Westward Ho! Cliffs and Northam Burrows

The Westward Ho! cliffs provide a good section of a raised beach platform well above the level of the present beach. This platform and the deposits upon it are very important because they provide evidence of glacier ice reaching the southwest peninsula. For example, flint and granite erratics (stones transported by an ice sheet or glacier) are present, as is a deposit of angular rock debris of the kind that flows down slopes during freeze/ thaw conditions in the vicinity of ice.

Remarkably, there is a submerged forest amid peat deposits that can be seen around the low water mark at the eastern end of the site (SS 432296) off Westward Ho! Slipway at the southern end of Westward Ho! beach. This provides evidence of sea level rise during the Holocene Period and represents the swamping of a coastal forest by the sea about 6000 years ago.

The cliffs of Westward Ho! directly adjoin Northam Burrows Country Park. A grassy coastal plain with salt marsh and sand dunes, this site is of considerable importance for both its wildlife and geology. Of particular note is its famous shingle ridge/spit formed by longshore drift with pebbles coming from further around Bideford Bay, which features some unusually large ‘pebbles’. These are made of a hard, fine-grained sandstone that outcrops in the cliffs to the south. When exploring the coastline please take care and refer to the safety guidance at the start of this booklet.

Facilities:
Visitor centre and toilets are available at Northam Burrows.