Sharkham Point
Encyclopedia
Sharkham Point is a headland
located close to the Devon
fishing town of Brixham
. It overlooks St. Mary's Bay and is a short walk away from Berry Head
Country Park. This stretch was originally the Coastguard Walk along which the coastguards regularly patrolled. At St. Mary's Bay the path begins to rise and fall over the soft, middle Devonian shales
which have eroded to form what was once called "Mudstone Bay". On the beach below you can find many fossils.
Sharkham Point was once the site of extensive iron workings, old adits
can still be found, dating from the period 1790 to 1930. However many remains were covered when Sharkham Point was used as the Brixham
town tip. The site is now managed as a nature conservation area, and there are fine views from it of the Heritage coastline
.
Headland
A headland is a point of land, usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends out into a body of water.Headland can also refer to:*Headlands and bays*headLand, an Australian television series...
located close to the Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
fishing town of Brixham
Brixham
Brixham is a small fishing town and civil parish in the county of Devon, in the south-west of England. Brixham is at the southern end of Torbay, across the bay from Torquay, and is a fishing port. Fishing and tourism are its major industries. At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of...
. It overlooks St. Mary's Bay and is a short walk away from Berry Head
Berry Head
Berry Head is a coastal headland at the southern end of Torbay, to the southeast of Brixham, Devon, England.-National Nature Reserve:Berry Head to Sharkham Point is a haven for several nationally rare and threatened species which are dependent upon the thin limestone soils, mild climate and exposed...
Country Park. This stretch was originally the Coastguard Walk along which the coastguards regularly patrolled. At St. Mary's Bay the path begins to rise and fall over the soft, middle Devonian shales
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
which have eroded to form what was once called "Mudstone Bay". On the beach below you can find many fossils.
Sharkham Point was once the site of extensive iron workings, old adits
Adit
An adit is an entrance to an underground mine which is horizontal or nearly horizontal, by which the mine can be entered, drained of water, and ventilated.-Construction:...
can still be found, dating from the period 1790 to 1930. However many remains were covered when Sharkham Point was used as the Brixham
Brixham
Brixham is a small fishing town and civil parish in the county of Devon, in the south-west of England. Brixham is at the southern end of Torbay, across the bay from Torquay, and is a fishing port. Fishing and tourism are its major industries. At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of...
town tip. The site is now managed as a nature conservation area, and there are fine views from it of the Heritage coastline
Heritage Coast
A Heritage Coast is a strip of UK coastline designated by the Countryside Agency in England and the Countryside Council for Wales as having notable natural beauty or scientific significance.- Designated coastline :...
.