The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site

The Dorset and East Devon coastline is now a World Heritage Site as inscribed by the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO. This is because of the importance of the geological landscape in studying the history of our planet. For the official Jurassic Coast site, visit www.jurassiccoast.com. For the entry in the World Heritage List on the UNESCO website, visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1029.

The World Heritage Site is a stretch of coastline 95 miles long, and the rocks show 185 million years of the history of Earth. Just to the West of Lyme Regis is the Undercliff, a nature reserve and where several landslides occur, the biggest being the Bindon Landslide on Christmas Eve 1839, where the front of the cliff moved towards the sea, leaving a vast gap. Now full of trees, there is a footpath through the woods to Axmouth.

To the East of Lyme Regis and beyond Charmouth is Stonebarrow Hill and then Golden Cap, the highest point on the South coast of England. There are footpaths up Golden Cap from Stonebarrow Hill and from Langdon Wood, accessible from the A35. Visit www.jurassiccoast.com for full information on the Jurassic Coastline.