User:Huligan0/Pondfield Cove

Pondfield Cove is a small, secluded, south-facing cove immediately to the east of Worbarrow Tout and west of Gad Cliff on the south coast of the Isle of Purbeck, in Dorset, England.

Location[edit]

Pondfield Cove is located about six kilometres south of Wareham und about 16 kilometres west of Swanage. The cove is only accessible when the Lulworth army firing ranges are open to the public. It can be reached either by a 1.4-kilometre (0.9 mi) walk down an easy track alongside Tyneham Gwyle, from the car park alongside the ghost village of Tyneham, or alternatively via the South West Coast Path.

Jurassic Coast[edit]

The Jurassic Coast is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The coastal exposures along the coastline provide a continuous sequence of Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous rock formations spanning approximately 185 million years of the Earths history. The Jurassic Coast stretches over a distance of 153 kilometres (95 mi), from Orcombe Point near Exmouth, in the west, to Old Harry Rocks in the east^[1]. Pondfield Cove is part of the Jurassic Coast.

Geology[edit]

Geology of the coast line by Worbarrow Tout and Pondfield Cove

The geology of the Isle of Purbeck is very complex and this is shown very clearly along this stretch of coast. The extreme angular layers of rock visibly demonstrate the complex sedimentary folding that affected this area some 30 million years ago. The foldings were caused by the tectonic pressures as the African and European continents collided.

During this period, the sediments were twisted horizontally, this is why the younger Cretaceous formations, between 85 to 145 million years old, are found to the rear of Worbarrow Bay. Pondfield Cove lies entirely within the Portland Limestones, 150 million, and Purbeck Beds, 147 million years old. The sequence of Purbeck limestones and shales is clearly visible within the low neck of land between Worbarrow Tout and the mainland. This cliff face separates the cove from Worbarrow Bay to the north^[2].