Holderness Coast

Question 1

Where is the Holderness Coastline located?

Answer 1

In the East Riding of Yorkshire

It spans 61 km from Flamborough Head to Spurn Point and is the fastest eroding coastline in Europe.

Question 2

What is the geology of the Holderness Coastline?

Answer 2

• Bedrock made up of Cretaceous Chalk
• Covered by glacial till (boulder clay)

The bedrock erodes by 0.5 mm per year and its layers dip southerly at 4°.
The boulder clay erodes by 2 m per year, and can be as high as 6 m in two days due to storms as seen in Barmston in 1967.

Question 3

How much of a cliff does a slump remove?

Answer 3

10-20 m

Question 4

What is the material composition of boulder clay?

Answer 4

72% mud, 27% sand, 1% boulders and pebbles

Question 5

How much has the Holderness Coast been eroded by?

Answer 5

4 km inland, losing 30 Roman towns and villages

Question 6

What is the fetch range across the North Sea?

Answer 6

500-800 km

The fetch contributes to wave height, which can reach up to 4 m during storms.

Question 7

What is the significance of the Atlantic and Arctic current to the Holderness Coastline?

Answer 7

Adds energy to waves

Question 8

Why is there high storm activity and higher sea level in the North Sea?

Answer 8

Low pressure system

Question 9

What is the tidal range observed at the Holderness Coastline?

Answer 9

7 m

Question 10

How much will sea levels rise by 2050?

Answer 10

9 cm

Question 11

What is the offshore topography of the Holderness Coast?

Answer 11

Submarine contours lie close to shore in the south

Steep gradient, so little attenuation before it hits the cliffs.

Question 12

What landform is Flamborough Head known for?

Answer 12

A headland formed of chalk that juts out into the North Sea

It contains many bays like North Landing and Selswick Bay and is subject to various erosional processes.

Question 13

What erosional features are found at Selwicks Bay?

Answer 13

• Steep cliffs
• Wave-cut notches
• Wave-cut platforms
• Blow hole
• Cave, arch (the Drinking Dinosaur), stack (Stack Adam) formations

Hydraulic action and abrasion dominate the erosion processes here.

Question 14

What erosional features are found at North Landing?

Answer 14

• Geo
• Cave, arch, stack formation

More flint and subject to storm waves from the Arctic.

Question 15

What is Smithic Sands?

Answer 15

An offshore sandbank in Bridlington

10 km in length and 2.7 m above spring low tide.

Question 16

What is Spurn Point?

Answer 16

A spit formed at the Humber estuary

It is 5.5 km long and consists of sand and shingle.
Only 3% of the eroded coastline is deposited here.

Question 17

What landforms are in Spurn Point?

Answer 17

• River Humber
• Recurved spit
• Sand dunes (marram grass)
• Salt marsh (eel grass, sea aster, sea lavender, grey plover, and roe deer)

Question 18

When were major breaches of Spurn Point?

Answer 18

1849 and 2013, now with a 1 km washover section that is covered by high tide

Question 19

What are the main human influences on the Holderness Coastline?

Answer 19

• Settlements
• Tourism and recreation
• Fishing
• Agriculture
• Industry

Question 20

What is the settlement situation like in the Holderness Coast?

Answer 20

• 300,000 people settle in 240,000 hectares
• More than 50% live in rural communities (compared to 20% national average)
• 90% of the coast is undeveloped

Question 21

What is a valuable asset in Easington and Dimlington?

Answer 21

Gas terminals that supply 25% of Britain’s gas

Question 22

What management scheme was implemented in Mappleton in 1991?

Answer 22

• 2 rock groynes
• Rock revetment (450 m long)
• Regrading cliffs
• Beach nourishment

The scheme costed £2.1 million and aimed to trap material and build up the beach.

Question 23

Why was a management scheme implemented to protect Mappleton?

Answer 23

To protect the B1242 road that connects the coast from the north to south that is only 50 m from the cliff edge

Question 24

What are the positive effects of groynes in Mappleton?

Answer 24

Reduced erosion and build up of beach between EP48 to EP52

EP50 has a 75% reduction in annual cliff loss

Question 25

What are the negative effects of groynes in Mappleton?

Answer 25

* Terminal groyne syndrome and sediment starvation from EP52 to EP56 * Edge effect leading to terminal scour of cliff with car park ## Footnote EP56 has a 125% increase in annual cliff loss. Cowden Farm has started to fall into the sea.

Question 26

When were signs of slumping shown after regrading cliffs in Mappleton?

Answer 26

2002

Question 27

What management schemes were implemented in Withernsea since 1870?

Answer 27

* Construction of a sea wall * Installation of rock armour * Construction of groynes * Extended 9 times

Question 28

Why was a management scheme implemented to protect Withernsea?

Answer 28

To protect the A1033 and Holmpton Road that connects the coast and inland areas

Question 29

Why did the sea wall change from straight to recurved?

Answer 29

Toe scouring when it was straight

Question 30

How much did the recurved sea wall in Withernsea cost?

Answer 30

£6.3 million £5,000 per metre

Question 31

What is the lifespan of groynes?

Answer 31

50 years

Question 32

What is the unintended effect of groynes in Withernsea?

Answer 32

Terminal groyne syndrome, threatening the south of Withernsea ## Footnote The Golden Sands Holiday Park had retreated by 11 m from December 2018 to June 2020

Question 33

What management scheme was implemented in Withernsea in 2020?

Answer 33

* Rock armour (400 m long, odd S-shape, and made out of anorthosite from Norway) * Regrading cliffs ## Footnote The scheme cost £7 million, with £3 million from a grant by the European Regional Development Fund

Question 34

What management scheme was implemented in Spurn Head in 1849?

Answer 34

* Groynes * Revetments * Maintained by the Royal Engineers

Question 35

Why is management of Spurn Head managed retreat?

Answer 35

* Bought by the Yorkshire Naturalists' Trust * No money to maintain coastal defences ## Footnote Benefits the saltmarsh as breaches are necessary for it to develop and adapt to sea levels.