Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (England Wales & N Ireland)

An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a designated exceptional landscape whose distinctive character and natural beauty are precious enough to be safeguarded in the national interest. AONBs are protected and enhanced for nature, people, business and culture.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland has 46 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, covering 18% of the countryside, over a fifth of the English coast, and including 12,000 miles of footpaths and bridleways.

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St Aldhelms Head - Dorset

St Aldhelms Head, is located southwest of Swanage. The headland is an outcrop of Portland Stone from the overlying Lower Purbeck Stone and is the most southerly part of the Purbeck peninsula and has been heavily quarried - a defunct sea cliff quarry exists underneath the coast guard station and a still working quarry, called "St Aldhelms Quarry". An un-quarried limestone pillar has been left on the cliff edge, by the 19th century quarrymen, presumably as a curiosity. The "Pond Freestone" which makes up the stem of the monolith was the main stone worked at the site.

UNESCO World Heritage Site Jurassic Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty headland peninsula cliffs sea coastal coastline wild flowers geology seascape South West Coast Path

From New Forest, Dorset and Isle of Wight