Jurassic coast - Studland & Swanage Fieldwork Introduction

The Jurassic coast covers 95 miles of the coastline from Exmouth to Swanage. In 2001 UNESCO made it the UK's first world heritage site. The Jurassic coast is described as a walk through time as it covers 185 million years of geological history starting from the Triassic period right the way through to the Cretaceous period.

Swanage:

Swanage is located on the southeast corner of the Isle of Purbeck. It has become a popular recreational area for beach users, diving, fishing and sailing. Up until the 19th century Swanage remained a fishing port however as Plymouth and Lyme Regis became successful seaside resorts, Swanage decided to develop in the same way. In 1885 the railway was built, expanding the resort. 

Swanage is one of the few developed areas of coastline and so is protected by defences including sea walls and groynes. 

The Swanage coast is made up of soft clay and sands. This makes eorsion rates quicker creating landforms such as Swanage. Along the Dorset coast sediment moves from west to east however a change in the direction of the prevailing winds can change the direction of longshore drift. A lot of this movement of sediment has helped to build beaches at Swanage. However at Durlston Bay there is no opportunity for sediment…