Places on the Triassic Coast.
Picture Galleries.
Places on the Jurassic Coast.
Picture Galleries.
Places on the Cretaceous Coast.
Picture Galleries.
Orcombe Point near Exmouth.
Orcombe Point is near Exmouth in Devon at the western end of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.
The Geoneedle, a 5m high sculpture marks the western end of the World Heritage Jurassic Coast Site.
The cliffs are a striking red colour indicating they formed in a desert conditions and are between 250 and 245 million years old.
The rocks seen on the cliffs between Orcombe point and Budleigh Salterton are known as the Aylesbeare Mudstone.
Exmouth beach looking towards Orcombe Point, the Geoneedle can just about be seen.
The red cliffs of the East Devon Coastline.
The Geoneedle, looking west towards Exmouth.
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The rock features between Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton are amongst the oldest rock formations of the Jurassic Coast dating from the Triassic Period and are between 250 – 245 million years old.
Due to the age of the rock features, Orcombe Point is considered to be the start of the Jurassic Coast and is the site of the “Geoneedle”, which was unveiled by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in 2002, at the inauguration of the World Heritage Site.
The Geoneedle, a 5 metre high sculpture by Michael Fairfax is made up from nine different stones embedded onto the Portland stone structure, each section represents stone along the coast from East Devon to Dorset. Permian sandstone, White lias, Blue lias, Ham hill, Forest marble, Portland, Purbeck marble and Beer stone. The top is capped with stainless steel which reflects the surroundings.
The Geoneedle is situated just off the South West Coast Path which takes in the entire 95-mile range of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.