Saltburn to Flamborough Head

Question 1

How long is the stretch of Coastline

Answer 1

60KM long

Question 2

What is the Coastline like

Answer 2

Rocky upland area, displaying many coastal landforms influenced by the high energy nature of this

Question 3

Geology of the North York Moors

Answer 3

1. Up to 400m above sea level
2. Comprised mainly of Sandstone, shale and Limestone formed in the Jurassic period as well as Carboniferous rock

Question 4

Geology of Flamborough Head

Answer 4

1. Southern end of the stretch of coastline, large chalk headland
2. Cliffs are topped with till ( Superficial deposits left behind by glaciers from the Devonian glacial period).

3.Differences in rock resistance -> responsible for the varied coastal scenery - > notably high cliffs and the bay and headland sequence

Question 5

Geology of Flamborough head ext, late cretaceous and early tertiary period.

Answer 5

Tectonic processes caused uplift of sedimentary rocks leading to folding and and faulting -> exposing rock and affecting the resistance to geomorphic processes.

Question 6

Dominant wave direction, fetch + where is energy highest at flamborough head and why

Answer 6

Dominant wave direction is North and Northeast with a fetch of 1500KM ( Quite big for open ocean).

The most exposed parts are those that are north facing ( near salt burn) - > they receive highest amount of wave energy

Question 7

rate of erosion and why do they vary

Answer 7

The vary as - > differences in wave energy inputs + variations in different resistances of the geology.

For example: weak shale experience rate of erosion of 0.8 m. Per year compared to more resistant sandstone and limestone at 0.1 m per year

Question 8

Monitoring wave heights and its findings

Answer 8

2010 -11 Floating buoys in Whitby revealed wave height exceeded 4M - > even in summer months.

High Energy inputs -> responsible for LSD from North to South along the coastline - > sediment can be interrupted by headlands - > sand and shingle accumulates forming beaches / bays

For example: Filey Bay

Question 9

Sediment Cells

Answer 9

Sediment Cell number = 1 - this comes from St Abbs in southern Scotland to Flamborough.

Sub cell number = 1D

Question 10

Where has the sediment come from

Answer 10

1. Some in sub cell 1D has come from the nearshore area - driven onshore as sea levels rose at the end of the last glacial period
2. Some is supplied by cliff erosion including sandstone and chalk from resistant rock outcrops + the boulder clay deposits yielding lots of gravel
3. Rivers - only large one is the river esk - enters North Sea from Whitby -> supplies limited amount of sediment due to the construction of weirs and reinforced banks -> shows the limits human activity has had on this coastline

Question 11

Sediment increase between 2008 - 11 at Saltburn

Answer 11

Beach survey found there had been a net increase in beach sediment of 9245m3 at salt burn.

Both accretion and erosion were observed within Filey bay - > influence of winter storm systems - > erosion at the back of the beach partially high during winter of 2010 -11

Question 12

Cliffs along the coastline
( Sedimentary Rock)

Answer 12

Sedimentary Rock - > They’re horizontally bedded - > tend to have a vertical face -> overlain by a layer of weak glacial till -> much lower angle

Question 13

Cliff along the coastline (
Flamborough Head
)

Answer 13

Flamborough Head - > made from, chalk -> physically very strong - > tightly bonded mineral particles - > 20/30m high -> overlying till lowered by mass movement - > angle of about 40 degrees

Question 14

Cliff along the coastline (Robin Hood to Saltburn)

Answer 14

Robin Hood to Saltburn -> cliffs much higher - > often with a stepped profile -> reflecting a more varied geology - > steeper sloped segments are formed in more resistant sandstone and limestone with gentler slopes corresponding

Question 15

Shoreline platform at Robin Hoods Bay

Answer 15

High energy waves and active erosion - > cliffs retreating -> leaving rocky shore platform RH bay -> eroded into lower Lias shales - > sloping at 1 degree with some sections going up to 15 degrees with max. width of 500m -> extends into the off-shore zone - > based on current rates of erosion + retreat could’ve been formed in the last 6000 years

Yet - > some experts relict feats - > formed in a glacial period.

Question 16

Headlands and Bays

Answer 16

Discordant Landform - > Robin Hood bay - > eroded to weak shale with more resistance sandstone forming either side - > formed ravenscar headland to the south + Ness point to the north.

Filey bay - > weak kimmerdige clay - > flanked by more resistant limestone and chalk

Prominent headland at Flamborough is formed of chalk - > deep bays either side formed of clay.

Question 17

Landforms on headland

Answer 17

Due to wave refraction - > wave energy is concentrated on resistant headlands that projects into the North Sea - > weaknesses like large joints of faults exposed - > exploited by the erosive action of waves - > enlarging to form caves and arches - > e.g Selwick bay at flamborough head - > master joint in the chalk enlarged

Question 18

landforms on headlands ( stack )

Answer 18

Green stack pinnacle - > isolated at the end of headland -> after collapse of arch roof

Question 19

Beaches - landforms (evaluation) + influence of LSD

Answer 19

elsewhere shingle and sediment accumulate slowly - > due to low input of sediment from rivers and + slow rate of erosion of the resistant rock
High energy waves - > remove sediment - > before it can accumulate
LSD -> is considerable yet due to the coastlines lack of spits + other drift aligned features - > mainly due to the 4m tidal range and lack of eustarine features contributing to sediment sinks

Question 20

landforms on headlands ( Geos + Blowholes)

Answer 20

over 50 gets have formed along this coastline - > most aligned to NE / NNE - they face the dominate wave direction

Blowholes have developed where vertical master joints in the chalk have been enlarged - > chalk and boulder clay have collapsed into underlying sea caves - > leaving funnel shaped depressions on the cliffs tops.

I.e - north side of selwick bay - > blowholes have merged + intervening chalk has collapsed - > producing a complex inlet

Question 21

Beaches - landforms

Answer 21

Few very well developed beaches along the coastline - > best examples found in sheltered low energy environments ( Scarborough + Filey Bay) .

Question 22

Beaches - landforms influence of LSD

Answer 22

LSD -> is considerable yet due to the coastlines lack of spits + other drift aligned features - > mainly due to the 4m tidal range and lack of eustarine features contributing to sediment sinks