Coastlines of Southwest UK



Rocks west of Glenthorne Beach
Sillery Sands
Blackchurch Rock

Southwest UK is justifiably famous for its spectacular coastline, some parts of which are easy to reach though others are rarely visited; even the coast path has to run quite far inland in places, up to half a mile, owing to steep slopes below, in particular the western part of Somerset, and some sections of north and south Devon. The majority of the coast is lined by cliffs, terraces and eroded rock formations, with sand or pebble beaches at intervals; only along on the upper reaches of the Severn Estuary is the scenery less interesting, since here the sea is mostly bordered by mudbanks and flat grassland.


The coast in this part of the UK can be divided into three sections - south Wales, Somerset/north Devon, and Dorset/south Devon.

South Wales


Starting in the east, the south Wales coast becomes scenic just beyond Cardiff (at Lavernock Point), as here the muddy flats are replaced by extensive outcrops of thin-layered limestone, which extend all along the edge of Vale of Glamorgan to Ogmore-by-Sea, a 14 mile section known as the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. Other notable areas include Aberthaw to Stout Bay, Stout Bay to Nash Point and Temple Bay to Dunraven Bay. From Ogmore to Swansea the coast was once covered by a huge dune system stretching up to 2 miles inland, and this survives in two main locations (Merthyr Mawr and Kenfig, both national nature reserves), the remainder long since replaced by the suburbs of Port Talbot and the adjacent steelworks. Rocks return west of Swansea, mostly carboniferous limestone, and also heavily eroded, lining the south and west sides of the Gower Peninsula, below which are a number of popular, sandy beaches, principally Langland, Caswell, Three Cliffs Bay, Oxwich, Port Eynon, Mewslade and Rhossilli. Two other notable locations are the dramatic promontory of Worm's Head at the southwestern tip of the peninsula, and the remote dunes of Whiteford National Nature Reserve in the northwest. Further west are the broad inlets of the Loughor and Towy rivers, before the even more extensive cliffs and beaches of Pembrokeshire.


Somerset and North Devon


The predominantly low, mud-lined coast along the south side of the Bristol Channel is interrupted by few rocky outcrops, at Aust (in Gloucestershire) and from Portishead to Clevedon, then at Sand Point, Worlebury Hill and Brean Down, all in Somerset, but there is not much else of photographic interest on this stretch, southwards to the mouth of the River Parrett. West of the river are several miles of dunes and broad, pebble beaches including Fennig Island National Nature Reserve, until beyond the Hinkley Point power station, where low cliffs appear, formed of the same grey/blue lias that is exposed on the opposite side of the Bristol Channel, in Glamorgan. These rocks stretch for 12 miles, to Blue Anchor Bay near Minehead, with perhaps the most scenic stretch being the 4 miles between Lilstock and St Audrie's Bay. Further west in Somerset, continuing into north Devon, the land rises steeply by up to 1,000 feet, along the edge of Exmoor, forming spectacular cliffs cloaked by dense coastal forests, explorable from above via the coast path, and below by careful walking at sea level, at low tide. Sections include Minehead to Hurlstone Point, Porlock Weir to Glenthorne Beach, Glenthorne Beach to Foreland Point and Valley of Rocks to Woody Bay. This region includes the highest sea cliffs in England, and some of its most isolated, inaccessible terrain.


Dorset and South Devon


The most famous section of the south Devon and south Dorset shoreline is the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage site, covering the 95 miles between Orcombe Point, near Exmouth in Devon, and Old Harry Rocks, south of Bournemouth in Dorset - all is lined with sand/pebble beaches below fossiliferous rocks, varying greatly in colour, orientation, form and hardness. As with north Devon, most is usually explored from above, along the coast path, though nearly all is also accessible at sea level, at least around low tide. Notable sections, from west to east, include Exmouth to Budleigh Salterton, Budleigh Salterton to Ladram Bay, Ladram Bay to Sidmouth, Branscombe to Beer, Axmouth to Lyme Regis, Lyme Regis to Seatown and Durdle Door to Lulworth Cove. Further south, the Devon coast stays mostly cliff-bound but becomes more rugged and irregular, with smaller beaches, and is generally less accessible.



England


Cornwall



Bedruthan Steps
Bedruthan Steps
Sea stacks and a wide sandy beach, at the foot of steep, wildflower-covered cliffs

Rating: ★★★★
Godrevy Beach
Godrevy Beach
Broad sandy beach bordered by terraces and cliffs of dark-coloured slate, beneath sandy bluffs bearing varied wildflowers

Rating: ★★★★
Park Head
Park Head
Dramatic rocky headland, lined by small coves and sheer cliffs, toured by a 2.6 mile loop path

Rating: ★★★★
Pentargon Falls
Pentargon Falls
Hundred foot coastal waterfall, above an inaccessible pebble beach and cliff-lined bay frequented by seals

Rating: ★★★★
Porth Joke
Porth Joke
Secluded, cliff-lined sandy beach, with rock pools at low tide and a stream flowing through

Rating: ★★★★★
Rocky Valley
Rocky Valley
Short wooded ravine giving way to a dramatic cliff-lined gorge that meets the sea

Rating: ★★★★
Trevelgue Head
Trevelgue Head
Cliff-lined promontory and island just north of Newquay, with sandy beaches at either side

Rating: ★★★★★
Wheal Coates
Wheal Coates
One of the most spectacular old tin mines in Cornwall, a photogenic group of ruined buldings right by the coast

Rating: ★★★★★

Devon



Axmouth to Lyme Regis
Axmouth to Lyme Regis
Cliffs, beaches and landslips along a remote, 7 mile section of the Jurassic Coast; includes Haven Cliffs, Goat Island, Charton Bay and Pinhay Bay

Rating: ★★★★
Baggy Point
Baggy Point
Cliff-lined headland with some rocky terraces; interesting geology and varied wildflowers

Rating: ★★★★★
Braunton Burrows
Braunton Burrows
The second largest dune system in the UK; numerous plant and animal species

Rating: ★★★★★
Brownsham to Clovelly
Brownsham to Clovelly
Tall cliffs, a famous village, and a wooded valley leading to Mouthmill Beach, site of Blackchurch Rock, a double arch

Rating: ★★★★★
Buck's Mills to Peppercombe
Buck's Mills to Peppercombe
Pebble beaches, cliffs, rock formations and two small waterfalls, below ancient woodland

Rating: ★★★★
Budleigh Salterton to Ladram Bay
Budleigh Salterton to Ladram Bay
Red-rock coastline east of the River Otter; sheer cliffs above narrow, inaccessible beaches and marine terraces

Rating: ★★★★
Burgh Island
Burgh Island
Cliff-lined island opposite the popular sandy beach at Bigbury-on-Sea

Rating: ★★★★★
Combe Martin to Great Hangman
Combe Martin to Great Hangman
The coast east of Combe Martin, rising to the highest seacliff in England, 1,043 foot Great Hangman

Rating: ★★★★
Dawlish Warren
Dawlish Warren
Sandy promontory at the mouth of the River Exe containing varied habitats, home to many plant species

Rating: ★★★★★
Exmouth to Budleigh Salterton
Exmouth to Budleigh Salterton
The westernmost four miles of the Jurassic Coast; richly-coloured red cliffs and sand/pebble beaches

Rating: ★★★★
Foreland Point to Lynmouth
Foreland Point to Lynmouth
2.5 miles of north Devon coastline, from a high headland to the mouth of the River Lyn

Rating: ★★★★
Glenthorne Beach to Foreland Point
Glenthorne Beach to Foreland Point
Spectacular, three mile section of the north coast, with dense woodland sloping steeply down to remote beaches and eroded rock formations

Rating: ★★★★★
Hartland Quay to Marsland
Hartland Quay to Marsland
Spectacular, five mile section of the Hartland Peninsula; cliffs and steep slopes above rock, pebble and sand beaches

Rating: ★★★★★
Heddon's Mouth
Heddon's Mouth
Cliff-lined pebble and sand beach at the lower end of the River Heddon, reached by an easy walk along a deep, secluded, wooded valley

Rating: ★★★★★
Heddon Valley to Sherrycombe
Heddon Valley to Sherrycombe
Four mile section of the north Devon coast, between two deep valleys, inaccessible at sea level but followed by the coast path up to 900 feet above

Rating: ★★★★
Lynmouth to Valley of Rocks
Lynmouth to Valley of Rocks
Path from Lynmouth, climbing through woodland then traversing precipitous slopes to a rocky valley, with optional descent to the isolated Wringcliff Beach

Rating: ★★★★★
Mortehoe to Lee Bay
Mortehoe to Lee Bay
Slate cliffs, eroded formations and secluded beaches along the northwestern part of the Devon coast

Rating: ★★★★★
Noss Mayo to Stoke Down
Noss Mayo to Stoke Down
Narrow inlets, tiny beaches and grassy promontories, and much colourful, jagged, eroded rock

Rating: ★★★★★
Seaton to Branscombe
Seaton to Branscombe
Six miles of the south Devon coast; pebble and sand beaches, and rock formations, below crumbling red mudstone cliffs

Rating: ★★★★
Shaldon to Watcombe
Shaldon to Watcombe
Three mile stretch of the east Devon coastline near Teignmouth, lined by high cliffs of red breccia,

Rating: ★★★★
Sidmouth to Branscombe
Sidmouth to Branscombe
Sheer cliffs, sea caves and scenic beaches either side of Beer, along the Jurassic Coast. Also many summer wildflowers

Rating: ★★★★
Sidmouth to Ladram Bay
Sidmouth to Ladram Bay
Red sandstone cliffs, isolated beaches and large sea stacks; part of the Jurassic Coast

Rating: ★★★★★
Valley of Rocks to Woody Bay
Valley of Rocks to Woody Bay
Rock formations, isolated beaches, steep cliffs and coastal woodland, west of Lynton. Includes Wringcliff Bay and Lee Bay

Rating: ★★★★★
Wonwell Beach to Ayrmer Cove
Wonwell Beach to Ayrmer Cove
Rugged section of the coastline, from the River Erme, eastwards, also including Fernycombe Point and Westcombe Beach

Rating: ★★★★
Woody Bay to Heddon Valley
Woody Bay to Heddon Valley
Two miles of coastline, including the rocky headland of Highveer Point and the valley of Hollow Brook, which forms a tall waterfall

Rating: ★★★★★

Dorset



Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove
Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove
Sea arch and a circular cove, part of a varied section of the coast that also has headlands, sandy beaches, chalk cliffs and other eroded formations

Rating: ★★★★★
Durlston Head to Seacombe
Durlston Head to Seacombe
Cliff-bound section of the Jurassic Coast on the Studland Peninsula, including Anvil Point, Dancing Ledge and Headbury Quarry

Rating: ★★★★★
Hengistbury Head
Hengistbury Head
Headland centred on a hill of colourful sedimentary rock; also has wetlands, dunes, heath, sandy beaches and saltmarsh

Rating: ★★★★
Lulworth Cove to Mupe Bay
Lulworth Cove to Mupe Bay
Short section of the Jurassic Coast, including sea stacks at Mupe Rocks and Bacon Hole, and remains of ancient trees at the Fossil Forest

Rating: ★★★★
Lyme Regis to Seatown
Lyme Regis to Seatown
High cliffs, wildflower meadows and pebble beaches along five miles of the Jurassic Coast, including Charmouth, Stonebarrow Hill and Golden Cap

Rating: ★★★★
Old Harry Rocks
Old Harry Rocks
Inaccessible chalk stacks below vertical cliffs, with more spires nearby (The Pinnacles), and the high ground of Ballard Down

Rating: ★★★★
Portland Bill
Portland Bill
The southernmost tip of the Isle of Portland; flat land ringed by low cliffs of limestone and chert, formerly quarried

Rating: ★★★★★
Ringstead Bay to Bat's Head
Ringstead Bay to Bat's Head
Three mile section of the coast, lined by high chalk slopes with narrow beaches below; includes the promontory of White Nothe

Rating: ★★★★★

Gloucestershire



Aust to Littleton Pill
Aust to Littleton Pill
Partly cliff-lined, fossiliferous section of the Severn Estuary, either side of the original motorway bridge

Rating: ★★★★★
Beachley Point and Chapel Rock
Beachley Point and Chapel Rock
Low cliffs at the tip of the peninsula between the rivers Wye and Severn, and a tidal island centred on a ruined medieval chapel

Rating: ★★★★★
Littleton Pill to Oldbury Pill
Littleton Pill to Oldbury Pill
1.3 mile stretch of flat land beside the Severn Estuary, between two road access points, a good location for saltmarsh plants

Rating: ★★★★
Pilning to Aust
Pilning to Aust
Three miles of the Severn Estuary coastline, lined by saltmarsh, including the Pilning Wetlands, a series of artificially-created pools

Rating: ★★★★
Severn Beach to Avonmouth
Severn Beach to Avonmouth
Three miles of flat Severn Estuary coastline, mainly saltmarsh with some sand and shingle; good for wildflowers

Rating: ★★★★

Somerset



Berrow Dunes
Berrow Dunes
Grassy and sandy dunes stretching over 2 miles along the west Somerset coast, partly occupied by a golf course and partly by a local nature reserve

Rating: ★★★★★
Brean Down
Brean Down
High, narrow limestone peninsula along the north Somerset coast, lined by cliffs; site of a 19th century fort and several more ancient relics

Rating: ★★★★★
Clevedon to the River Yeo
Clevedon to the River Yeo
Four mile stretch of the coast; limestone cliffs and some pebble beaches, but mostly saltmarsh and grassy fieldss

Rating: ★★★★★
Hurlstone Point to Porlock Weir
Hurlstone Point to Porlock Weir
Saltmarsh, fields, ruins and a long pebble beach, between two sandstone headlands

Rating: ★★★★★
Lilstock to St Audrie's Bay
Lilstock to St Audrie's Bay
Four mile stretch of the coast, including Kilve Pill and Quantock's Head, with layered, blue lias cliffs above extensive, wave-cut terraces

Rating: ★★★★★
Minehead to Hurlstone Point
Minehead to Hurlstone Point
Cliffs and pebble beaches along a spectacular, little-visited, five mile section of the north Somerset coast

Rating: ★★★★★
Porlock Weir to Glenthorne Beach
Porlock Weir to Glenthorne Beach
Five miles of the Somerset coast; rarely-seen beaches and eroded sandstone formations below steep cliffs and extensive ancient woodland

Rating: ★★★★★
Portishead Coast
Portishead Coast
Low cliffs, eroded rocks, pebble beaches and a lighthouse, along the Bristol Channel coastline between Portishead and Clevedon

Rating: ★★★★
Sand Point and Middle Hope
Sand Point and Middle Hope
Narrow promontory and elevated headland overlooking the Bristol Channel, lined by stony beaches and eroded rock formations

Rating: ★★★★★
Stert Point
Stert Point
Peninsula between Bridgewater Bay and the River Parrett; sand and shingle beaches, mudflats and saltmarsh

Rating: ★★★★
Watchet to Minehead
Watchet to Minehead
6.5 miles of coastline; complex cliffs and rock formations, giving way to grassland and sand/pebble beaches

Rating: ★★★★
Watchet to St Audrie's Bay
Watchet to St Audrie's Bay
Three mile stretch of the coast, with layered cliffs, pebble banks, wave-cut terraces, sand/mud beaches and a moss-lined waterfall

Rating: ★★★★★
Worlebury and Birnbeck Island
Worlebury and Birnbeck Island
Rocky, cliff-lined beach of pebbles, sand and mud, and a tidal island linked by a derelict pier, on the north side of Weston-super-Mare

Rating: ★★★★★

Wales


Bridgend



Kenfig National Nature Reserve
Kenfig National Nature Reserve
Varied coastal dune habitats, including sand, slacks, grassland, marsh, woodland and beaches, supporting a great range of plants and animals

Rating: ★★★★
Merthyr Mawr National Nature Reserve
Merthyr Mawr National Nature Reserve
Coastal sand dunes near the River Ogmore; grassy near the sea, more overgrown further inland. Home to many wildflower species

Rating: ★★★★★
Sker Rocks
Sker Rocks
Wave-carved, inter-tidal rocks, all pinkish Mercia mudstone, containing innumerable tidepools and eroded formations

Rating: ★★★★★

Newport



Newport Wetlands
Newport Wetlands
Three mile stretch of the Gwent Levels, including saltmarsh, mudflats, saline lagoons, reedbeds, wet grassland and wet woodland

Rating: ★★★★★

Swansea



Caswell Bay to Langland Bay
Caswell Bay to Langland Bay
Two sandy beaches lined by eroded cliffs of inclined limestone, linked by a short section of the coast path

Rating: ★★★★★
Oxwich to Horton
Oxwich to Horton
Three miles of limestone coastline; wave-cut terraces and other eroded formations, beneath grassy bluffs and higher cliffs

Rating: ★★★★
Port Eynon to Common Cliff
Port Eynon to Common Cliff
Spectacular, lightly-travelled, two mile section of the southern coast; limestone hills sloping down to rocky inlets, sea caves and wave-cut terraces

Rating: ★★★★
Rhossili Bay, Burry Holms and Broughton Bay
Rhossili Bay, Burry Holms and Broughton Bay
Broad sandy beaches separated by a line of limestone cliffs, a tidal island, and grassy sand dunes

Rating: ★★★★
Tears Point to Common Cliff
Tears Point to Common Cliff
Three miles of the most rugged, inaccessible and least-visited section of the Gower coastline

Rating: ★★★★★
Three Cliffs Bay
Three Cliffs Bay
Sandy inlet on the Gower Peninsula, bordered by dramatic cliffs, centred on a narrow promontory and crossed by a stream

Rating: ★★★★
Three Cliffs Bay to Pwll-du Bay
Three Cliffs Bay to Pwll-du Bay
Limestone cliffs and bluffs above small pebble/sand beaches and extensive inter-tidal terraces, with many eroded formations

Rating: ★★★★★
Whiteford National Nature Reserve
Whiteford National Nature Reserve
Sandy beaches, grassy dunes, wetlands and forest, on the remote northwestern corner of the Gower Peninsula

Rating: ★★★★★
Worm's Head
Worm's Head
Tidal island south of Rhossili Bay at the western tip of the Gower Peninsula, surrounded by limestone cliffs and eroded formations

Rating: ★★★★★

Vale of Glamorgan



Aberthaw to Stout Bay
Aberthaw to Stout Bay
Cliffs, terraces and pebble beaches along the easternmost three mile portion of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. Includes Limpert Bay, Penry Bay and Summerhouse Point

Rating: ★★★★★
Barry to Aberthaw
Barry to Aberthaw
Five mile stretch of the coast; long cliffs of thin-layered limestone above terraces and pebble beaches

Rating: ★★★★★
Dunraven Bay
Dunraven Bay to Cwm Mawr
Cliffs, beaches and eroded rock formations along the Glamorgan Heritage Coast near Southerndown, plus gardens, a ruined mansion and a waterfall

Rating: ★★★★★
Nash Point to Cwm Mawr
Nash Point to Cwm Mawr
Cliffs, terraces, beaches and rock pools along a three mile stretch of the coast, plus a stream with travertine formations

Rating: ★★★★
Nash Point to Stout Bay
Nash Point to Stout Bay
Varied, little-visited, four-mile section of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, with layered, vertical cliffs of blue lias above extensive wave-cut terraces

Rating: ★★★★
Ogmore-by-Sea
Ogmore-by-Sea
Wide sandy beach giving way to sheer limestone cliffs with caves, terraces and other eroded formations

Rating: ★★★★
Sully Bay to Barry
Sully Bay to Barry
Wide bay with grey pebbles and muddy terraces, bordered to the west by more photogenic red cliffs and eroded formations

Rating: ★★★★★
Sully Island to Lavernock Point
Sully Island to Lavernock Point
Headland, layered cliffs, level terraces, sand and pebble beaches, and an undeveloped tidal island

Rating: ★★★★★