Coastal path section lost after major landslip at Stonebarrow

Thousands of tonnes of rock and mud have collapsed from Stonebarrow Hill at Charmouth, forcing the closure of part of the South West Coast Path along the Jurassic Coast. The landslip occurred after weeks of heavy rainfall and follows the appearance of a significant crack in the cliff face in recent weeks.

A section approximately 30ft wide from the 450ft high cliff has detached and dropped around 20ft from its original position. The movement has propelled large volumes of mud and debris onto Charmouth beach, rendering the area impassable and removing a section of England’s most visited National Trail.

The cliffs along this stretch of the Jurassic Coast are around 175 million years old and are subject to continuous erosion from rainfall and marine action. Rockfalls and landslips are recognised as natural processes that shape the UNESCO World Heritage coastline, but they present significant safety risks.

Further west at Lyme Regis, additional instability has been reported, with ongoing monitoring of cliff movement above Monmouth Beach.

Fortunately, no injuries have been reported in the Charmouth incident. However, authorities continue to stress that cliff collapses can occur without warning and have urged visitors, including fossil hunters, to keep a safe distance from unstable areas and described the landslip as active and ongoing.