Discover Devon and Explore the Geodiversity and Fossils of Saltern Cove Near Paignton in Torbay
- Wayne Munday
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Sip back and discover Devon and explore the geodiversity and fossils of Saltern Cove near Goodrington, south of Paignton, part of the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark. Saltern Cove, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Marine Local Nature Reserve is accessible from the South West Coast Path and is among Britain’s most important fossil sites. The cove offers some of the best exposures of Devonian and Permian rocks in Britain, including the famous Saltern Cove Goniatite Bed, a Late Devonian limestone and mudstone sequence rich in goniatites, conodonts and ostracods. These fossils, preserved within tectonically folded rock, provide an insight into an ancient marine ecosystem over 370 million years ago. In December 2024, Saltern Cove gained international recognition with the discovery of a 377-million-year-old lycopsid, one of the earliest known examples of a coastal tree. Now on display at the Torquay Museum these fossils tell a story of the transition of Torbay from a marine to a terrestrial environment and offers some rare evidence of possibly the existence of forested volcanic Devonian Period islands.
Designated both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Marine Local Nature Reserve, Saltern Cove reveals a remarkable cross-section of Devonian and Permian period exposures including the fossiliferous Saltern Cove Goniatite Bed that preserves the remains of ancient marine life.
This Saltern Cove Goniatite Bed is part of the Saltern Cove Formation a Frasnian Stage limestone and calcareous mudstone sequence dated to between 382.3 to 372.2 million years ago. First recognised by geologist J. E. Lee in 1877 this sequence is not only notable for its fossils of goniatites, conodonts and ostracods but also for its tectonic deformation with near-vertical bedding and red Permian desert deposits of the Torbay Breccia Formation resting unconformably.
Goniatites were an extinct group of marine cephalopods that thrived during the Paleozoic Era and are highly valued as index fossils for dating ancient rocks because of their evolutionary changes in shell form and structure.
First appearing in the Devonian Period nearly 400 million years ago they flourished through the Carboniferous before becoming extinct in the Permian Period around 250 million years ago. Goniatites are distinguished by their relatively simple septa, featuring basic “lobes” and “saddles” in contrast to later cephalopod groups like Ammonites that evolved more intricate patterns in both more complex lobes and saddle.
In December 2024, Saltern Cove gained international recognition with the discovery of a 377-million-year-old fossilised tree, spotted during a previous geopark survey by geologist Dr Kevin Page. These fossilised trees belong to a primitive group of plants known as lycopsids the early ancestors to the modern evergreen club mosses and the vast forests that were responsible for Earth’s later coal deposits.
Described as a “groundbreaking” find, this fossil is one of the earliest known examples of a coastal tree and may represent the first evidence of a Devonian desert island with vegetation and because of how the lycopsid fossil lay in the rock may suggest a tsunami or storm deposit. These fossils offer a striking contrast to the previously long held understanding of the predominant Late Devonian marine environment that submerged the Torbay area.
If you decide to visit Saltern Cove at low tide it is suggested to park up in Goodrington and head for either the small Cliff Park Rd Car Park (TQ4 6NB - RingGo 15815) or one of the larger car parks for Goodrington Sands near Tanner Road (TQ4 6LP) including Quay West (970 spaces - RingGo 15820), and Youngs Park (130 spaces - RingGo 15823). Importantly, all of these car parks are located just a short walk from the beach where you can join the South West Coast Path and walk west to Saltern Cove. It's roughly a 3 Km circular walk.
If you are visiting during low tide follow the South West Coast Path waymarker to Oyster Cover / Saltern Cove and you will be able to walk down the steep steps to the beach. Alternatively, if visiting at high tide follow the path onto Broadlands for the best view of the Cove - however, be aware you will put in your daily step count on this route. Dogs are welcome year-round and don't forget bring a drink because the cove is isolated or wait until your return to enjoy one of the nearby cafés like the Rugga Shack.
As you walk towards Saltern Cove, you first pass Waterside Cove, that exposes the Lower Devonian Meadfoot Group and particularly the Staddon facies dated to an 14.3 million interval known as the Emsian Stage between 407.6 million - 393.3 million years ago. The Staddon facies is a red to purple, iron-stained, coarse-grained sandstones interbedded with shales and silty mudstones that indicate a once shallow marine, wave-influenced shelf with possible tidal currents. Fossil evidence, though often fragmented and broken, includes trace fossils of the shelly remains of brachiopods, trilobites, bivalves and corals.
Late Devonian lycopsids were a diverse group of vascular plants and the earliest trees that paved the way for the much larger lycopsids of the Carboniferous that established the world’s first true lowland and swamp forests. The early lycopsids evolved a dense stigmarian rooting system that anchored the plant into coastal and alluvial environments. Although smaller in size and less advanced than their Carboniferous descendants these early tree like lycopsids represented the first true forests in Earth’s history.
The emergence of lycopsids had an ecological impact during the Late Devonian in that by performing photosynthesis they contributed towards the long-term increase in oxygen levels and the reduction of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Their root systems would not only stabilise landscapes by binding soil particles they would also play a part in early soil formation and their canopies would reduce erosion by intercepting rainfall and slowing down the effects of windblown erosion.
Late Devonian lycopsids not only contributed towards transforming global ecosystems they can also be credited in playing their part in reshaping the evolutionary trajectory and biodiversity growth of terrestrial life in establishing new habitats for animals to shelter, source food and breed.
The lycopsids on display at Torquay Museum highlight the institution’s central role in preserving and showcasing Devon’s and the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark natural heritage. Founded in 1844 by the Torquay Natural History Society, the museum houses internationally significant collections, including the Kents Cavern jawbone and the earliest evidence of modern humans in northwest Europe. Its Designated Quaternary Cave Collection contains more than 30,000 specimens.
Saltern Cove stands as one of Devon’s most remarkable coastal treasures. Designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Marine Local Nature Reserve within the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark, the cove preserves a unique cross-section of Earth history. From the fossil-rich Saltern Cove Goniatite Bed, recording Devonian marine life over 370 million years ago, to the internationally significant discovery of a 377-million-year-old lycopsid tree fossil, Saltern Cove offers rare insights into the transition from sea to land and the rise of the earliest forests. These exceptional fossils, now displayed at Torquay Museum, highlight the site’s global scientific importance while connecting visitors to the story of our planet’s evolutionary past. Easily accessed from the South West Coast Path, Saltern Cove is a little known must-visit destination with a compelling backstory still in the making.
