One of the more secluded shelving shingle beaches to enjoy whatever the weather along the Jurassic Coast that is accessible by road, by footpath or by boat is the picturesque seaside hamlet of Seatown. So sip back with your glass of Fossil Coast and enjoy exploring the geodiversity of this place and its treasure trove of fossils in the knowledge that this Lyme Bay landing place was once a hotbed for contraband and the home to a notorious gang of 18th to 19th century smugglers known as the “Chideock Gang” led by a mysterious figure locally known only as “The Colonel”.
As you drive the A35 and pass through the historic village of Chideock dating back to 1380, minding the two speed cameras, you need only to blink and you will miss the signpost and turning onto Sea Hill Lane a narrow county road heading a short distance south to Seatown.
Amongst the outstanding rocks, fossils and landforms of the natural UNESCO World Heritage Site is the quiet hamlet of Seatown. A place that has all the essential ingredients as an all-year round retreat whether you are staying only a few days or planning your next family holiday by the coast.
The Golden Cap Holiday Park offers within a short walking distance from the beach a range of self-catering lodges and pitches for tents and motorhomes. Also after soaking up some well needed R&R you can dig into a hearty meal and local drink from the local gastropub the Anchor Inn with sea views and a reputation for having a menu full of locally sourced ingredients.
If you are only visiting for the day be aware that the car park is modest in size, so be early, and the day rate from July 2024 was £8.00 including (at the time) a £2.00 voucher off at the Anchor Inn and Seatown Slice a beachside kiosk. Other things to note. The Anchor Inn and Seatown Slice are cashless and Seatown beach welcomes dogs only between 1st October - 30th April.
As you walk out onto the shingle beach towards Lyme Bay you will notice a small called the River Winniford with stepping stones either seeping away or forming a lagoon depending upon the size of the shingle ridge.
To the west is "The Corner" forming the base of the cliffs that make up Golden Cap and to the east is Ridge Cliff leading to Doghouse Hill and onto Thorncombe Beacon. It was this latter stretch of coastline east from Seatown that in July 2023 experienced one of the UK's largest rockslides in over 60 years.
These cliffs are prone to landslides as they are made up of a series of siltstones and sandstones sitting upon a Lias Group of clays dating from the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic.
The Lias rock allows rain water and ground water to percolate until it reaches the underlying clay. Clay is a porous sediment but it is not very permeable and therefore acts as an aquitard that restricts the flow of water.
This situation leads to rotational land sliding where typically after a heavy or prolonged rainfall the waterlogged geology becomes unstable and the enormous weight of the saturated rocks mobilises or ruptures on a slip surface leading to a landslide and resulting slump of rock on the beach. It is anticipated that climate change is triggering an increase in these types of earth movements worldwide.
Golden Cap is not only the highest point along the Jurassic Coast but also the South Coast of England. Named after the visibly weathered yellow coloured Upper Greensand that caps the cliffs dating back to the Albian Age from the Early Cretaceous Epoch between 113.2 - 100.5. Golden Cap stands at at 191 meters above sea level and the summit offers the walker a panoramic sea view of West Dorset and on a clear day the sea view can stretch from Start Point in South Devon, Dartmoor to the Isle of Portland.
There are a number of walking trails, including the South West Coast Path easily accessible from Seatown, that cross the Golden Cap estate managed by the National Trust that are clearly sign posted and some offer spots of shade on a hot day.
The foreshore of Golden Cap is known as "The Corner" and whose rocks date back the Pliensbachian Age of the Early Jurassic Epoch some 192.9 - 184.2 million years ago. This was a time of sea level change and much of Western Europe including England was submerged by a warm shallow epicontinental sea with a rich biodiversity of marine organisms.
During this time period alternating layers of clay and limestone were deposited including from bottom upwards from the foreshore; The Belemnite Marl Member, followed by the Green Ammonite Mudstone Member, Eype Clay Member and Down Cliff Member.
Its these Jurassic Period clay formations that are the source of the fossils including belemnites, ammonites, crinoids, brachiopods, bivalves, fish remains and microfossils. Among the most common fossil finds are blocks containing belemnites, stones showing rounded, oval, square, five-sided or star-shaped ossicles of crinoid stem plates and Androgynoceras an ammonite derived from the Green Ammonite Bed.
Enjoy this video of a fossil hunt with DJ Fossils on the beach at Seatown.
As the cliffs at Seatown are part of the Jurassic Coast and West Dorset SSSI hammering or digging into the cliff is strictly forbidden. It is important fossil hunt safely when collecting fossils in terms of being aware of the tides, stay away from the cliffs and wear the right clothes including a hard hat.