Orcombe Point in Exmouth is the western extent of the Dorset and
East Devon Coast World Heritage Site, which is officially ranked
alongside the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon as one of the
natural wonders of the world. It is also the only Natural World
Heritage Site in England.
Known as the Jurassic Coast, the cliffs represent a major stage of
earth's history as they date back to the Triassic period with the
oldest being at Orcombe Point. Here, they are magnificent red
sandstone, and the rocks which have been exposed due to erosion and
tilting, are an incredible 250 million years old! The cliffs
consist of several almost horizontal lines which dip gently to the
east. These lines are actually layers from various geological eras.
The above co-ordinates take you to an ideal spot on the beach where
you can see these distinct prehistoric rock layers.
There is an information board and Geoneedle at N 50°36.433
W003°23.107 which you will need to visit first in order to claim
this cache.
Please note: the information board is currently missing,
however Google will answer the questions!
Please answer the following questions and email us via our
profile:
- What geological eras do the layers represent?
- How far, in miles, does the Jurassic Coast stretch?
- What date did HRH The Prince of Wales unveil the Geoneedle in
celebration of the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage
Site?
You will also need to post a photograph of the cliffs ideally with
yourself in it.
There are several ways in order to get to the beach:
The quickest is to take the steps by the Geoneedle down to the
beach, which are ladder-like in places and can be difficult for
dogs etc. (Please read note below).
Alternatively, access can be gained from Exmouth beach at low tide
or from Devon Cliffs Holiday Park.
Suggested parking is at N50°36.617 W003°23.303 which is free but
limited to an hour. Please be aware that the beach may be
inaccessible in very adverse weather conditions, and/or during very
high tides.
Please note, the steps down to the cache are
still yet to be repaired, so access to the beach from the Geoneedle
is not currently possible. You can either use the alternative
routes or I will accept photographs of the cliffs from the
information board.