On researching locations

A writer friend of mine is working on a psychological thriller, and she has been asked by an interested agent to set her novels in the Bournemouth area. At one point in the novel, she needs a car to drive off a cliff and into the sea, the driver drowned (or is he, dun dun dunnnn!)

Bournemouth, where this writer and I both live, has plenty of cliffs. The only trouble is, if you drove a car off them, you'd land on the prom. Or on the beach. You might well die, but your body won't be washed out to sea, and that's essential for my friend's plot.

So she needed somewhere near Bournemouth, where the character could realistically be visiting frequently, and where it would be possible to drive a car onto and over a cliff, into the sea.

Suggestions from other friends and a trawl of Google satellite images led her to Anvil Point, just west of Swanage on the Isle of Purbeck. It certainly looked promising - there's a lighthouse there, and a narrow drivable lane leading to it. But the only way to be certain it met my friend's requirements was to actually go there.

Which we did, today. It's under an hour's drive from Bournemouth if you use the Sandbanks chain ferry, then go across Purbeck to Swanage, up the hill the other side and out to Durlston Country Park. Here my satnav told me to pass through a gate across the road on which was a sign stating Authorised Vehicles Only and follow the lane to the lighthouse. We thought we'd better park up and walk, and try to come up with some reason why the character might be authorised to pass this point.

Anvil Point

At the lighthouse base there is a group of buildings that have been converted into holiday cottages. Perfect. The character is a plumber so could be employed refitting the bathrooms or something. He'd then be authorised to drive his vehicle along the lane that far. But would it be possible to drive or perhaps push a car into the sea here?

We were delighted to discover that it is (but no, we didn't actually test this!) The tarmacked lane ends at the lighthouse, then a rough path heads around the seaward side, joining the coast path. To one side there's a grassy slope which gets steeper and steeper before plunging over the cliff edge. I peered over and was pleased to see waves crashing against jagged rocks. Exactly what my friend needs. Her character: not so much, but he's fictional so he gets no say in this.

With a few photos taken, we were then free to wander back towards the country park for lunch in its lovely cafe - part of the old castle there.

A gorgeous day to go scouting for locations!

It was a lovely day out, the sun shone, the location was spot on, and my friend was left inspired to get this part of the book completed over the weekend. It makes such a huge difference, seeing a place in the flesh. You experience the sounds of gulls screeching, the scent of gorse blossom, the feel of the wind in your hair. All of which might end up in the written scene.

Meanwhile my two works in progress - one awaiting editing and the other at 14,000 words - didn't progress much at all today. You can't have everything!