Erosional landforms

• Caves, arches, stacks and stumps

  1. A fault in the cliff (weakness) is eroded by wave action causing it to widen
  2. The cave is widened and deepened by hydraulic action and abrasion, cutting through the headland to form an arch
  3. The arch is eroded from the bottom and biologically weathered from above. Eventually the arch will collapse due to its own weight and gravity, leaving an isolated column of rock called a stack
  4. Continued erosion and freeze-thaw weathering cause the stack to collapse, forming a stump which is often covered by high tides