Coastal erosion, sea level rise and increased storminess is set to have a major impact on some of our most beloved holiday hotspots, research by the National Trust is finding.

Those places at risk include St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall, an iconic rocky island with a mediaeval church perched on top, and Studland Beach in Dorset, which is visited by over one million people each year.

Phil Dyke, Coast and Marine Advisor to the National Trust, explained: “Over the next 100 years the shape of our coastline will change, and our favourite sea-side destinations may not look the way they were captured in our holiday snapshots.

“To try and predict what these places will look like in the future, the National Trust has carried out research examining how things like sea-level rise and increased storminess will affect all our coastal sites. From these results we know where change is most likely to happen, what this change might be and now we are looking at what this means in terms of practical management.

“At the National Trust we believe in working with natural processes wherever possible. We need to realise that our environment is not fixed and that change is inevitable. Society needs to learn to adapt.”

One of the ten hotspots is St Michael’s Mount.

The report describes it as: A rocky island crowned by a medieval church and castle just off the coast of Penzanze in Cornwall. Home to a small community, the island is accessible by a causeway at low tide.

The future: In the early 18th century the causeway was accessible for six hours at low tide. Now it is accessible for four. In 40 years time it may be accessible for under an hour and eventually the Mount could become a true island. As the causeway becomes unusable, the harbour will increase in importance but this too will be increasingly vulnerable to flooding.

Action: It will not be possible to stop the causeway becoming obsolete in the long term, but the Trust is looking at how it can reinforce the harbour to enable it to cope with the rising sea levels and an increased reliance on boats. Buildings will be kitted out so they can be cleaned up easily after a flood and alternatives to residential use will be sought in the risk zone.