Explore how waves shape the coastline, creating cliffs, caves, arches and beaches.
A coast is the boundary where land meets the sea, and it is one of the most dynamic and constantly changing environments on Earth. Coasts are shaped mainly by the power of waves. Waves carry enormous energy that erodes (wears away) the land, creating dramatic landforms over thousands of years. When waves attack a cliff, they can hollow out a cave; continued erosion breaks through the cave to form an arch; eventually the arch collapses, leaving an isolated pillar of rock called a stack. Material eroded from cliffs — sand, shingle and pebbles — is transported along the coast by waves and deposited in calmer areas, forming beaches and sand bars. The UK has around 17,800 km of coastline — one of the longest in Europe — including dramatic cliff landscapes like the White Cliffs of Dover and beautiful sandy beaches. Many coastal areas are being eroded rapidly by the sea and face the additional challenge of rising sea levels. To protect settlements and farmland, people build sea walls, groynes and rock armour.
