thorncombe Beacon and Chesil Beach. On a clear day even the Bill of Portland, 20 miles away, is visible. On the western side of Golden Cap the view is equally spectacular. From the memorial stone to Lord Antrim you can see Charmouth, Lyme Regis and the headlands of Humble Point and Culverhole Point. You have to be careful of the cliff edge here as much of it is loose and from time to time edges of the clifftop fall away.

From Golden Cap, some of the best views of the estate can be seen. The traditional landscape has been preserved and the richness of the grasslands, woodlands and fauna can be well appreciated. The ruin of St Gabriel's Chapel dates from the 13th century and is all that is left of the original village. The sea cliffs in this part of Dorset are made of soft blue lias clay which runs under the limestone ridge all the way from the Cotswolds. As already mentioned, the cliffs are very unstable and the beaches below are littered with debris from periodic landslips. These provide a happy hunting ground for fossil hunters.

The area has a rich variety of wildlife. Of the birds, the hawks are of especial interest. Hobbies, merlins, honey buzzards, peregrines and kestrels can be spotted. You can also see pheasants, partridges and many small birds in the abundant hedgerows too. Grey squirrels, badgers, foxes and roe deer inhabit the woods of Langdon Hill.

Acknowledgment: Text derived from the Out and Out Series; Discovering the Countryside on Foot. Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia.