Jurassic Coast
The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. The Jurassic Coast stretches over a distance of 155 kilometres (96 mi), from Orcombe Point to Old Harry Rocks on the Isle of Purbeck in the east.
The rocks dip gently to the east. Due to this tilting and erosion the oldest exposed rocks are found here in the west, with progressively younger rocks forming the cliffs further east. The coastal exposures along the coastline provide a continuous sequence of Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous rock formations spanning approximately 185 million years of the Earths history. The localities along the Jurassic Coast includes a large range of important fossil zones.
- See also: List of places on the Jurassic Coast
Orcombe Point is the western end of the Jurassic Coast and the South West Coast Path includes the entire length of the Site
Sited high upon the hill, which affords spectacular views, Orcombe Point is marked by the "Geoneedle", which was unveiled by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in 2002, at the inauguration. The artist whose conceived and designed the "Geoneedle" sculpture was Michael Fairfax. He also conceived and designed the "Exeter Riddle" in Exeter. The Geoneedle is constructed from a variety of different stones, representing both the major building stones to be found on the Jurassic Coast and the sequence of rocks that form this part of the coastline.
Read more about this topic: Orcombe Point
Famous quotes containing the word coast:
“Have we even so much as discovered and settled the shores? Let a man travel on foot along the coast ... and tell me if it looks like a discovered and settled country, and not rather, for the most part, like a desolate island, and No-Man’s Land.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)