St Catherine's Point to Portland Bill

[AntarcticPilot]

You get that in the polar regions quite often. Clear weather with a stable layer of cold air near sea-level causes refraction that can extend visibility to well beyond normal limits. I've certainly seen things up to 100km away; the clarity of the air helps, as well - there is very little dust, so you don't get haze. I've sen mountains on Alexander Island from Rothera Point.

 

[[165264]]

Binoculars, darlings. Binoculars.

 

[burgundyben]

Had another look today.

You defo can see Portland. I cam see the white chalk at Swanage, Durleston head, St Aulbans and further South lying low Portland.

 

[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...

Bring a flast of tea. We'll meet up at the car park by the pepperpot.

I'll bring a map, plotter and hand bearing compass.

 

[jimi]

I've often climbed on Portland and you can definitely see the IoW from there. I've been on the mountains on Arran and you can see Ireland, IoM, Ben Nevis. Lake District when the conditions are right .. which is rare ;-)

 

[chrishscorp]

Climbed Great Gable many years ago on a school outward bound trip, started very early so we were at the summit for just after 7 am in mid May not a cloud in the sky, air was very clear no haze looked 360 degrees the view was stunning. Isle of Man and Ireland pretty gobsmacking. I cant remember how far we could see Inland. The moaning about the 4.30am start did stop once we had taken in the view

 

[Slowboat35]

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 was told it was seven. Rotrax left out the Kingdom of Cumbria.

 

[burgundyben]

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.

Last evening we popped over to Ventna to see the fireworks, I thought from the beach I could see the loom of France. On the way home over the hill we stopped at the top of St Cats to look, very clearly you can see the loom of France.

 

[Daydream believer]

I was sailing in the English Channel one night. Fog came down & I could not see a darned thing.
I would have been happy if I could have seen my hands, let alone France

 

[Robin]

I was sailing in the English Channel one night. Fog came down & I could not see a darned thing.
I would have been happy if I could have seen my hands, let alone France

We were serial Channel crossers back in the good ol' days doing weekend shopping runs from Poole to Cherbourg in all conditions, out on Friday night, back on Sunday daytime. We had multiple trips in fog so thick we couldn't see the bow in but there were occasions when the visibility was frighteningly good, notably one trip where lights appeared so close we thought we had wandered close to a new and as yet uncharted drilling rig which turned out to be lights onshore many many miles away. but seeing lights simultaneously on both sides of Channel from somewhere in the middle was a real but occasional treat.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

Last evening we popped over to Ventna to see the fireworks, I thought from the beach I could see the loom of France. On the way home over the hill we stopped at the top of St Cats to look, very clearly you can see the loom of France.

I've been meaning to ask you, but has anyone from the Island been able to find Southampton since the chimney came down?

 

[burgundyben]

I've been meaning to ask you, but has anyone from the Island been able to find Southampton since the chimney came down?

3 bloody hours on the Red Jet up and down the Solent.....

 

[harry potter]

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.

Loom? That is history, mate. All nasty LEDs now. Braye Harbour is loomless, as are many others.

 

[Jodel]

On a very clear day in the mid 1990’s I could see Calais from Newcastle. We were at 31,000ft though.

 

[ashtead]

I've been meaning to ask you, but has anyone from the Island been able to find Southampton since the chimney came down?
[/QUOTE]
Their too busy trying to find East cowes a new chain ferry let alone Soton