The Undercliff

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Undercliff is a name given to the large area of coastal landslip which skirts the southern edge of the Isle of Wight from St Lawrence, near Ventnor in the east, to St. Catherine's Point, the southernmost point on the island. A favourable climate here has resulted in a semi-tropical environment like no other on the Island. This unique, attractive, tumbling landscape is mainly covered by lush vegetation.

The microclimate of warm sunshine, moist air and few winter chills was recognised by leading physicians in Victorian times as ideal for the treatment of respiratory diseases, which led to the establishment of a chest hospital at Ventnor. The former hospital grounds subsequently became the twenty-two acre Ventnor Botanic Garden.

The development of Ventnor and St Lawrence during the mid-19th century saw the construction of many fine houses and villas and the creation of some beautiful gardens.

There is another 'Undercliff', in Dorset, stretching the 5 miles between Lyme Regis near to the Cobb harbour and Seaton. Like its namesake on the Isle of Wight, this feature also arose as a result of landslips and has become a rare and unusual habitat for plants and birds. It is a National Nature Reserve and part of the South West Coast Path. The path stretches for 7 - 8 miles and is not accessible except at each end.

[edit] External links

• Old views of the Undercliff
• Jurassic Coast information on the Dorset Undercliff
• A 360 degree 'virtual reality' panorama from the undercliff near Lyme regis.