St Catherine's Point to Portland Bill

[burgundyben]

Ahoy!

I live on the Isle of Wight, often as I look west, I can see Durlston Head and St Albans head quite clearly, most of Poole Bay too of course from various points.

Yesterday, out and about in the car, as we drove past the car park up above St Catherine's Point, I spotted the faint grey outline of Portland!! its must be about 43 or 44 nautical miles from where we were, quite high up obviously.

First time I have seen Portland from the Island.

I was quite excited!

 

[Resolution]

Ahoy!

I live on the Isle of Wight, often as I look west, I can see Durlston Head and St Albans head quite clearly, most of Poole Bay too of course from various points.

Yesterday, out and about in the car, as we drove past the car park up above St Catherine's Point, I spotted the faint grey outline of Portland!! its must be about 43 or 44 nautical miles from where we were, quite high up obviously.

First time I have seen Portland from the Island.

I was quite excited!

Must have been to Specsavers!:encouragement:

 

[sarabande]

Anomalous propagation, seemples

 

[Rustyknight]

Sailing cross channel from Cherbourg to Poole, many years ago, we reached a point where we could see France and England at the same time. At least we knew we were going in the right direction.....

 

[Robin]

Sailing cross channel from Cherbourg to Poole, many years ago, we reached a point where we could see France and England at the same time. At least we knew we were going in the right direction.....

Did that also many timesin the dim and distant, plus scared witless at the (apparent ) plethora of oil rigs or windfarms that appeared to be getting ever closer (shore lights many many times farther away) Had similar scares heading south to Chenal du Four, (landing lights for Brest airport).

 

[dom]

Not bad! St Catherine's summit 239m, Portland Bill peak 136m, which suggests a 43 mile line of sight. Charted distance 44m. Squeeze a tad for Mean Sea Level, a tad more for atmospheric refraction and...

 

[doug748]

Working west, around the coast from Portland bill. You can see the Bill from Exmouth and so probably from Torquay, the question is, is Portland ever visible at Start Point - 49miles ? If so, on a good day, someone stood on the Bill could spy I of W and all the way to the Start.

You can see The Lizard from Rame Head outside Plymouth (44miles) and in the other direction Bolt Head outside Salcombe - so just a few small gaps.

 

[oldharry]

I recently went up to the Tumuli above Kingley Vale in the Downs North of Bosham (a favourite spot) from which one can see East as far as Brighton, but that day I could see the Purbeck Hills which are at least 53 miles away. The Tumuli are at 140m, while the highest point of Purbeck is 160m. Its rarely clear enough, but not the first time I have seen Purbeck from up there.

 

[colhel]

You can often see the Needles from Win Green Hill just outside Shaftesbury

 

[FairweatherDave]

I get an unhealthy amount of pleasure spotting the Isle Of Wight from Brighton.
Google earth makes that 43 statute miles. However when I told a Bembridge caravan owner I could see him he was remarkably unimpressed ......

 

[Dipper]

Sailing cross channel from Cherbourg to Poole, many years ago, we reached a point where we could see France and England at the same time. At least we knew we were going in the right direction.....

You might have been in the Dover Strait.

 

[Oscar24]

Spent this week working at the top of Snaefell mountain on the IOM.
Yesterday I could see the English and Irish mainland from the top. Zero wind and perfect visibility.
Today I could see about 5 meters :-0

 

[rotrax]

Spent this week working at the top of Snaefell mountain on the IOM.
Yesterday I could see the English and Irish mainland from the top. Zero wind and perfect visibility.
Today I could see about 5 meters :-0

Been to the top of Snaefell a few times. My friends mother, a pillar of old Manx society would tell us you could see six Kingdoms from the top of Snaefell.

The Kingdoms of England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, the IOM and Heaven.

I had no reason to doubt her.

I have been out in morning practice on the TT course with the mist on the mountain giving almost zero visibility.

Scary.

 

[vociferousMeldrew]

On a crisp winters night it is possible to see the loom of a lighthouse on the French side of the channel from the cliff tops above St Catherines. When I lived in Niton Undercliff for a year I initially doubted this local claim until I took the trouble to check it out. Not sure which light it was, I had assumed Cap De La Hauge but having just checked Barfleur is closer and higher at 75m.

 

[burgundyben]

Spent a few idle hours on the south side of the Island on the beach this week, I'm now not at all convinced I saw Portland, more than I saw Isle of Purbeck. I saw this because, beyond the hump that I thought was Portland, there is another landmass further south, which of course there isnt. So I think I was looking at Purbeck, the other land mass to the south being from Durleston head to St Albans.

Must take a hand bearing compass with me.

 

[rotrax]

Spent this week working at the top of Snaefell mountain on the IOM.
Yesterday I could see the English and Irish mainland from the top. Zero wind and perfect visibility.
Today I could see about 5 meters :-0

Yup - thats Snaefell for you!

Is it five or six Kingdoms they say you can see from Snaefell - the Kindoms of Ireland, Scotland, England, Man and Wales with Heaven thrown in for a bonus. I think I am wrong about Wales, so make it five.

I used to stay at the Garey by Glen Tramman. My old Rugby playing mate lived there. He used to go to King Williams College on the steam train. You could see the loom of Snaefell from the Garey and some time ago an oil painting was valued on Antiques Road Show of Snaefell. It must have been painted from his property alongside the Sulby River.

With less pollution visibility is far better now. First Mate and I were on the Great Ridgeway last week. The views towards Newbury and Winchester were magnificent.

 

[Lightwave395]

I live in Gurnard, on a clear night you can see the traffic lights on the esplanade at Swanage. I've thought I could see Portland from the Tennyson monument but I'm not convinced it isn't St Aubins Head...

 

[burgundyben]

I live in Gurnard, on a clear night you can see the traffic lights on the esplanade at Swanage. I've thought I could see Portland from the Tennyson monument but I'm not convinced it isn't St Aubins Head...

Exactually.

 

[capnsensible]

A friend of mine told me that he once climbed a mountain that was so high, he could see the back of his head.

 

[burgundyben]

Ive just been for a walk along to Totland and back through Colwell. I am 99% sure its Purbeck not Portland. And that you can see St Albans.