The Holderness coastline

• How long is the Holderness coastline from Flamborough Head to Spurn Head?

  The Holderness coastline is 61km long.
• What are most cliffs made of and what are these cliffs exposed to?

  Most cliffs are made of boulder clay and are exposed to powerful destructive waves from the North Sea during storms.
• How does erosion operate in Holderness?


  The soft boulder clay is easily eroded. Great Cowden erodes 10m/year.
• How does mass movement operate in Holderness?

  The boulder clay is prone to slumping when wet. The water acts as a lubricant making the cliffs unstable.
• How does transportation operate in Holderness?

  Prevailing winds from the Northeast move sediment Southwards. Rapid erosion means there is plenty of sediment to support this process.
• How does deposition operate in Holderness?

  Where the ocean current meets the outflow of the Humber River, the flow becomes turbulent and sediment is deposited
• Where are headlands and wave-cut platforms?


  At Flamborough Head, the cliffs are made of chalk which has lead to the development of erosional landforms.
• How much has the Holderness coastline retreated over the past 2000 years?


  Over the past 2000 years the coastline has retreated by 4km.
• How many villages have been lost to the coastline retreating?

  30 villages have been lost.
• How fair is the Easington gas terminal away from the cliff edge?

  Easington gas terminal is 25m away from the cliff edge.
• How much of the coastline is protected by hard engineering?

  11.4km of the coastline is protected by hard engineering.
• What hard engineering strategies does Bridlington have?

  Bridlington is protected by a 4.7km sea wall and timber groynes.
• What hard engineering strategies does Mappleton have and how much did it cost?


  In 1991, 2 rock groynes and a 500m long revetment was built. This cost £2 million.
• What is the eastern side of Spurn head protected by?

  The eastern side of Spurn head is protected by groynes and rip rap.
• What is Easington gas terminal protected by?

  Easington gas terminal is protected by revetment.