Sand dunes are remarkable natural formations that occur, when grains of sand and seashells blow onto the coast, then get trapped by sea plants (like sand couch and marram grass) which have deep roots to ‘anchor’ into the sand. These provide habitats to many creatures, including endangered natterjack toads. Walking on them, is like trampling over flower beds.
Keep to main paths when crossing sand dunes (this also helps dogs and you from having invasive pirri pirri burr attaching to skin, fur, clothes or shoelaces. Also keep dogs away from coastal flowers, as many are toxic (some to humans too).
Sand dunes often also hide bird nests (chicks may be abandoned, if disturbed) and seal pups, hidden by their mothers before they go to sea. Avoid walking dogs nearby or in breeding season (keep on leads, seals can give nasty bites). Read more on how to help our native seals.
The Main Sand Dunes in England
Due to being an island, there are many sand dunes around England. Some of the main ones are
Lindisfarne Sand Dunes (Northumberland)
This Holy Island (be careful to watch tide times, as the causeway overflows at high tide, leaving people and motorists stranded having to call for help) is home to sand dunes, coastal saltmarhs and tidal mudflats. These dunes are mostly surrounded by sea, and have slack ponds that are home to wildlife. Here you’ll find diving beetles and rare orchids.
Braunton Burrow Sand Dunes (Devon)
This is home to almost 500 flowers, and 33 species of endangered butterflies. One of the largest sand dunes in the British Isles, dog-walkers are advised to pooches on leads and away from livestock nearby, so follow the Countryside Code.
These burrows are named after the hundreds of rabbit warrens in the dunes, though numbers not high, due to myxomatosis and also remaining rabbits often preyd on by soaring birds of prey overhead. The slacks are below the water level, so attract wetland birds (though climate change has caused many areas to dry out).
North Norfolk Sand Dunes
This area has some of the best sand dunes in the world, stretching from the holiday resort of Great Yarmouth, all around the Wash. This appears to be Marram Grass (named after the old Norfolk words for sea and straw), but is more made up of Red fescue grass, which attracts sand sedge and creeping willow.
The Dune Slacks here are the breeding grounds for natterjack toads (see below) and on the east coast, the slacks provide nesting for endangered birds.
West Wittering Sand Dunes, Sussex
These sand dunes near Chichester Harbour are popular with birds. Skylarks like to breed here, as do ringed plovers, which nest just above the dunes. Ramsar is a wetland of international reknown. The chestnut paling fences have been installed, to stop people damaging the dunes.
The Winner is an area of sand, mud and shingle that is only seen at low tide. These dunes and salt marsh are home to many coastal flowers and migrating birds.
Kent Sand Dunes
These dunes are home to evening primose plants. Due to warmer wetather, these dunes attract bumblebees, lizards (that leave distinctive tracks on loose sand) and digger wasps and burrowing bees (who also leave behind little piles of sand).
Never hold barbecues on beaches, nor smoke nearby (use a personal ashtray to immediately extingiush cigarettes, until you can find a safe bin). Never ‘surf’ down the sand dunes, as you will do damage that will decades to recover.
Wildlife that Live in Sand Dunes
Stonechat birds look a bit like brown robins, but smaller. They often hide in gorse shrub, and are so named, as their call sounds two stones knocking together! These birds also like heathland and wetlands, and sometimes stay in England year-round, while others migrate to Europe and north Africa.
Sand lizards dig narrow tunnels to hibernate in winter. Lizards have five toes (newts have four). The males turn bright green in spring, ready for mating. These lizards are now very rare (and highly protected) due to loss of sand dues and sandy heathland habitats. On rare occasions, you may find them basking on the sand. They are mostly now only found in a few counties, though rewilding is taking place elsewhere.
Grayling is our largest brown butterfly, and feeds on marram grass. These butterflies have mottled-brown underwings with pale yellow/orange bands, and rest with their wings closed. They are difficult to see, as they are camouflaged when resting on stones or tree trunks, and their orange spots are concealed when resting.
Sand wasps live on caterpillars, which it feeds on back in its sandy home. Then seals it up with mud, so nobody can get in! Sand wasp parents are very clever. Not only do their make several nests to feed their young, but they remember the ages of each ‘child’, returning to feed them in order!
Meet England’s Noisy Natterjack Toads!
This is England’s largest amphibian, and also endangered. Mostly founded on dunes and saltmarhses in northwest England and Norfolk, these toads breed in shallow pools, and are distinctive due to their yellow stripe on their back.
The toads are however known for their noisy call, it’s very important (and illegal) to avoid disturbing them. If you want to hear them, you will even if you’re quite far away!
Why Dropping Litter Harms Sand Dunes
Sand dunes are formed by sand that blows in from the sea, so of course if people drop litter on the land or sea, the litter blows in with it, and can harm the dunes and its wildlife. The sea can also wash sand dunes away, and the litter goes out to sea, if people drop it on land.
Sand dunes not only are homes to wildlife, but also form important sea defences, to protect against coastal erosion and flooding.
2 Minute Litter-Picking Station for beaches includes tools, just take along and return rubbish before you go home. It can help set up fundraisers for councils, schools or offices to sponsor one. Use with beach litter clean-up kits and knives.
Private anglers can use Monomaster, which lets you store fishing gear, until you deposit it in a fishing line recycling station (or send it off).
Recently, children in Perranporth (Cornwall) made handmade wooden signs, to encourage locals and tourists not to drop litter, to protect the sand dunes. They went missing, likely burned as remains of (illegal) bonfires were found nearby.
The children have pledged to remake them. Surfers Against Sewage says ‘It is heartwarming, to see the younger children making their signs. And showing the determination to remake them, rather than give up hope’
