#dorsest

Broadchurch - World Famous Cliffs

East Cliff is found in the quiet seaside town of West Bay, Dorset, England. It forms part of the Jurassic Coast, over 150 km (93 miles)of shoreline that earned the title of World Heritage Site, and these magnificent cliffs were recently featured as the stunning backdrop to the hit TV series Broadchurch.

Dorset’s coastline is among the most studied and visited in the world. The cliffs were formed over time by erosion and landslides, and with global warming and rising sea levels, the process is sure to continue. The blue-grey sandstone (Bridport Sands) is 43 meters thick and contains fossils dating back to the Lower Jurassic period 190 million years ago. Over time, the rock’s exposed pyrite oxidized and turned the face of the cliff yellow. The harder limestone layers make up the thin rock beds which only measure up to 75cm, while the soft sandstone makes up the thicker beds, measuring between 30cm and 3m. Each meter of rock could have taken about 200,000 years to accumulate.

Since the show first aired in 2013, the search for hotels in the towns of West Bay and Bridport has risen nearly 70%. Locals are worried as fans flock to the cliffs, which are quite weathered and unstable -- earlier this year part of thiis beach was closed after a large collapse. This puts not only the cliff-walkers at risk, but also those below on the beach that could get hit by falling rock. Local geologists see the show as an opportunity to raise awareness and encourage people to find out more about the Jurassic Coast.

~ SW

More Info: http://www.southampton.ac.uk/~imw/Bridport-Sands-East-Cliff.htm https://natureinfocus.wordpress.com/tag/bridport-sand-formation/ Photo Credit: Cath in Dorset - http://bit.ly/1sNSkT1