A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shells or coralline algae. Sediments settle in different densities and structures, depending on the local wave action and weather, creating different textures, colors and gradients or layers of material.
Holkham National Nature Reserve is England's largest national nature reserve (NNR). It is on the Norfolk coast between Burnham Overy Staithe and Blakeney, and is managed by Natural England with the cooperation of the Holkham Estate. Its 3,900 hectares comprise a wide range of habitats, including grazing marsh, woodland, salt marsh, sand dunes and foreshore. The reserve is part of the North Norfolk Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest, and the larger area is additionally protected through Natura 2000, Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar listings, and is part of both an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and a World Biosphere Reserve. Holkham NNR is important for its wintering wildfowl, especially pink-footed geese, Eurasian wigeon and brant geese, but it also has breeding waders, and attracts many migrating birds in autumn. Many scarce invertebrates and plants can be found in the dunes, and the reserve is one of the only two sites in the UK to have an antlion colony.
Sintra is a town and municipality in the Greater Lisbon region of Portugal, located on the Portuguese Riviera. The population of the municipality in 2021 was 385,654, in an area of 319.23 square kilometres (123.26 sq mi). Sintra is one of the most urbanized and densely populated municipalities of Portugal. A major tourist destination famed for its picturesqueness, the municipality has several historic palaces, castles, scenic beaches, parks and gardens.
Estoril is a town in the Municipality of Cascais, Portugal, on the Portuguese Riviera. It is a tourist destination, with luxury hotels, beaches, and the Casino Estoril. It has been home to numerous royal families and celebrities, and has hosted a number of high-profile events, such as the Estoril Open and the Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival.
Cascais is a town and municipality in the Lisbon District of Portugal, located on the Portuguese Riviera. The municipality has a total of 214,158 inhabitants in an area of 97.40 km2. Cascais is an important tourist destination. Its marina hosts events such as the America's Cup and the town of Estoril, part of the Cascais municipality, hosts conferences such as the Horasis Global Meeting.
Cabo da Roca or Cape Roca is a cape which forms the westernmost point of the Sintra Mountain Range, of mainland Portugal, of continental Europe, and of the Eurasian landmass. It is situated in the municipality of Sintra, near Azóia, in the southwest of the Lisbon District. Notably the point includes a lighthouse that started operation in 1772.
Olhão, officially known as Olhão da Restauração, is a city and municipality in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. The population of the municipality in 2011 was 45,396, in an area of 130.86 km2 (50.53 sq mi). Located near the regional capital Faro and forming a single urban agglomeration, it is a fishing port and tourist center. Along with Faro, Loulé and Tavira, Olhão forms a conurbation from the eastern and central Algarve.
São Domingos de Rana is a civil parish of the Portuguese municipality of Cascais, part of the Greater Lisbon subregion. The population in 2011 was 57,502, in an area of 20.36 km². The parish includes the localities Abóboda, Cabeço de Mouro, Caparide, Matarraque, Outeiro de Polima, Polima, Rana, Talaíde, Tires, Trajouce and Zambujal.
The Sintra-Cascais Natural Park is a park on the Portuguese Riviera, one of the 13 Natural Parks of Portugal. While only established in 1994 as a Natural Park by the Portuguese Government, it has been protected since 1981. Its area is approximately 145 km2. The park includes the Serra de Sintra Mountain Range but extends all the way to the coast and Cabo da Roca, continental Europe's westernmost point. It contains the Castle of the Moors. Located within 25 km of Lisbon, the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park is a popular tourism area, with many different individual historical and natural sites and attractions. Sintra and Cascais are towns and municipalities in the Lisbon / Estoril Coast.
Praia do Guincho is an Atlantic beach located on Portugal's Estoril coast, 5 km from the town of Cascais, and is located in the municipality of Cascais, more precisely in the parishes of Cascais and Alcabideche, in the District of Lisbon. Guincho is situated close to several small villages, including Areia, Charneca, Figueira do Guincho and Biscaia.
Sand dune stabilization is a coastal management practice designed to prevent erosion of sand dunes. Sand dunes are common features of shoreline and desert environments. Dunes provide habitat for highly specialized plants and animals, including rare and endangered species. They can protect beaches from erosion and recruit sand to eroded beaches. Dunes are threatened by human activity, both intentional and unintentional. Countries such as the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Netherlands, operate significant dune protection programs.
The Protected areas of Portugal are classified under a legal protection statute that allows for the adequate protection and maintenance of biodiversity, while providing services for ecosystem that maintains the natural and geological patrimony.
The Fort of Guincho, also known as the Fort of Velas, is located at the edge of the Praia do Abano, along the southern edge of the coast of the civil parish of Alcabideche, in Cascais Municipality, Lisbon District, Portugal.. It was classified as Property of Public Interest by the national government on 29 September 1977, but today stands in a state of decay, even after studies to remodel the location as a visitors centre for the nearby Sintra-Cascais Nature Park.
Stevenston Beach is a Local Nature Reserve (LNR), located between Stevenston and Saltcoats in Scotland. It is situated on the coast, west of the Stevenston Burn. The park covers an area of 12 ha, and consists mostly of sand dunes, with an area of coal mining spoil derived from Auchenharvie Colliery No. 5 pit which produced Ladyha' coal. It is ranked as the fifth most important sand dune system in Ayrshire. The dunes are also designated as a wildlife site by the Scottish Wildlife Trust.
The Castle of the Moors is a hilltop medieval castle located in the central Portuguese civil parish of Santa Maria e São Miguel, in the municipality of Sintra, about 25 km (16 mi) northwest of Lisbon. Built by the Moors in the 8th and 9th centuries, it was an important strategic point during the Reconquista, and was taken by Christian forces after the fall of Lisbon in 1147. It is classified as a National Monument, part of the Sintra Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Portuguese Riviera is a term used in the tourist industry for the affluent coastal region to the west of Lisbon, Portugal, centered on the coastal municipalities of Cascais, Oeiras and Sintra. It is coterminous with the Estoril Coast and occasionally known as the Costa do Sol. Portuguese themselves do not use this expression.
Cabo Raso Lighthouse is an active Portuguese lighthouse that is located in the Fort of São Brás of Sanxete, near Cascais, Lisbon District. It is a cylindrical, red, metallic tower, thirteen meters high, with a lantern and balcony and attached buildings.
The Fort of Cresmina, also known as the Fort of Crismina, is located at the southern end of Cresmina beach, in the municipality of Cascais, Lisbon District, in Portugal. Originally built in 1762 to protect Cresmina beach from landings, it was transferred to private ownership in 1889. As of 2021 it was in the process of being converted into a restaurant.
Dabas parks Piejūra is a nature park along the Gulf of Riga in Latvia founded in 1962. It is a protected nature reserve and a Natura 2000 location. The park stretches 36.6 kilometres (22.7 mi) over an 4,180 hectares area from Riga, through Carnikava Municipality, and up to Saulkrasti. It is a popular seasonal recreation location, notably for beach access. The park is notable for its protected biotopes, particularly its dunes and boreal forests. The park's conservation plan for 2020 onwards was developed under the "LIFE CoHaBit" project.
Fort São Brás de Sanxete is located in Cabo Raso, parish and municipality of Cascais, district of Lisbon, in Portugal.
