Photo 9 (Return)

Sidmouth Esplanade and view to the east, 2001. The town occupies a valley between high cliffs. Note the eastward dip (away from camera) of the Triassic marls exposed in Salcombe Cliff (mid distance) and Dunscombe Cliff (distance) where there is a thick capping of pale Cretaceous Upper Greensand. The beach has a history of depletion and suffered severe drawdown and loss during the winter storms of 1989-90. It has been stabilised by three rock groynes (mid distance), two detached breakwaters (behind camera position) and a major beach reconstruction using imported gravel.