Today was our last full day in Dorset and this morning we walked the Rodwell Trail top Sandsfoot Castle.
The Rodwell Trail runs from Weymouth to Portland (passing Sandsfoot Castle) and follows a disused passenger railway line.
Sandsfoot Castle, also historically known as Weymouth Castle is an artillery fort constructed by Henry VIII.
By the early 18th century, Sandsfoot was in ruins, its stonework taken for use in local building projects. The clay cliffs on which the castle had been built had always been unstable and subject to erosion. The castle's gun platform began to collapse into the sea and, by the 1950s, had been entirely destroyed.
The ruins were closed to visitors on safety grounds, although civic gardens were planted alongside it in 1951. Repairs were undertaken between 2009 and 2012 at a total cost of £217,800, enabling the site to be reopened to the public. However, when we visited the site was again closed on safety grounds.
Despite the ruinous state of the castle, the garden are very well kept and looked lovely.
In the evening we drove to the seafront to the Weymouth Bike and Classic Car night. This takes place every Thursday from April to September.
All manner of cars and motor bikes were parked on The Esplanade and we spent some time looking at them before finishing off the day with one final ice-cream sat on the edge of the beach.
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