Southwest UK is justifiably famous for its spectacular coastline, some parts of which are easy to reach though others are rarely visited; even the coast path has to run quite far inland in places, up to half a mile, owing to steep slopes below, in particular the western part of Somerset, and some sections of north and south Devon. The majority of the coast is lined by cliffs, terraces and eroded rock formations, with sand or pebble beaches at intervals; only along on the upper reaches of the Severn Estuary is the scenery less interesting, since here the sea is mostly bordered by mudbanks and flat grassland.


The coast in this part of the UK can be divided into three sections - south Wales, Somerset/north Devon, and Dorset/south Devon.

South Wales

Starting in the east, the south Wales coast becomes scenic just beyond Cardiff (at Lavernock Point), as here the muddy flats are replaced by extensive outcrops of thin-layered limestone, which extend all along the edge of Vale of Glamorgan to Ogmore-by-Sea, a 14 mile section known as the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. Other notable areas include Aberthaw to Stout Bay, Stout Bay to Nash Point and Temple Bay to Dunraven Bay. From Ogmore to Swansea the coast was once covered by a huge dune system stretching up to 2 miles inland, and this survives in two main locations (Merthyr Mawr and Kenfig, both national nature reserves), the remainder long since replaced by the suburbs of Port Talbot and the adjacent steelworks. Rocks return west of Swansea, mostly carboniferous limestone, and also heavily eroded, lining the south and west sides of the Gower Peninsula, below which are a number of popular, sandy beaches, principally Langland, Caswell, Three Cliffs Bay, Oxwich, Port Eynon, Mewslade and Rhossilli. Two other notable locations are the dramatic promontory of Worm's Head at the southwestern tip of the peninsula, and the remote dunes of Whiteford National Nature Reserve in the northwest. Further west are the broad inlets of the Loughor and Towy rivers, before the even more extensive cliffs and beaches of Pembrokeshire.

Somerset and North Devon

The predominantly low, mud-lined coast along the south side of the Bristol Channel is interrupted by few rocky outcrops, at Aust (in Gloucestershire) and from Portishead to Clevedon, then at Sand Point, Worlebury Hill and Brean Down, all in Somerset, but there is not much else of photographic interest on this stretch, southwards to the mouth of the River Parrett. West of the river are several miles of dunes and broad, pebble beaches including Fennig Island National Nature Reserve, until beyond the Hinkley Point power station, where low cliffs appear, formed of the same grey/blue lias that is exposed on the opposite side of the Bristol Channel, in Glamorgan. These rocks stretch for 12 miles, to Blue Anchor Bay near Minehead, with perhaps the most scenic stretch being the 4 miles between Lilstock and St Audrie's Bay. Further west in Somerset, continuing into north Devon, the land rises steeply by up to 1,000 feet, along the edge of Exmoor, forming spectacular cliffs cloaked by dense coastal forests, explorable from above via the coast path, and below by careful walking at sea level, at low tide. Sections include Minehead to Hurlstone Point, Porlock Weir to Glenthorne Beach, Glenthorne Beach to Foreland Point and Valley of Rocks to Woody Bay. This region includes the highest sea cliffs in England, and some of its most isolated, inaccessible terrain.

Dorset and South Devon

The most famous section of the south Devon and south Dorset shoreline is the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage site, covering the 95 miles between Orcombe Point, near Exmouth in Devon, and Old Harry Rocks, south of Bournemouth in Dorset - all is lined with sand/pebble beaches below fossiliferous rocks, varying greatly in colour, orientation, form and hardness. As with north Devon, most is usually explored from above, along the coast path, though nearly all is also accessible at sea level, at least around low tide. Notable sections, from west to east, include Exmouth to Budleigh Salterton, Budleigh Salterton to Ladram Bay, Ladram Bay to Sidmouth, Branscombe to Beer, Axmouth to Lyme Regis, Lyme Regis to Seatown and Durdle Door to Lulworth Cove. Further south, the Devon coast stays mostly cliff-bound but becomes more rugged and irregular, with smaller beaches, and is generally less accessible.