Staying Local
Here are just a few images from some of our walks over the last month. However wonderful the scenery is around where we live, it has been lovely to be able to drive a short distance and enjoy a change of scene!
We haven't been the only ones enjoying the walks, Tavi has also enjoyed new smells and coated himself on several occasions!
Looking over to Weymouth with a number of empty cruise ships lying in the bay.
Wild flowers and grasses
We choose the locations or times of day where we know that there will be fewer people. During the May Bank holiday, Dorset had so many day visitors, many chose to visit Durdle Door, see here, which resulted in thousands of visitors crowding the beaches, fools jumping off the cliffs injuring themselves and endangering their rescuers. There was also a huge amount of rubbish left on the beach. The location was then closed for a few weeks while measures were taken to reduce and manage the visitor numbers.
Earlier in the year, I went to a conference where we looked at how we can make tourism more sustainable. This is becoming more of an issue in Dorset as people discover that there is more to the South West of England than just Devon and Cornwall. We welcome visitors but in manageable numbers who will appreciate and care for the places they visit and leave them without damaging the natural habitat both for the wildlife, other visitors and the locals.
It is a difficult balance and through blogging, Instagram and other social media have promoted locations far more than any postcard or brochure could ever have done. I feel guilty that over nearly 10 years I have contributed to this, I know my regular readers will feel the same about the environment, it's just a shame it can't reach those who don't think so carefully.
If you use blogger have you changed over to the new format? Even though I use Wordpress for a website, it is a bit confusing looking for some of the usual buttons!
Hope you are all keeping well, take care.
Sarah x
Yes! Dorset is often forgotten because of the likes of Devon/Cornwall...
ReplyDeleteBut with miles and miles of sandy beaches, some of the best weather in the
UK and the longest life expectancy in Britain, Dorset makes for a happy home.
And along with our picture postcard villages, the vibrant towns of Bournemouth,
Poole, Dorchester and Weymouth are bursting with places to eat, drink and shop...
AND...What is Dorset famous for....
Britain's first fossil shop...
Dorset gave birth to Trivial Pursuit...
One of the world's hottest Chillis...
Oldest postbox in England...
Largest natural harbour in Britain...
The world's earliest radio station...
Most expensive place to live...
The invention of the World Wide Web...
And..The most expensive place to live...Yes! But then..you get what you pay for...! :).
And..Don't let anyone tell you any different..Dorset..is Gods own county..NOT!
Not! Yorkshire..just because Jesus is supposed to have visited it..Nonsense..! :(.
One of the joys about Dorset for me was that it felt left behind in the tourist melee. I too saw the images from Durdle door and felt saddened. In Jersey people are visiting lots of our outdoor beauty spots and leaving their rubbish for someone else to clean up. So sad and disheartening.
ReplyDeleteGood to see your beautiful photos. B x
I use an app to publish my blog to blogger. I know there are changes but they haven’t affected me.
ReplyDeleteThat fifth photo is perfection! Just gorgeous countryside and photos.
Stay safe!
It looks beautiful. So peaceful.
ReplyDeleteI just love every picture! So beautiful...
ReplyDeleteHave a great week now :)
Titti
Glad you are o.k and Tavi is having fun as usual ! We do live in such a green and beautiful country :) xxx
ReplyDeleteBeautiful views in Dorset. Tourism was increasing all over the world, I think, but Covid certainly put a halt to things. I wonder what the future holds for travel and tourism. Our locale, Vancouver Island, is not encouraging visitors this year. Tavi looks like he had a great time.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful views. I've always loved Dorset for its quietness; sometimes we've walked all day and barely seen a soul. I don't understand why people don't take their litter home. What do they think happens to it? And as for hanging bags of dog poo on hedges ...
ReplyDeleteI love Dorset, Sarah, and your pictures are stunning! I am sorry about your selfish visitors crowding beaches and leaving a mess. We have similar problems in this country. It's so difficult to change their behavior. Young people and alcohol seem to be a part of the problem.
ReplyDeleteI switched to the new Blogger and it's getting easier the more I use it. There seem to be more 'steps' though. The old version is going away soon. I find it interesting that you blog in Blogger and have a website in Wordpress.
Enjoy summer in your beautiful location! P. x
Your photos are very evocative of west Dorset, Sarah. Were you above Abbotsbury for the stones?
ReplyDeleteYes we thought we had been there many years ago but realised when we got there that it must have been Grey Mare and her Colts that we had visitied instead. It was beautiful and the sheep provided a good chorus to Ninebarrow's song " To the Stones."
DeleteLovely local walks to enjoy, we have been getting out a bit more now restrictions have eased and have been visiting some local beaches. We head for the not so popular places too. One of our beaches which is sandy and wonderful for swimming has been closed by the town as they are so concerned about all the people flocking out from the city to use it and bringing the virus to that area. Such a shame that some folks spoil things for all others. Enjoy the weekend.
ReplyDeleteAlso using the new editor. Now I have found their new homes for the buttons, it seems as easy as before.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see the long-term impact that this virus has on tourism. I had hoped that people might become more aware of the impact obsessive travel has on the environment. But given the crazed let's-party mentality we're seeing when people get out of the house now, I'm not feeling very optimistic.
ReplyDelete