Peveril Point

Peveril Point is a headland on the east coast of the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset. It stands at the southern end of Swanage Bay and overlooks the English Channel. The rocks here are shale and limestone, arranged in a syncline that resists erosion better than the softer clay nearby. Over time the clay has worn away, leaving the harder rock as a prominent headland. The point is part of the town of Swanage and is reached by a coastal path from the seafront. The headland carries a National Coastwatch Institution lookout and the Swanage Lifeboat Station. Visitors can walk to the lookout for wide views along the coast and across the bay. Below the cliffs, the sea has carved natural ledges and small caves in the limestone. The tunnels beneath the point once connected wartime gun emplacements built to guard the western approaches to Southampton Water. A path leads from Swanage seafront up to the lookout, passing the lifeboat station on the way. From the top there are clear views east to Ballard Point and west towards Durlston Head. The cliffs show layers of dark shale and pale limestone, with patches of grass and wild thyme growing between. Seabirds nest on the ledges, and grey seals are sometimes seen offshore. The contrast between the hard rock of the point and the eroded clay of the bay is visible from the path.