Coastal Case Studies

At A-Level, AQA requires you to study coastal environments at different scales and in different contexts. This lesson brings together detailed case studies that integrate the processes, landforms and management strategies covered throughout this course. Strong case study knowledge — with specific data, named places and evaluative commentary — is essential for achieving the highest grades.

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Case Study 1: The Holderness Coast, East Yorkshire

The Holderness coast is arguably the most important single case study for AQA Coastal Systems and Landscapes. It illustrates rapid erosion, sediment transport, deposition, management conflicts and the systems approach in a single, coherent example.

Physical Characteristics

Feature	Detail
Location	East coast of England, between Flamborough Head and Spurn Point
Length	Approximately 60 km
Geology	Primarily glacial till (boulder clay) deposited during the Devensian glaciation (~26,000-13,000 years ago)
Wave environment	Exposed to waves from the North Sea; maximum fetch ~800 km (to Norway); prevailing waves from the north-east
Tidal range	Macrotidal (approximately 5 m spring range)
Average retreat rate	1.8 m/year (one of the fastest in Europe)