Saltburn to Flamborough Head CS

• How long is the coastline between Saltburn and Flamborough Head?

  60km
• What type of coastal environment is Saltburn to Flamborough Head?

  High-energy coastline
• How does geology influence the coastline

  1. Discordant coastline = headlands & bays more varied than along a concordant coastline
  2. Differing rock types (different levels of resistance)
  3. Chalk (Flamborough Head & Selwick’s Bay) = resistant
  4. Kimmeridge clay (Filey Bay) = less resistant (0.8m/year)
  5. Shales (Robin Hood’s Bay) = less resistant (0.8m/year)
  6. Sandstone/limestone with interbedded glacial till (Saltburn) = resistant (0.1m/year)
• How do waves influence the coastline?

  1. Dominant waves from North and North-East
  2. Long fetch (1,500km) = long time to build up energy = powerful waves
  3. High tidal range (4m) = more potential erosion
  4. LSD (North to South) - sediment movement interrupted by headland = sand and shingle accumulate (i.e. Filey Bay)
  5. Wave refraction around headland (Flamborough Head) = formation of distinctive landforms
• How does wind influence the coastline?

  1. Prevailing wind from North/North-East drives high-energy waves
  2. Aeolian processes (but very limited)
• Where has sediment within the coastline come from?

  1. Nearshore area - driven onshore as sea levels rose at end of last glacial period
  2. Cliff erosion - i.e. from sandstone and chalk (resistant rock outcrops) and boulder clay deposits (gravel)
  3. River Esk BUT limited due to construction of weirs and reinforced banks along its course (human activity)
• What landforms/cliff profiles are seen at Saltburn?

  1. Limestone/sandstone with interbedded glacial till = resistant (0.1m/year) - stepped profile reflects more varied geology
  2. Horizontally-bedded strata = steepest cliffs along coastline
• What landforms/cliff profiles are seen at Robin Hood's Bay?

  1. Shale = less resistant (0.8m/year)
  2. Wave-cut platforms (active erosion = cliff retreat)- 1* = shallow gradient with max width of 500m
  3. Possible shore platform created in last 6,000 years (constant level of erosion due to predom. stable sea levels)
  4. Headlands (sandstone) = more resistant bands either side of bay (0.1m/year)
• What landforms/cliff profiles are seen at Filey Bay?

  1. Kimmeridge clay (weak) = extremely susceptible to erosion (0.8m/year)
  2. Mass movement (slumping) = shallower angle cliff profiles
• What landforms/cliff profiles are seen at Flamborough Head?

  1. Chalk (resistant)- points of weakness = landforms
  2. Joints/faults exploited by erosive waves = caves & arches (i.e. Selwick’s Bay where master joint in chalk has been enlarged)
  3. Stacks (i.e. Green Stacks Pinnacle)
  4. Geos (over 50)- most aligned to the NE/NNE (facing dominant wave direction)
  5. Blowholes- where vertical master joints in the chalk have been enlarged
• Why are there few developed beaches along the coastline?

  1. High-energy waves remove sediment before it can accumulate
  2. High tidal range (4m)
  3. Lack of estuarine environments that would provide sediment sinks