Watershoot Bay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Watershoot Bay |
|
|---|---|
 Watershoot Bay looking to the East |
|
 Watershoot Bay
|
|
| Civil parish |
|
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
Watershoot Bay is a small bay located at the very southern tip of the Isle of Wight in England. It is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) southwest of the village of Niton. The bay faces south towards the English Channel.
Watershoot Bay is one of the smallest and most difficult-to-reach bays on the Isle of Wight. Its rocky shoreline is only about 500 feet (150 meters) long. It sits west of the St. Catherine's Point lighthouse. The land around the bay covers 170 acres (69 hectares) and is made up of grassy hills and bushes. This area is owned by the National Trust, a charity that protects important places.
Contents
Discovering Watershoot Bay's Geology
The beach at Watershoot Bay is mostly covered with large rocks. These rocks are made of sandstone, chalk, and chert. They are very old, dating back about 90 to 110 million years!
Finding Ancient Fossils
These ancient rocks are full of fossils. Fossils are the remains or traces of plants and animals that lived long, long ago. Finding fossils here gives us clues about what the Earth was like millions of years ago.
How to Reach Watershoot Bay
Getting to Watershoot Bay can be a bit of an adventure. You can start from a car park about 350 yards (320 meters) north of the bay. Another way is to follow the road that leads to the lighthouse.
Hiking to the Bay
No matter which way you choose, reaching the bay involves a hike. The path goes over rough ground, so it's a good idea to wear sturdy shoes. The effort is worth it to see this quiet and natural spot.
The History of Watershoot Bay
The name "Watershoot Bay" might have come from a ship called a sloop that was lost here in 1755. This suggests the bay has been known to sailors for a long time.
Old Boathouse at the Bay
From the mid-1800s to the early 1900s, there was a boathouse right in the bay. This building would have been used to store boats and equipment. It shows that people used the bay for fishing or other sea activities many years ago.
