Burton Cliff is similar to East Cliff at West Bay but with the central part the Bridport Sands are topped by Inferior Oolite which is capped with a layer of Fuller's Earth.

The beach at Burton Bradstock is near the western end of the Chesil Beach and is made up of fine shingle.

There had been substantial loss of beach at Burton Cliff as the fine shingle is moved from west to east by long shore drift as a result of the prevailing south westerly winds and tides.

Renewal of the beach shingle from the west is prevented by the newly constructed harbour piers at West Bay, Bridport.

On the coast of central southern England, sea level is rising at an increased rate and in general the low water mark is moving higher inland causing beach narrowing or beach steepening.

Because of this, there is no longer the large quantity of fine shingle that there used to be in front of Burton Cliff.

Over time the beach at Burton Cliff will probably disappear and will become a rocky coast with the sea breaking onto the cliffs.

Ammonites are quite numerous in the upper layers of the Inferior Oolite at Burton Bradstock. They cannot be reached in the cliff tops and are found in the fallen limestone at beach level. They are not as well-preserved as the ammonites of the Liassic clays of Charmouth.