Jurassic Coast

The Jurassic Coast stretches 154 kilometres along the south coast from Exmouth in Devon to Studland Bay in Dorset. It is a World Heritage Site where 185 million years of rock layers lie exposed. The cliffs show Triassic red sandstones, Jurassic clays and Cretaceous chalks in clear bands. The coast reveals how life changed over time. Fossils of desert creatures, tropical sea animals and swamp plants are found in the rocks. Mary Anning worked here in the early 19th century and uncovered the first complete ichthyosaur skeleton. The Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre explains how these fossils shaped the study of palaeontology. Visitors walk the South West Coast Path past landmarks such as Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door. Chesil Beach stretches 29 kilometres, enclosing a lagoon rich in wildlife. At Golden Cap the cliffs rise to 191 metres, the highest point on the south coast. Erosion constantly reshapes the coastline, exposing new layers and fossils for geologists to study.