The Jurassic Dorset Coast.

The piece of Devon and Dorset coast known as the Jurassic Coast became England's first natural World Heritage Site in December 2001. Stretching for 95 miles from Exmouth in East Devon to Studland Bay in Dorset, this unique natural wonder provides us with a snapshot of almost 200 million years of the Earth’s history, encompassing the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods of its formation.The Jurassic era started a little over 200 million years ago when sea levels rose to flood a desert landscape that existed during the Triassic Period. Throughout the Jurassic period tropical seas covered Dorset and marine life flourished. As sediments settled, the sea floor slowly subsided allowing many hundreds of metres of Jurassic sediments to accumulate. Subsidence and sea level change created deep water environments in which muds and shales settled and shallow seas in which sands and limestones accumulated. The rocks of the Dorset coast generally dip gently to the east and this has the effect of exposing a complete sequence through the Jurassic period of geological time, from the oldest rocks around Lyme Regis to the youngest near Swanage.
For the visitor to the Dorset Coast there is much to see and do. Whether your interest lies with rocks, fossils or the incredible landforms carved out by nature, you will find plenty of examples. A useful first port of call is the local Tourist Information Centre. Most towns along the coast have one. The best way to explore the coastline is on foot. The entire length of the coast is accessible via the South West Coast Path National Trail

Me (John) at Salisbury

Me  (John) at Salisbury

Salisbury

Salisbury

Salisbury

Salisbury

Portsmouth

Portsmouth

Crabing at Mudeford

Crabing at Mudeford

Mudeford

Mudeford

Dorset coast near Swanage

Dorset coast near Swanage

Bournemouth

Wednesday, 8 April 2009

Having just designed a web site called http://www.holidays-in-britain.com/ I would like a feed back from bloggers on places in England, Wales, Scotland or Ireland that they have enjoyed going to, and places that they stayed at.

This could be seaside holidays, walking holidays, horse riding, or cities they have visited.

I remember having a super holiday in the lake District in the 1980s, climbing up to Striding edge, and the walk up from the lake at Wasdale (http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/page01.htm ) to the fell top at Great Gable, climbing over rocks, along the shingle path, but on reaching the top to find a school party sitting up there having come up a easy path on the far side!!!!

For sea sides I just love the beach at Bournemouth (one reason why I moved here), there are also so many nice short walks in the Dorset coast area, where Lulworth Cove, Swanage, and Durdle Door are all just a short distance away.

I have stayed in camp sites, which when the children were young were ideal with their entertainment, Pub holidays, which I found the food better than in hotels, and some good and bad hotels. I feel you get a better service in the smaller hotels than the large ones.

I have been unlucky with holidays on the East coast, and in Scotland with the weather, but seemed to have picked the right weeks in Devon and Cornwell.

I hope to go to Ireland next year for the first time, so any ideas will help.

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