Wootton Hills

Similar to other areas within the west of the AONB, the Wootton Hills are characterised by a series of conical hills, formed from underlying greensand ridges.

Similar to other areas within the west of the National Landscape, the Wootton Hills are characterised by a series of conical hills, formed from underlying greensand ridges. These are particularly dominant where these summits form the western backdrop to the Marshwood Vale, including Coney’s Castle and the nearby Lambert’s Castle, as well as along the coast. These summits include Iron Age hillforts with a heathy character. Along the valley bottoms, dense hedgerows and small-scale irregular pastures are surrounded by arable fields with large dense woodlands. Clustered settlement patterns of stone villages are connected by a network of narrow winding lanes, with an intimate and tranquil quality, confined by the surrounding steep hills. Along the ridge tops Beech lined avenues lead towards open summits. The A35 cuts across the southern portion of the character area and there are a number of impacts associated with larger settlements at Charmouth and Lyme Regis. Furthermore, there is notable pressure for tourism development toward the coastal portion. The remote coastline, accessible by the South West Coast Path, has a spectacular visual quality with impressive views towards the landslides west of Black Ven.