2 - MAN MADE SEA DEFENCES IN NORTH NORFOLK

Here you will find digital images of sea defences made by man.These photos were taken on the north Norfolk coastline between Sheringham and West Runton. To locate this area on a map click here.
Man has been attempting to slow down the rapid rate of erosion in this area for over one hundred years. Sea defence systems are very expensive. Therefore, the defences are restricted to particular areas of coast such as those close to towns and villages.The sea defences must be continually maintained if they are to be effective. The sea defences are in turn eroded by the sea. Click on the thumbnail images for larger image files that will appear in a new window.

Images 1
Cliff Erosion
Images 2
Sea Defences
Images 3
Defence Repair
Images 4
Cromer
Low sea wall.
Low sea wall made of concrete and groynes protect this area of Trimingham to the east of Cromer.
Wooden groynes.
The groynes at this point are wooden and made from old railway sleepers. They prevent the beach being carried away by longshore drift.
Next to Cromer Pier
This north facing photograph shows the effectiveness of the wooden groyne. Longshore drift is prevented from carrying beach material to the east. How does the beach depth either side of the groyne show this?
Rock Armour
This is a very expensive option to the wooden defence. Here hard rock boulders brought from highland Britain have been placed on the coast to prevent rapid erosion.
How long before the sea claims the hotel?
Here, at Sheringham, an expensive concrete sea wall has been built. In front of the sea wall expensive rock armour boulders have been placed. They protect buildings like the hotel on the cliff.
Holiday makers are more likely to visit a town with a good beach.
To protect the beach at Sheringham most of the groynes are made of expensive rock armour. Why would a seaside resort like Sheringham need to protect the beach?
Sea defences are expensive to build and MAINTAIN.
The sea wall protects the houses of the town as well as the hotels. Part of this sea wall has collapsed and needs repair.
Change of sea defence types.
At the edge of Sheringham town the type of sea defence changes.Rock armour gives way to cheaper defences made of wood.Why?

Coastal Management of sea defence.
Concrete sea walls reduce wave energy but are expensive to build and maintain.
Rock armour (rip-rap) is when large hard rock boulders are placed in front of sea walls and sometimes used as groynes. Expensive and ugly.
Groynes are walls built at right angles to the coast. They are traditionally made of wooden railway sleepers but they can be made of rock armour. They stop beach migration.
Gabions are wire netted blocks of medium sized pieces of hard rock. Expensive and can be ugly.
Revetments are slatted and angled low wooden walls parallel to the beach. They act to absorb wave energy and protect soft cliffs. Ugly and liable to rapid damage.
Images 1
Cliff Erosion
Images 2
Sea Defences
Images 3
Defence Repair
Images 4
Cromer

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