There’s an opportunity to find out why and how the cliffs along the shoreline in Swanage, Dorset, are collapsing, by coming along to a winter walk and talk hosted by consultancy Dorset Coast Forum in conjunction with the Environment Agency.
The informative walks, on four different dates, are each expected to take about an hour and a half, with the first planned for Sunday 11th January 2026 starting from Ocean Bay and heading along North Beach to Sheps Hollow.
Landslips are a constant challenge along North Beach in Swanage
Coastal erosion and instability of the cliffs
North Swanage is receiving government funding to help reduce the impact to the local community of the coastal erosion and instability of the cliffs, and part of that is helping people understand the geology of the area.
On the walk, the different sections of cliffs – or cliff behaviour units (CBU) as they are called – will be explained, including why the cliff face looks different along this stretch of coastline, why some parts of the cliff erode more than others, and what soft-engineering strategies could be appropriate in each CBU.
Knowing more about each section of cliff helps coastal managers understand and predict erosion patterns, plan adaptation strategies, and make it easier to plan for resilience and safety.
The Future Coast North Swanage (FCNS) walks and talks will be led by Dorset Coast Forum project officer and community engagement lead Sara Parker, supported by members of the project steering group including local community representative Malcolm Turnbull. Environment Agency senior coastal advisor Dave Picksley will also be co-hosting the first walk and talk.
Meet at Ocean Bay for the walk and talks
The walk will take the group along North Beach to Sheps Hollow
Walk and talk dates 2026
- Sunday 11th January at 10 am co-hosted by Dave Picksley, senior coastal advisor, Environment Agency
- Wednesday 28th January at 10 am co-hosted by Malcolm Turnbull, FCNS community representative
- Thursday 12th February at 11 am co-hosted by Malcolm Turnbull, FCNS community representative
- Wednesday 25th February at 9.30 am co-hosted by Malcolm Turnbull, FCNS community representative
The walks are free and there’s no need to book, just arrive on the date and time near Ocean Bay and look out for Sara Parker.
Sections of the cliffs are made up of different geological strata
Some sections of the cliffs are more vulnerable to erosion than others
“Swanage and good company, what’s not to like?!”
Dorset Coast Forum project officer Sara Parker said:
“Connecting to the coast and the community is always at its best when you are on site, at the location covered by a project’s remit – as we found at our beach pop-up events near Burlington Chine earlier in the year.
“I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to help explain how this section of the cliff is divided up into Cliff Behaviour Units – or CBUs- and what that means in practical terms for both coastal managers and the community who live here.
“As someone who also lives near to an eroding coastline, I am really starting to appreciate that learning more about what you are working with, the geology, the challenges, helps shape knowing what you can practically do to adapt, and I thought this was a great way to connect with people.
“It also gives us the opportunity to collate some photographs throughout January and February for our new Future Coast Click initiative which is a bonus.
“We’ll have maps of the CBUs and some straightforward information for people to take away – Swanage and good company, what’s not to like?! Let’s hope the weather is our friend, but rain or shine I will be there to greet people on the event dates near Ocean Bay.
Under the Pine Cliffs hotel, engineers have stabilised the cliff using metal and concrete
Another area of man made intervention where a concrete slab has had to be reattached to the cliff
Photos of Swanage’s changing coastline
The Future Coast Click initiative is a project which encourages the public to upload their photographs of the changing coastline from Ocean Bay to Sheps Hollow.
The project team is particularly keen to focus on post storm/weather events, and particular locations over a period of weeks or months where the change is most evident. The idea is to use local knowledge to provide an invaluable digital archive.
Dorset Coast Forum is also holding an event about the Future Coast North Swanage project, co-hosted with the team from geotechnical engineers Jacobs on Wednesday 4th February 2026 at The Mowlem Studio, Swanage. More details will be available nearer the time.
Along this stretch, wooden beach huts are removed during the winter to avoid damage from landslips
There are different types of rock along the coastline with some more porous than others
