Ballard Down

The World Heritage Site ends just beyond the great Chalk headland of Ballard Down, and the sea stacks known as ‘Old Harry Rocks'.  The Chalk downland here is owned by the National Trust and managed for public access and wildlife.  To the east, the Needles on the Isle of Wight are usually visible.  These too are made of Chalk and only a few thousand years ago were connected to Ballard Down.

Viewed from the sea, the Chalk cliffs are even more dramatic and an unusual curved fault separates the vertical strata in Swanage Bay from the horizontal strata to the north.

Downland Wildlife

Ballard Down is superb downland habitat.  The wild Chalk flora is complemented by many species of butterfly, including Chalkhill Blue and Adonis Blue.

Stacks

At Old Harry Rocks, the dramatic effects of erosion by waves can be clearly seen.  Waves attack the weak joints in the rock to form arches and caves.  Eventually these collapse leaving isolated stacks like ‘Old Harry'.