Weak swash, strong backwash.

Find out more about destructive waves.

Soft engineering does not involve building artificial structures but takes a more sustainable and natural approach to manage the coast.

Find out more about soft engineering techniques.

A bar is a ridge of sand or single that joins two headlands either side of a bay.

Find out more about landforms of coastal deposition.

Waves hitting the base of a cliff causes leads to air compression in cracks, joints and folds in bedding planes, causing repeated changes in air pressure. As air rushes out of the crack when the wave retreats, it leads to an explosive effect as pressure is released. This process is supported further by the weakening effect of weathering. The material breaks off cliffs, sometimes in huge chunks. This process is known as hydraulic action.

Find out more about coastal erosion.

Weathering is the breakdown of rock in situ by the action of rainwater, extremes of temperature, and biological activity.

Find out more about weathering.