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Follow the sidewalks from (122) to (125), the location of the Durlston Country Park entrance. The trail winds through the trees to Durlston Castle at (127). Durlston Castle was constructed in 1887 and is currently home of the Jurassic Park Visitor Centre. For more information about Durlston Castle visit www.durlstoncastle.co.uk
Most people are blissfully unaware that this part of the coast, and most of Purbeck, was once a restricted area. In fact, the car park and information centre at the Durlston Country Park was once the location of a top secret, pioneering and high-tech OBOE radar research offensive to increase the effi ciency of RAF bombing raids over Nazi Germany.
OBOE guided the Havilland Mosquito at 30,000 feet, which was one of the highest fl ying and fastest aircraft of its time. German aircraft and anti-aircraft gunfi re could not reach it. The Mosquito was controlled by two stations that sent out signals of dots and dashes. Where the signals merged they created a steady tone which explains the OBOE name. Using these signals, the Mosquito pilots could drop pyrotechnic target indicator bombs with an accuracy of (+/-) 200 yards. The bombs illuminated the ground for about 10 minutes, during which time subsequent bombers would use the illumination as their target.
Continue down the hillside to the giant Globe at (129). From the Globe, continue walking along the coast, past the closed Tilly Whim Caves at (131), and to the Anvil Point Lighthouse at (132). |
