Hallsands-Beesands

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 50.2397, -3.6584

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Also within

Devon County South Devon Scenic Area King Charles Way - Cremyll to Kingswear National TrailSouth West Coast Path National Trail

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SX818382 — Favourable 13.4 2011-11-09

Climate exposure

This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.

Coastal

Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.

Habitats

Coastal vegetated shingle

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Devonian

Landscape processes: Coastal

Description

Hallsands and Beesands SSSI Description Hallsands to Beesands is located on the coast ten kilometres south of Dartmouth and around seven kilometres south-east of Kingsbridge. The site comprises a stretch of coastline within Start Bay, that runs from the village of Beesands to beyond the mined properties at Hallsands. The Hallsands-Beesands shoreline exposes a classic geological section through the southern limb of the Dartmouth Antiform, where the Lower Devonian, Meadfoot Group (slates) and the Start Complex schists are visible. Between the village of Beesands and Greenstraight the Meadfoot slates are exposed and show considerable complexity as a result of four episodes of structural deformation. In places along the cliff the normally faulted junction between the Start Complex and the Meadfoot Group slates can be seen. Structural and radiometric evidence from the Start Complex and the Meadfoot Group suggests that both are of Lower Devonian age, but have differing burial and metamorphic histories. As such this site is considered as one of the most important sections for the study of Variscan structural development in south-west England. The coastline at Hallsands is important for the understanding of coastal erosion processes. It is located at a point where the wave energy is focused on the shoreline by offshore 'Skerries' banks, which, along with inter-tidal shingle extraction within the bay, have been the cause of large scale erosion of the beach and in particular exposure of buried cliff forms during storms in 1917. The site is regarded as a classic locality for both its geomorphological interest and as an example of the implications of coastal sediment extraction. The coastal section from Hallsands to Beesands is of considerable national importance for the understanding of both the Variscan structural development of south-west England and coastal geomorphology. Other Information: The area includes two Geological Conservation Review sites.

Plant communities

MC6 — Coastal vegetated shingle, Hard cliff and cliff slope

Atriplex prostrata-Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima sea-bird cliff community

Daucus carota, Sonchus oleraceus, Taraxacum officianalis, Tripleurospermum maritimum, Cochlearia officinalis, Silene uniflora, Spergularia rupicola, Atriplex hastata, Malva arborea, Plantago coronopus, Armeria maritima, Polygonum aviculare, Rumex crispus, Bromus hordeaceous, Catapodium marinum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra

SD1 — Coastal vegetated shingle, Sand dune

Rumex crispus-Glaucium flavum shingle community

Solanum dulcamara, Crithmum maritimum, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium vulgare, Helminthotheca echioides, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Lactuca serriola, Leontodon saxatilis, Senecio viscosus, Sonchus arvensis, Sonchus asper, Tripleurospermum maritimum, Crambe maritima, Cerastium fontanum, Honckenya peploides, Sagina apetala, Silene uniflora, Atriplex prostrata, Sedum acre, Euphorbia paralias, Lathyrus japonicus, Geranium robertianum, Glaucium flavum, Plantago coronopus, Plantago lanceolata, Rumex crispus, Potentilla anserina, Ammophila arenaria, Arrhenatherum elatius, Elytrigia atherica, Elytrigia juncea, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne

SD2 — Coastal vegetated shingle, Sand dune

Honkenya peploides-Cakile maritima strandline community

Salsola kali, Achillea millefolium, Cirsium arvense, Eryngium maritimum, Hypochaeris radicata, Senecio vulgaris, Sonchus arvensis, Tripleurospermum maritimum, Cakile maritima, Cerastium diffusum, Honckenya peploides, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Atriplex glabriuscula, Atriplex laciniata, Atriplex littoralis, Atriplex patula, Atriplex prostrata, Sedum acre, Polygonum oxyspermum subsp. Raii, Rumex crispus, Potentilla anserina, Agrostis stolonifera, Ammophila arenaria, Arrhenatherum elatius, Elytrigia juncea, Elytrigia repens, Festuca rubra, Leymus arenarius, Poa annua

SD3 — Coastal vegetated shingle, Sand dune

Matricaria maritima-Galium aparine strandline community

Bolboschoenus maritimus, Juncus bufonius, Juncus gerardii, Ligusticum scoticum, Matricaria discoidea, Sonchus arvensis, Sonchus asper, Tripleurospermum maritimum, Mertensia maritima, Cakile maritima, Cochlearia officinalis, Honckenya peploides, Stellaria media agg., Atriplex glabriuscula, Atriplex patula, Atriplex prostrata, Triglochin maritimum, Plantago maritima, Armeria maritima, Rumex crispus, Glaux maritima, Galium aparine, Agrostis stolonifera, Elytrigia repens, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Leymus arenarius, Poa annua