This year marks 30 years since the shingle ridge at Porlock Bay was breached during the storms associated with Hurricane Lili in October 1996, allowing the sea to flood the low-lying land behind. The result is now a nationally important and constantly evolving saltmarsh, recognised for both its wildlife and its coastal geomorphology. Saltmarshes are precious habitats: they support wading birds, wildfowl, specialist plants and invertebrates, while also storing carbon, absorbing wave energy and helping landscapes adapt naturally to sea-level rise.
The Exmoor Society is working with local partners to mark this anniversary and to encourage everyone to enjoy the marsh responsibly. This is particularly important for paddleboarders, canoeists and dog walkers, as disturbance can affect feeding, roosting and nesting birds. And leading the anniversary celebrations, there is an excellent exhibition now open at Dovery Museum that explores the ridge’s intriguing history and wildlife.
In BBC’s Secret Somerset, Exmoor Society trustee Nigel Hester and Porlock historian and the exhibition’s curator Jeff Cox explore what happened in 1996, how the landscape has changed since, and how working with natural processes has created this hugely significant and precious place. Listen to the episode below.
Secret Somerset: Porlock Marsh
Image: David Roberts
