Geosites

Our Geopark

Our designation as a Geopark is based on the international importance of the English Riviera’s 32 geosites. 

Four women walking along a grassy path near a coastline with a view of the ocean and ships in the distance, under a partly cloudy sky.
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Getting to
the geosites

Our 32 geosites vary widely in how you can experience them. Some are welcoming attractions and beaches; others sit on exposed, hard-to-reach stretches of coast; and a few are so scientifically sensitive, or so hazardous, that there is no public access at all. Every site is listed below — grouped by how you can visit — because each one, accessible or not, is part of what makes the English Riviera internationally important.

Open access

Freely accessible to the public — an attraction, beach, park or a safe viewpoint on the South West Coast Path.

  • A scenic view of a coastline with a beach, green trees on the cliffs, and a body of water under a cloudy sky.

    Babbacombe Cliffs

    Grid ref SX929655

    Faulting has dropped red Permian breccias down against the pale Devonian limestones — and in one section the cliff is completely upside down: the dark slates at the bottom are younger than the limestones at the top! Includes the type section of the fossil-rich Babbacombe Shales.

  • A cliffside with green grass, small buildings, and pathways overlooking the ocean.

    Berry Head to Sharkham Point

    Grid ref SX943565

    A massively quarried limestone headland and National Nature Reserve standing 60 m above the bay. Spectacular Variscan folds, a remarkable sequence of caves, and raised beaches recording high Quaternary sea levels.

  • Scenic view of a coastline with green trees and cliffs overlooking calm ocean water under a clear sky.

    Black Head & Anstey's Cove

    Grid ref SX940645

    The only significant outcrop of intrusive igneous rock in Torbay — microgabbros (‘dolerite’) intruded into the Upper Devonian Saltern Cove Formation, readily accessible by the coast path.

  • A dirt trail in a forested area with large rocks and trees on both sides, sunlight filtering through the leaves.

    Chapel Hill, Torre

    Grid ref SX90206531

    Easily viewed and accessed from the road, this site demonstrates the ancient landscape relationship between the Permian breccia and the underlying Devonian limestone it buried.

  • Waterfront view with turquoise water, rocky shoreline, and green forested cliffs under a partly cloudy sky.

    Churston Cove / Churston Point

    Grid ref SX920569

    Cliff and foreshore exposures between Churston Cove and Broad Sands show a thrust-bounded section through the Churston Member — the type locality of this division of the Brixham Limestone Formation.

  • A rocky canyon with large, moss-covered boulders and a river flowing through it.

    Daddyhole

    Grid ref SX928628

    The type section of the Devonian Daddyhole Limestone, with a rich fossil fauna well exposed. Desiccation cracks, which formed as the sediments dried out, are an uncommon feature on display.

  • A scenic beach with red cliffs and green hillside homes in the background. The beach has several seagulls and a few small boats near the shoreline, with one person walking along the beach.

    Hollicombe Head to Corbyns Head

    Grid ref SX903626

    Bright red Permian cliffs easily viewed from Torquay seafront and Livermead Sands. The sandstones and conglomerates record desert flash floods and wind-blown dunes of the Torbay Breccia Formation.

  • Cliffside with layered rock formations and grassy top area

    Hopes Nose: Marine Devonian

    Grid ref SX948635

    A locality with unrivalled exposures of the Torquay Limestone, containing excellent sections of the Devonian Daddyhole Limestone and its typical features.

  • Coastal view with rocky shoreline, grassy foreground, and calm ocean with small islands in the distance under partly cloudy sky.

    Hopes Nose: Mineralogy

    Grid ref SX949636

    A nationally important mineral site — hydrothermal veins cutting the Devonian limestone contain native gold and rare palladium minerals, exposed on the eastern rock platform.

  • Rocky coastal landscape with layered cliffs and ocean in the background under a clear blue sky.

    Hopes Nose & Thatcher Rock: Quaternary

    Grid ref SX948633

    Key sites for the study of Quaternary stratigraphy and sea-level change, including a raised shore platform and ancient beach deposits left by higher Ice Age sea levels.

  • Cliffside with layered rock formations and grass-covered hilltop

    Hopes Nose South

    Grid ref SX947633

    An excellent example of the Variscan structures of the South West — a large overturned fold verging north-west, exposed in the cliff face close to the raised beach.

  • Inside a cave with stalactites and stalagmites, illuminated by artificial lights.

    Kents Cavern

    Grid ref SX935641

    One of Britain’s best-known show caves and a famous Quaternary site, important for palaeontology, dating and stratigraphy — with evidence of some of the earliest humans in Britain.

  • An aerial view of a coastal road called Meadowood Sea Road running near the shoreline with parked cars on the side, trees along the top, and clear waters with rocks and seaweed along the bottom. A point marker labeled 'Point A' is near the water.

    Meadfoot Sea Road

    Grid ref SX931631

    The type section of the Devonian Meadfoot Beds, displaying their classic lithological and palaeontological characteristics beside the sea road.

  • Aerial view of a coastal area with a forest on the left, sandy beach in the middle, and dark water on the right. A marker labeled 'Point A' is placed in the water.

    Oddicombe

    Grid ref SX927660

    Here the red Oddicombe Breccias of Permian age are faulted against the pale Devonian limestones of Petit Tor — dramatic at the north end of Oddicombe Beach.

  • Scenic view of a coastal area with green grassy foreground, a tree, rocky shoreline, and a calm body of water bordered by hilltops with houses in the distance.

    Saltern Cove: Marine Devonian

    Grid ref SX895580

    One of the most important Upper Devonian localities — Saltern Cove and Waterside Cove are easily accessible and display extensive sections of both Upper and Lower Devonian rocks.

  • A rocky shoreline with red cliffs and green foliage, next to a calm body of water under a clear blue sky.

    Saltern Cove: Permian–Triassic

    Grid ref SX894591

    Coarse Permian flood breccias rest directly on Devonian slates at a regionally significant unconformity. Fossil burrows found near Waterside are evidence of early desert life.

  • Overcast sky view of rocky coastal cliffs with layered rock formations and a small building at the far end of the coastline.

    Shoalstone

    Grid ref SX93655680

    The wave-cut platform exposes red sandstone-filled fissures (Permian ‘dykes’) cutting the Devonian limestone — some lined with large sparry calcite crystals.

Best viewed from
the coast path or sea

These exposures have no safe, direct access, but can be appreciated from the South West Coast Path or from the water on a Geopark cruise.

  • Aerial view of a coastal neighborhood showing a beach, parking lots, residential houses, and streets with a label for Berry Head Road and Heath Road.

    Breakwater Quarry, Brixham

    Grid ref SX93285660

    Middle Devonian limestones from this quarry built Brixham Breakwater. The faces give an excellent demonstration of pre-Permian solution fissures (palaeokarst) in the Devonian limestone.

  • Steep rocky cliffside with patches of green vegetation and rocks at the base.

    Crystal Cove

    Grid ref SX896580

    A post-Variscan north–south fault with a remarkable 25 m wide zone of crystalline calcite (‘Iceland spar’), marking a major ancient fluid pathway — possibly unique in the region.

  • Ocean waves near rugged cliffs with greenery during sunset or sunrise.

    Dyers Quarry

    Grid ref SX921628

    The best example in South Devon of fossilised corals preserved in their position of growth, in the best available section through the upper Daddyhole Limestone.

  • Cliffside coastline with green vegetation and rocks, ocean with small boats, and distant islands.

    Long Quarry

    Grid ref SX937651

    The type section of the Devonian Walls Hill Limestone — unique in displaying the development, growth and form of a stromatoporoid (sponge) reef.

  • View of a coastal landscape with rocky cliffs, bushes, and ocean waves under a cloudy sky.

    Petitor, Maidencombe

    Grid ref SX927663

    Disused quarry and coastal exposures spanning the Middle and Upper Devonian, with Permian deposits resting unconformably on top. The famous ‘Petitor marble’ was quarried here for decorative use.

  • Cliffside with reddish-brown layered rocks and green vegetation at the top, next to calm water under a blue sky.

    Roundham Head

    Grid ref SX89556005

    The type section of the Permian Tor Bay Breccias and a key site for Permian desert environments — recording ancient wind directions and flash-flood deposits.

  • Cliffside view of the ocean with grassy hills and rocky shoreline, overcast sky.

    Sharkham Iron Mine

    Grid ref SX933548

    The former mine workings reveal hematite iron mineralisation that is virtually unique in the region, hosted in the Devonian limestones near Sharkham Point.

Access by permission only or no public access

These sites are not promoted for tourism — they are on private land, are working or unstable quarries, or are so scientifically sensitive that access is only possible with prior permission. They remain central to the Geopark’s international importance, which is why they are detailed here in full.

  • Aerial view of a small urban backyard with trees, a lawn, a paved path, a shed, and surrounding buildings, including parked cars along a parking lot.

    Barcombe Mews Quarry, Shorton

    Grid ref SX887620

    An excellent, clean and safely accessible exposure of the Permian breccias of the Torbay area — large angular to sub-rounded fragments of sandstone, limestone, quartz and slate set in a well-cemented sandy matrix.

  • Aerial view of a neighborhood with trees, houses, and a small parking lot on Wesley Close, with a 'Point A' marker indicating a specific location in a wooded area.

    Barton Quarry

    Grid ref SX913671

    Of key historical importance as a source of rich late Middle Devonian fossil faunas. The old quarry, now partly built over, still shows important exposures of the bioclastic Barton Member. Limited access.

  • An aerial view of a parking lot filled with cars, next to a large industrial building, surrounded by trees, fields, and a road labeled 'Bridge Road.' A marker labeled 'Point A' is on the building.

    Brokenbury Quarry, Churston Ferrers

    Grid ref SX897563

    The main interest lies in the later Variscan folds, which deform the early foliation in the Middle Devonian limestone and are particularly well displayed here.

  • An aerial view of a residential neighborhood with winding streets, houses, and parked cars. There is a green park area with trees and open space on the right side of the image. A blue marker labeled 'Point A' is situated near the center of the neighborhood.

    Brixham Cavern

    Grid ref SX925557

    Also known as Windmill Hill Cave, discovered in 1858. Excavations revealed Ice Age animal bones alongside flint tools — historic early evidence for the antiquity of humans in Britain.

  • An aerial view of a residential area with several houses, roads, and a green area along a railway line. The image shows labeled streets, 'Red Brook Close' and 'Dartmouth Road,' and a marker labeled 'Point A' near a house with a backyard patio.

    Goodrington Quarry & Road Cutting

    Grid ref SX89155805

    Quarry and road-cutting exposures of Middle Devonian (Givetian) limestone, partly dolomitised, showing a valuable range of geological features in a readily accessible site.

  • An outdoor swimming pool with a green fence in front of a rocky hillside with trees and bushes.

    Lummaton Quarry

    Grid ref SX911665

    Home of the Lummaton Shell Bed, whose fauna helped lead to the naming of the Devonian Period — arguably the most important single fossil locality in Torbay.

  • Aerial view of a suburban neighborhood bordered by a dense forest, with several houses, yards, and a labeled Point A marker on one property.

    New Cut

    Grid ref SX935638

    The best exposure of the Staddon facies of the Devonian, indicating a near-shore, inner-shelf environment — a unique locality on Lincombe Drive.

  • Aerial view of a wooded area with a road labeled Cockington Lane and a residential neighborhood with houses and parked cars, centered around Point A.

    Quarry Woods Quarry, Cockington

    Grid ref SX89956315

    A good exposure of the thickly bedded red-brown sandstones of the Lower Devonian Staddon Grit, with thin slaty beds between, in the woods above Cockington valley.

A person kayaking on a body of water during a sunset, with a scenic view of the horizon and colorful sky.
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A Journey Through One of Earth’s Extraordinary places

Eight UNESCO designated sites across the South West of England have joined together with GWR in this exciting initiative to encourage visitors to explore their areas using sustainable travel. Each site has carefully curated bespoke two-day trails leading from their train stations and using public transport to access beautiful, culturally-rich activities and destinations.

This has been made possible through UNESCO’s Local to Global programme which is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to connect over 60 designated sites—including Biospheres, Geoparks, Creative Cities, and World Heritage Sites—to foster sustainability, resilience, and community-led action. The initiative connects local action to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda, fostering peace and sustainable development.

Discover the South West

The South West is packed full of UNESCO sites to discover. We’ve teamed up with Great Western Railway to bring you a South West trail like no other.

Explore
Map of southwestern England highlighting various locations including Cornwall, Devon, Exmouth, Exeter, and Bristol with icons representing landmarks, nature, and activities.
Map of southwestern England highlighting various locations including Cornwall, Devon, Exmouth, Exeter, and Bristol with icons representing landmarks, nature, and activities.
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