Two landmarks in the South among UK's 'Seven Natural Wonders'
They've been recognised for their uniqueness and beauty
A new list of seven 'natural wonders of the UK' has been released by the Royal Geographical Society, containing two sites in the South.
Experts have selected the Needles and the Jurassic Coast among a list of the places that are 'unified by their shared beauty, uniqueness, and geological significance'.
Other spots named included the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, the Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall in Wales and Loch Coruisk and the Cuillins on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.
The Seven Wonders highlight the finest work of Mother Nature on these shores - landscapes carved out over millions of years that have stood the test of time through Ice Ages and intense volcanic activity to create places of outstanding beauty.
The results were released alongside a survey which showed a lack of knowledge of the county's landmarks - with 90% of those polled admitting to not having heard of all seven of the natural wonders on the list.
Survey results also showed that 41% of UK adults have incredibly never visited any of the Seven Wonder landmarks – with the Jurassic Coast being the most visited (31%) and Pistyll Rhaeadr being the least visited (6%).
Results from the survey also suggests the pandemic has made the public more open to UK travel with 44% stating they were more open to exploring unfamiliar places in the UK, more than they were before the pandemic.
Mary-Ann Ochota, TV Presenter and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, said,
"One of the few positives to come out of the pandemic is the opportunity many of us have had to explore the natural wonders on our doorsteps. And hopefully this summer will offer even more chances to explore new places in the UK.
"This list will have a couple of sites that might be familiar, but there’s also likely to be some hidden gems that you might never have heard of.
"These seven locations are really extraordinary – I think most of us would be amazed to learn that they’re right here in our own country.
"From sculpted limestone valleys, to steep mountains that overlook Ice Age landscapes, to sea stacks, foaming waterfalls and cliffs that hold the bones of dinosaurs – if you thought geology was boring, get ready to think again."
The Needles form the western tip of a backbone of chalk that crosses the centre of the Isle of Wight, with three distinctive, jagged, chalk stacks that extend into the sea.
However, the fourth and taller, needle-like stack that gave its name to these rocks, known as ‘Lot’s Wife', collapsed during a storm in 1764.
Only the stump of the former 120 ft pinnacle is now visible at low tide and forms a dangerous reef off the coast. The vertical chalk stacks of the Needles are a result of heavy folding of chalk which results in hard chalk, resistant to erosion.
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 due to the global importance of its rocks, fossils and geological landforms, the Jurassic Coast is a 95-mile stretch of coast from Orcombe Point in Exmouth, Devon to the Old Harry Rocks, near Swanage in Dorset.
The site provides an almost continuous sequence of rock formations covering the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods, known collectively as the Mesozoic Era, and is internationally renowned for its contribution to the study of earth sciences over the past 300 years.