Around The Coast Of Britain 2025

The coastline of the United Kingdom is
formed by a variety of natural features including islands, bays, headlands
and peninsulas. It consists of the coastline of the island of Great
Britain, the north-east coast of the island of Ireland, as well as a large
number of much smaller islands. Much of the coastline is accessible and quite
varied in geography and habitats. Large stretches have been designated areas of
natural beauty. The course will look at the geological background to many of
our coastlines, the physical geographical processes operating and the social
and historical context of many of the UK's tourist resorts.

 

Week 1 the Jurassic coast

The site is a 95 mile stretch of the
south coast from Exmouth in east Devon to Studland in Dorset. A world
heritage site. A look at the geological background, fossil hunting, geological
formations, Chesil beach and the major tourist attractions such as Lulworth
cove, Exmouth. Sidmouth in the west to Bournemouth in the east.

 

Week 2 the north Norfolk
coast

A look at the stretch of coastline from the
wash to Great Yarmouth. Investigating the link to the last ice age, coastal
erosion of the clay cliff line, the effect of the 1953 north sea flood, and
tourist attractions of Hunstanton, Cromer, Sheringham, Great Yarmouth.

 

Week 3 the north and east
coast of Yorkshire

An investigation of the stretch of coastline from Whitby
and Scarborough in the north to the Humber estuary in the south. The lesson
will look at aspects of coastal erosion and deposition and the many
disappearing villages as well as the famous spurn head point spit.

 

Week 4 Antrim coastline in
Ireland

A classic geological spectacle and world heritage
site, Giant’s Causeway, an investigation of how this igneous feature formed,
its significance as a tourist attraction. Other places of interest the Gobbins,
Magilligan Point, cities of Belfast and Derry.

 

Week 5 the Fylde coast.

The Fylde coast is a coastal plain in west Lancs
bounded by Morecambe bay, the Ribble estuary to the south and the Irish sea to
the west. The importance of sand dunes, their formation and coastal protection.
Tourist attractions of Southport, Blackpool and Lytham St Annes.

 

Week 6 the north Cornish
coast

Exposure to westerly storms and pounding surf has
given rise to the famously dramatic scenery of Cornwall's north coast, a
landscape with arches and sea caves carved and sculpted by the sea, and made
all the more exciting by the numerous tales of smuggling and wrecking that
abound in her coves and caves.  A look at Newquay and St Agnes.

 

Week 7 the Thames estuary

The Thames estuary is the estuary in which the
river Thames meets the waters of the North Sea. This estuary is of major
significance for the port of London and we will look at the Thames flood
barrier and sea-level rise, Canvey island as well as the Kent/ Essex straight.

 

Week 8 Kent and east Sussex
coast

Although the southeast corner of the UK coastline
is not quite so popular as the rest of the south coast it still attracts a
great many visitors. Many of these are heading out to Europe via the channel
ports of Dover and Folkestone to France and the rest of Europe. However, the
area has its own attractions chalk cliffs and Seven Sisters.

 

Week 9 Northumberland
coast

In the far north eastern part of England from Berwick
to Holy Island, Bamburgh beach, to Seahouses and the nature reserve of the
Farne Isles. This coastline has plenty of tourist attractions to investigate.

 

Week 10 the Pembrokeshire
coast. The Pembrokeshire coastal path and the Pembrokeshire
national park. Tenby, Milford Haven, and Castlemartin.

 

Week 11 the Channel
Islands. Jersey, Guernsey, Sark and Herne. The geology and
the historical aspect of the Second World War.

 

Week 12 the future of the
British coastline

What will be the effects of climate change and sea
level change?