Orcombe Point
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Orcombe Point is a coastal feature near Exmouth, Devon, England. Here, the western end of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site is marked by the "Geoneedle", which was unveiled by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in 2002, at the inauguration of the World Heritage Site.
Sited high on Orcombe Point, the Geoneedle is constructed from a variety of different stones, representing both the major building stones to be found on the Jurassic Coast and the sequence of rocks that form this part of the coastline.
The ascent to Orcombe Point shows the successive layers of different sedimentary rocks, which were deposited under varying geological conditions. At the base can be seen cross-bedded sandstones. Towards the top, the rock types are those deposited by quieter, slower-flowing waters (i.e. siltstones and mudstones).
The Point affords spectacular views and the South West Coast Path takes in the entire 95-mile range of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, to Old Harry Rocks and beyond.