A seaside resort that’s not just for the bucket and spade brigade
BY BEN WEST
Few things are truly exhilarating in this world, but jet skiing – done sensibly, under safe conditions and with well-maintained craft – is certainly one of them. Skimming along the waves full throttle with the sun cascading down, slicing through the wind with seawater showering you, is truly a fantastic sensation.
This is just one of a surprising array of supercharged activities you can indulge in on a weekend in Weymouth – all year round. Think of Weymouth and you’re likely to conjure up bucket and spade family summer holidays, but there’s much more to the place than that.
As little as just over two-and-a-half hours from London Waterloo by train, there’s a host of fantastic activities on offer, including windsurfing, stand-up paddle boarding, sailing, rock climbing, powerboating, kite surfing, kayaking, horse riding, golf, diving, deep sea fishing, course fishing, coasteering and boating. And of course cycling and walking, to fully enjoy the gorgeous countryside.
As a novice I assumed I wouldn’t be taking part at all in the short taster session I had at the Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. It was a cold day but being decked in a wetsuit and lifejacket, the temperature didn’t matter a bit.
After just two minutes on the water in the brand new dinghy and amiable instructor Tim Anderton was getting me to adjust the sails and steer the boat, and in little time at all we were careering through the harbour. We passed numerous windsurfers going crazy speeds on this exceptionally windy day, but also a good number of little dinghies crewed by children as young as eight, who must have been having the times of their lives.
The Centre has courses for children as young as five, and its mainly two-day courses are geared to both children and adults with no experience of sailing right up to race training and advanced level courses, as well as private tuition.
I also tried my hand at powerboating, and whilst it was great fun, it’s alarming to consider that you need no training to use one of these potentially very dangerous craft. Of course, at the centre, everything is supervised perfectly.
For a true shot of adrenaline, try out Jurassic Jet Ski Tours’ one-hour jet ski adventures, which are £120 for a single rider, or £160 for two sharing a jet ski. Located in the centre of Weymouth, you don a wetsuit and after a short safety session, off you go! To a beginner it can seem quite a daunting proposition, but the controls are simple and you’ll be reaching the exhilarating high speeds in no time. Accompanied at all times by a fully trained guide, you see the stunning Jurassic coast from a completely new perspective.
After all that excitement it’s a good idea to explore the coast at a more leisurely pace. Cycling along the Jurassic Trail, a safe cycle and pedestrian route following an ever-changing old train line, has the sea always in view. Weymouth Bike Hire provides bikes at competitive prices for the day.
Further information
Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre (Osprey Quay, Portland, Dorset, DT5 1SA; 01305 457400; andrewsimpsonsailing.co.uk
Jurassic Jet Ski Tours (8 Custom House Quay, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8BE; 07470 686138; jurassicjetskitours.co.uk)
Weymouth Bike Hire (23 Melcombe Avenue, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 7TH; 07548 254634; weymouthbikehire.co.uk)
Other activity options
Boat trips
Weymouth RIB Charter, 07872 140753, weymouthbayribcharters.co.uk
Course fishing
Weymouth Camping, 01305 8322248, weymouthcamping.com
Diving
Old Harbour Dive Centre, 01305 760888, oldharbourdivecentre.co.uk
Horse riding
Chesil Equestrian, 01305823719, chesilequestriancentre.co.uk
Paddleboarding, kayaking, rock climbing and windsurfing
The Official Test Centre, 07817 717904, otc-windsurf.com
Where to stay
Heights Hotel Yeates Road, Isle of Portland, Dorset DT5 2EN; 01305 821361; heightshotel.com
This article appeared in the Spring 2017 issue of Black + Green Magazine