The seafront
The seafront stretches along the southern edge of the country
park, from the Bulwarks Iron Age Hill Fort in the west to Bullnose
Cliff in the east. The beach is covered in limestone pebbles that
stretch up to steep limestone cliffs.
The last remains of an ancient salt marsh
exist north of the pebble bank where a local variety of orache (a
special type of plant often found on beaches).
In front of Porthkerry house is an area of
rough grassland which is now being managed to restore wildflowers.
You can often see adder basking on the pebbles in the sun in this
area.
Towards the eastern end of the seafront, the
pebble bank gives way to cliff. The cliff profile changes along its
length and becomes sheer near the Bullnose.
An area between the golden stairs
and the pebbles is set-aside for barbeques.
Click for
larger map of Porthkerry