GCSE Geography (Edexcel A)

Topic Summaries

Management strategies for coastal landscapes

Case study – features of coastlines

Dorset coastline, England
Swange Bay (headland and bay)
  • The area around Swanage is a discordant coastline, made of alternating bands of hard rock (chalk and limestone) and soft rock (clay and sand). 
  • Soft rock erodes faster, forming bays like Swanage Bay. 
  • Hard rock erodes slower, forming headlands like Ballard Point and Durlston Head.
Old Harry Rocs
  • Old Harry Rocks are made of chalk (hard rock) that sticks out into the sea.
  • Erosion (hydraulic action and abrasion) has created features like stacks (Old Harry) and stumps (collapsed stacks).
  • The chalk is exposed to high-energy waves, making it vulnerable to further erosion.
Chesil Beach Bar
  • Chesil Beach is a bar formed by longshore drift, where sediment has been deposited over time. It connects the mainland to the Isle of Portland, behind which is a lagoon.

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