EAST YORKSHIRE COASTAL EROSION

This page summarises data collected since the start in 2003 of regular measurement of cliff loss at all monitoring locations along the coast as conducted by East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC).

Also listed are total losses and annual averages for the period from the first Ordnance Survey (carried out between 1852 and 1854) to the latest full year.

go straight to the summary

monitoring locations

The map shows Shoreline Management Plan (SMP3) bands with corresponding groups of erosion monitoring profiles, maintained by the Council.

Cliff recession is monitored along these profiles, which are notional lines spaced at 500 metre intervals (there are three exceptions) along the coastline and which extend from a point a little distance behind the cliff to a position out to sea. Details of locations, intervals between profiles, and cliff heights may be obtained from the coordinates spreadsheet.

A background to data collection is available at data in detail.

Show monitoring locations
in Google Earth:

right click Temporary Places > Add > Network Link
at Link, insert
https://urbanrim.org.uk/GE-monitoring-locations.kml
OK
click on Untitled Network Link
Pins Pr1 to Pr123 mark cliff top positions of monitoring profiles
Pins EP1 to EP120 mark locations of erosion posts (former system)
circled dots mark cliff top positions in 2003

Show monitoring profiles
on a map:

go to ERYC Coastal Explorer Interactive Map
click on icon at far right of green toolbar (Layer List)
tick ‘Beach Profiles’
drag and zoom as required

Measurements are carried out in autumn and spring in order to capture change over summer and winter. Sometimes it is more convenient for comparative purposes to work in complete years, when each year is deemed to run from spring of one year to spring the following year.

the summary

Monitoring profiles are presented in numerical order, from north to south, with brief descriptions of locations.

Where there are incomplete runs of data since 1854, the total in the final section reflects what is available, and the annual average is calculated accordingly.

All measurements are given in metres. There may be the occasional insignificant rounding difference.

◀ smaller screens ▶

profile number and location

2003 to 2022
(20 years)

since 1854
(169 years)

total / average

highest

total / average

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123

South Riviera Drive - Sewerby [ data starts at 2003 ]
North of Bridlington defences [ data starts at 2003 ]
Bridlington frontage
Bridlington frontage
Bridlington frontage
Bridlington frontage
Bridlington frontage
South of Bridlington defences
South Shore holiday village - Wilsthorpe
South end of Wilsthorpe
North of Auburn Farm
Opposite Auburn Farm [ data starts at 1908 ]
South of Auburn Farm [ data starts at 1908 ]
North of Earls Dyke - Barmston
South of Earl's Dyke - Barmston
Watermill Grounds - north of Barmston
Opposite Hamilton Hill - north of Barmston
North of Barmston Beach holiday park
South of Sands Lane - Barmston
Opposite Barmston outfall
Opposite Brickdale - south of Barmston
North boundary of Seaside caravan park - Ulrome
South end of Seaside caravan park - Ulrome
Opposite Southfield Lane - Ulrome/Skipsea
North end of Green Lane - Skipsea
South of Green Lane - Skipsea
Opposite Skipsea
Cliff Road (Hornsea Road) - south of Skipsea
South of Skipsea Withow
Golf course - north of Skirlington
North end of Low Skirlington caravan park
Within Low Skirlington caravan park
South end of Low Skirlington caravan park
North end of Long Lane - Atwick
Opposite Long Lane - Atwick
Opposite Cliff Road - Atwick
South of Atwick
North of Atwick Gap (boat club ramp) - Hornsea
North end of Cliff Road - Hornsea
South of Nutana Avenue - Hornsea
North end of Hornsea frontage
Hornsea frontage
Hornsea frontage
Hornsea frontage
Caravan park to south of defences
South of Hornsea
Rolston firing range
Opposite Rolston
South end of former holiday camp - Rolston
North of Mappleton
Mappleton (defences since 1991)
South of Mappleton
Between Mappleton and Cowden
North of Eelmere Lane - Cowden
South end of Cowden
North end of MOD site - Cowden
Within MOD site - Cowden
Within MOD site - Cowden
Within MOD site - Cowden
South end of MOD site - Cowden
South of MOD site Cowden
North of Aldbrough
South of Aldbrough
North of Hill Top Farm - south of Aldbrough
South of Hill Top Farm - south of Aldbrough
Opposite East Newton
Between East Newton and Ringbrough
Opposite Ringbrough
South of Ringbrough
South of Ringbrough
North of Garton
South of Garton
Opposite Grimston Park
South of Grimston Park
North of Hilston
Opposite Hilston
North of Pastures Lane - Tunstall
North end of Pastures Lane - Tunstall
Opposite Pastures Lane - Tunstall
North of Tunstall
South of Tunstall
North of Sand-le-Mere holiday village
South of Sand-le-Mere holiday village
South of Sand-le-Mere
Opposite Redhouse Farm - Waxholme
North of Waxholme
South of Waxholme
Between Waxholme and Withernsea
North of Withernsea defences
Withernsea frontage
Withernsea frontage
Withernsea frontage
Withernsea frontage
South of Turner Avenue - Withernsea [ data to 2019 ]
South of Golden Sands holiday park - Withernsea
North of Intack Farm - Hollym
Opposite sewage works off Holmpton Road
North of Nevilles Farm - Holmpton
North of The Runnell - Holmpton
North of Holmpton village
Opposite Holmpton village
South of Holmpton village
South of Holmpton village
North of Out Newton
Opposite Out Newton
South of Out Newton
Dimlington High Land
South of Dimlington High Land
Between Dimlington High Land and Easington
North of Easington [ data to 1999 ]
Easington [ data to 1998 ]
Easington [ data to 1998 ]
South of Easington
Opposite Seaside Road - Easington
Easington/Kilnsea lagoons [ data to 1994 ]
Easington/Kilnsea lagoons [ data to 1994 ]
Easington/Kilnsea lagoons [ data to 1994 ]
South end of lagoons - Kilnsea
North of Godwin Battery site - Kilnsea
South of Blue Bell - Kilnsea
Between Kilnsea and Spurn
North end of Spurn
Neck of Spurn peninsula [data to October 2013]

3.42
0.50

0.00
0.70
0.60
10.44
12.87
14.77
21.27
19.42
25.53
26.44
16.71
17.24
10.07
28.87
26.32
17.08
29.16
37.60
27.00
29.85
39.04
36.12
26.65
10.71
25.40
20.72
15.10
12.29
20.81
15.33
14.71
15.40
7.65
0.00

47.20
48.39
56.59
46.24
34.75
19.21
0.98
34.59
54.26
44.24
38.59
31.27
40.01
38.77
28.06
45.46
41.55
43.05
38.12
38.05
48.06
41.65
42.76
39.99
42.79
45.24
44.90
45.41
51.50
37.94
39.73
38.02
49.00
47.48
53.61
51.62
36.71
43.44
41.96
54.99
44.67
34.09
31.54
30.85
11.23

55.87
103.20
105.95
114.30
85.11
52.43
35.64
35.39
37.14
23.26
32.53
19.06
25.01
25.74
21.31
22.89

24.28
20.59

17.31
19.64
33.57
26.29
9.78
16.58

0.17
0.03

0.00
0.04
0.03
0.52
0.64
0.74
1.06
0.97
1.28
1.32
0.84
0.86
0.50
1.44
1.32
0.85
1.46
1.88
1.35
1.49
1.95
1.81
1.33
0.54
1.27
1.04
0.76
0.61
1.04
0.77
0.74
0.77
0.38
0.00

2.36
2.42
2.83
2.31
1.74
0.96
0.05
1.73
2.71
2.21
1.93
1.56
2.00
1.94
1.40
2.27
2.08
2.15
1.91
1.90
2.40
2.08
2.14
2.00
2.14
2.26
2.25
2.27
2.58
1.90
1.99
1.90
2.45
2.37
2.68
2.58
1.84
2.17
2.10
2.75
2.23
1.70
1.58
1.54
0.56

3.29
5.16
5.30
5.72
4.26
2.62
1.78
1.77
1.86
1.16
1.63
0.95
1.25
1.29
1.07
1.14

1.21
1.03

0.87
0.98
1.68
1.31
0.49
1.51

1.16
0.29

0.50
0.60
3.20
8.03
2.57
3.53
5.00
6.54
6.86
4.61
3.77
2.64
9.58
6.77
3.10
7.28
5.84
4.58
6.73
7.50
11.05
5.65
3.39
8.04
4.39
4.45
2.90
6.19
5.16
3.69
3.97
3.01

7.02
5.76
7.44
6.24
6.69
3.77
0.98
6.11
6.84
8.33
6.96
10.30
9.20
7.31
5.76
12.30
7.60
8.13
10.82
9.07
10.29
6.90
6.94
9.56
10.35
9.33
11.27
9.48
9.46
6.89
7.70
7.79
10.03
11.47
14.20
9.55
6.93
9.30
15.79
12.20
11.47
6.08
10.59
7.01
4.43

8.74
16.01
14.31
15.73
11.80
25.05
9.66
5.70
6.37
5.23
8.48
6.26
4.75
11.41
11.66
5.50

5.47
4.17

7.31
5.84
6.26
6.92
4.82
6.00

2022
2006

2003
2004
2003
2013
2007
2017
2005
2007
2005
2021
2007
2007
2007
2007
2021
2005
2006
2007
2010
2010
2012
2017
2021
2017
2019
2012
2004
2009
2006
2014
2008
2017

2007
2010
2012
2009
2017
2018
2007
2006
2019
2022
2017
2022
2004
2012
2007
2010
2004
2008
2012
2014
2007
2004
2008
2005
2006
2012
2007
2005
2013
2009
2017
2017
2021
2012
2004
2015
2016
2017
2007
2019
2008
2010
2010
2012
2016

2010
2019
2021
2006
2004
2007
2007
2004
2020
2019
2015
2016
2007
2014
2019
2022

2010
2009

2008
2009
2007
2021
2021
2006

3.42
0.50

118.20
66.60
70.80
51.54
43.37
69.27
112.27
155.62
175.33
177.24
204.21
245.54
234.87
275.88
286.52
265.88
250.66
259.60
256.00
212.15
214.64
180.02
174.85
170.51
185.20
176.12
185.50
180.59
159.01
177.43
138.61
130.01
89.35
68.00

314.90
350.99
326.19
325.44
306.05
256.51
222.78
273.91
324.16
300.75
318.79
292.67
308.31
285.07
253.16
265.06
245.25
224.25
225.72
232.75
224.66
210.65
203.16
192.49
216.29
212.14
233.00
213.71
220.10
204.54
200.53
192.72
188.90
184.68
177.31
162.22
147.31
156.14
119.46
176.69
173.87
173.49
148.44
131.45
92.55

395.07
387.11
332.85
307.60
301.61
273.31
259.04
254.79
244.04
249.16
245.26
239.76
254.89
271.14
265.23
250.99
254.48
246.43
237.90
274.11
262.49
331.20
411.40
380.20
445.50
374.59
353.65
381.77
307.52
200.23

0.17
0.03

0.70
0.39
0.42
0.30
0.38
0.60
0.66
0.92
1.04
1.05
1.21
1.45
1.39
1.63
1.70
1.57
1.48
1.54
1.51
1.26
1.27
1.07
1.03
1.01
1.10
1.04
1.10
1.07
0.94
1.05
0.82
0.77
0.53
0.40

1.86
2.08
1.93
1.93
1.81
1.52
1.32
1.62
1.92
1.78
1.89
1.73
1.82
1.69
1.50
1.57
1.45
1.33
1.34
1.38
1.33
1.25
1.20
1.14
1.28
1.26
1.38
1.26
1.30
1.21
1.19
1.14
1.12
1.09
1.05
0.96
0.87
0.92
0.71
1.05
1.03
1.03
0.88
0.78
0.55

2.38
2.29
1.97
1.82
1.78
1.62
1.53
1.51
1.44
1.47
1.45
1.42
1.51
1.60
1.57
1.49
1.74
1.70
1.64
1.62
1.55
2.35
2.92
2.70
2.64
2.22
2.09
2.26
1.82
1.25

maximum cliff losses

The above summary applies to cliff loss at monitoring profiles, which in effect represent sampling points. However, a major loss may occur anywhere between profiles. Such an event can be identified by comparing cliff lines. A separate summary is provided at the following link.

cliff lines

averages

An average rate of loss for the entire coastline over the period 2003 to 2022 (20 years) is 1.39 metres per year.

If protected sections are removed from the total length, the rate for unprotected cliff during the same period is 1.64 metres per year

Winter accounts for 68.58% of total losses, and summer 31.42%.

annual variation

Average rates of erosion can mask wide annual variations. The chart below depicts the period of the summary.

For comparative seasonal variation see activity index.

data in detail – background to data collection

erosion calculator [download] – 1852 to 2022

all cliff loss data – menu

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more on East Yorkshire coastal erosion

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Page prepared by Brian Williams in 2013. Last update September 2023.

East Yorkshire coastal erosion

data summary