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 Geography South Coast Trip

 Geographers set out to explore popular tourist destinations, including Beachy Head and Cuckmere Haven, and also to deep dive into the ‘Coasts’ topic of the A-level curriculum. The East Sussex coastline is a scenic marvel, particularly in the sunshine.

Perching on top of the old Fort, the trip began in Newhaven. Topics discussed included sea-level change, medieval trade, geomorphological processes and wave energy. The main observation was the historic (and active) battle between human management and marine processes. Seahaven was the next stop, where the pebble beach, chalk landforms and use of groynes became a focus of conversation. At Cuckmere Haven, tidal estuaries and saltmarshes were explored and at Birling Gap, evidence of mass movement kept the group firmly away from the crumbling coombe rock.

Throughout the day, pupils were tasked with considering the difficulties of managing the coast as one entity, rather than discrete units. Trying to find a delicate balance between preserving nature and protecting homes, in an era marked by changing climate, is certainly a challenge. Pupils considered the competing viewpoints of different stakeholders and assessed the success of different schemes over time.