Where is the Holderness coastline located?
Northeast England, between Flamborough Head and Spurn Head
How long is the Holderness coastline?
Approximately 61 km
Why is the Holderness coast vulnerable to erosion?
Made of soft boulder clay; eroded easily by the North Sea
What is the average rate of erosion at Holderness?
1 to 2 metres per year, fastest in Europe
What processes cause erosion on the Holderness coast?
Hydraulic action and abrasion
What happens to eroded material from Holderness?
Moved south by longshore drift; deposited at Spurn Head
Name an erosional landform at Holderness.
Flamborough Head; chalk headland with caves and stacks
What depositional feature forms at the south of Holderness?
Spurn Head; a recurved spit
Which village has suffered most from erosion?
Mappleton; over 30m lost in recent decades
How has Mappleton been protected?
£2 million scheme; rock groynes and revetments
What problem did the Mappleton groynes cause?
Starved areas south of sediment; increased erosion at Cowden Farm
What is the main policy for managing Holderness?
Hold the Line for key areas; Do Nothing in others
Why is “Do Nothing” used in some areas?
Expensive to defend farmland and sparsely populated areas
Give an example of conflict caused by management.
Mappleton defended; erosion worsened further south
What are economic impacts of Holderness erosion?
Loss of farmland, tourism, property values; roads at risk
Why does geology make erosion faster?
Boulder clay is weak; becomes saturated and slumps
How do destructive waves increase erosion?
Erode cliff base; cause undercutting and collapse
Why is Spurn Head important?
Protects the Humber Estuary; habitat for wildlife
How has climate change worsened erosion?
Rising sea levels and more storms increase erosion
How much land has Holderness lost since Roman times?
Over 4 km lost; about 30 villages disappeared
What is managed realignment?
Allowing land to flood or erode naturally; trialed near Easington
Why was the Mappleton scheme controversial?
Helped Mappleton but increased erosion at Cowden
How is Holderness an example of conflict in management?
Short-term defences work locally but worsen erosion elsewhere
