'Night Fishing' and vehicle length Forums

TonyHunt

Have this week just returned from the Chesil beach area. We had a wonderful days mackeral fishing from the beach at West Bexington yesterday (tuesday) over 80 beached in no time at all, the sea was black with them. The day was soured around 3-30pm by the car park warden arriving and profusely apologising for the fact that we were over size ( the limit is 4.8m or the length of a parking bay) and he would have to ask us to leave which we were about to do anyway. He had also just had the unenviable job of moving on two ambulances full of disabled people who were enjoying a view of the sea from the same beach car park. This problem is all down to one local resident who has taken it upon himself to ring the council everytime a motorhome enters the car park because he obviously doesnt like us. There were four there when we arrived plus the local coalman in a lorry enjoying his lunch break. I might add that the car park was half empty all day and we had paid our £4-20 for the days parking.
What makes people so obnoxious, why cant they live and let live. Motorhomes in no way block his view of the sea because the houses are situated on the hillside behind the beach. They had had trouble in the past with M/Hs wild camping overnight which they quite rightly stopped, a simple barrier brought down at night would have stopped that.
This country is sadly way behind our french neighbours in attracting tourism, one persons complaint to the local authority is allowed to spoil everybody elses enjoyment of a lovely area.

cabby

Perhaps we should write to the local council asking them to mark up 6 large bays and charge a little more for them.

cabby

TonyHunt

I dont think they would agree to that, its not a question of money its all down to a residents obnoxiousness basically and if even one person complains the council have to act or be seen to act, personally Id tell him where to stick his selfish attitude and help him put it there. Fancy insisting that Disabled people are told to sling their hook also.

cobaltkoala

Thats Strange we were just going to post about West Bexington!

We thought of going there this weekend but discovered it now had a Height barrier. Now from the initial post we deduce this is not the case and simply the length limit which has been in force for some while. Can this be clarified? The provision for some 6m spaces would also be welcomed.

The failure to comply with the length limit was always overcome by the hangover at the beach end and therefore even a 6m+ could snugly fit into the space.

The guy who has the task of policing the rule is very fair and moves p[eople on rather than doing what he has been directed to do and slap a fine on the rule breakers. what he did tell us was that it was not illegal to park anywhere outside the car park, I said to him what if motorhomes were parked all up through the village at the side of the road, he simply said that it was nothing to do with him and he presumed that providing we had paid up road tax we could do that without a problem. (Now whose house is it that all the complaining is coming from?)

Our original intention was to ask if any similar place such as West Bexington existed with such close access to the beach but this thread stimulated more in the way of debate.

Are there any fish left?

teamsaga

this may be a dorset county thing. on a recent visit to bournemouth where most car parks have height barriers, I found a new? restriction on the beach road between the piers " a 5 metre length restriction" . just to add insult to injury my favourite on road parking "southbourne coast road" has been signposted cars and motorcycles only. I came away feeling somewhat unwanted.

sallytrafic · Southern Rally Co-ordinator

By coincidence I was about 3 map squares away sitting in a carpark with no barriers or restrictions next to the beach this afternoon (in the rain). It is at OS SY 559 845. Travelling West on the B3157 you go through Abbotsbury and take the turn signposted to the subtropical gardens, go past the first carpark until you come to a kiosk on your right where a nice man will take your £3 for the day (£2 after 2pm I think). Coming from the west the turn off is a tight one at the bottom of the hill signposted as described.

TonyHunt

I nearly parked there instead frank but settled on bexington because Ive always fished at bexington over the last thirty years winter time mostly for Cod, The beach fishing just had the edge there over the years on Abbotsbury. While we were there last week we also took a look at a beach nearer west bay which is owned by the National trust and free car parking to members which we are. There is a lovely grassy area overlooking the beach above the car park where motorhomes seemed to be allowed to park for the day but not overnight. Im going to give the fishing a go there next time Im in the area. Parking up the hill at Bexington sounds good idea and would really P the locals off trouble is local plod would then get involved. Just heard on the grapevine that the guy who causes all the trouble owns two big red setters, and he lives half way up the hill. Wink

sersol

Is it any wonder why we head over to France more & more.
Believe it or not from where we live (milton keynes) its just as cheap & more pleasant to have 4 nights over there than 4 nights over here on a site. We don't tend to wild camp.
Gary

sallytrafic · Southern Rally Co-ordinator