Why are the cliffs at Hunstanton red?
The Red Rock is actually chalk – the red colour comes from iron pigments. The red chalk is very rich in fossils (including ammonites and belemnites). The top of it, and the base of the overlying white chalk, are bioturbated by shrimp burrows. The white chalk was also laid down in deep marine conditions.
Why are the cliffs at Hunstanton retreating?
Erosion of the cliff face by water flowing from drainage pipes which daylight directly onto the cliff face. Of these mechanisms, the majority of the cliff erosion of Hunstanton Cliff is due to wave action / erosion at the base of the cliff.
How old are the cliffs at Hunstanton?
between 135 and 70 million years ago
During the Cretaceous geological period, between 135 and 70 million years ago, the cliffs were under the sea, and are rich in fossils formed from the dead creatures which fell onto the seabed. Fossils are found in the chalky layers of Hunstanton cliffs.
What are the rocks at Hunstanton?
At Hunstanton, the Lower Chalk overlies a conspicuous bed called the Hunstanton Red Rock (or Red Chalk). Although these two beds are different in appearance, a mineral analysis shows that there is a gradual passage between them, which is one of the reason why the Red Rock is also known as the ‘Red Chalk’.
Why are cliffs striped?
These stripes vary in colour at different heights above the beach level. They reflect the colonisation of the rock surface by different kinds of organism. They represent groups of plants and animals which are more able or less able to live where they are subject to exposure to air and to sea water.
What are Norfolk cliffs made of?
The north Norfolk cliffs These are basically comprised of a contorted mix of silts, sands, clays and gravels that were deposited during the glacial and interglacial phases of the last 2 million years.
At what rate are the cliffs being eroded at Hunstanton?
three metres every ten years
Hunstanton cliffs are undefended and eroding at an average rate of three metres every ten years. The ongoing cliff erosion provides an important geological interest and landscape feature, and has a positive (but limited) impact as a source of beach material for Units B and C.
Is Hunstanton good for fossils?
A single visit to Hunstanton is sufficient to locate a range of marine fossils, in particular ammonites, belemnites, echinoids, brachiopods, bivalves, sponges, worm tubes, corals and crustacean burrows. Less common finds include shark teeth and occasionally parts of the cartilage skeleton, and fish bones/skeletons.
How is red chalk formed?
Known as the Ferriby Chalk Formation, this layer is approximately 10 meters thick and largely comprised of the skeletal remains of planktonic algae known as coccolithophores which accumulated to form a white ooze on the seafloor. This soft sediment was later compacted and hardened to form chalk.
Why is the north Norfolk coast eroding so fast?
There are several reasons why the coast at Happisburgh is eroding so rapidly: Rock type – the cliffs are made from less resistant boulder clay (made from sands and clays) which slumps when wet. This narrows unprotected beaches elsewhere even further, as new sand does not come down to replace sand eroded by waves.
Are there rock pools in Hunstanton?
Rock pools are the result of rocky coasts, so are less prevalent on Norfolk’s soft beaches. They can be found near Cretaceous chalk and flint deposits, such as those beaches in and around Sheringham, Cromer, and Hunstanton. Rock pools are like portals to the bottom of the ocean, teeming with wildlife to be found.
Are there rock pools at Hunstanton?
Hunstanton has broad sandy beaches and there are plenty of rock pools to explore at the base of the cliffs and around the groynes. It is the only coastal town in East Anglia to face west, and is renowned for its sunsets over the sea.
What to do in the Hunstanton Cliffs area?
During a visit to the cliffs you can have fun discovering the history and nature of the area by looking for fossils, hunting for creatures in the rock pools or taking a stroll to view the old buildings perched on the cliff top.
Why are the cliffs at Hunstanton red and white?
The famous red and white striped cliffs at Hunstanton are an eye-catching attraction. The stripes are caused by layers of different coloured rock.
What kind of fossils are on Hunstanton cliffs?
It is a Geological Conservation Review site. These eroding cliffs expose a mid- Cretaceous sequence from the Albian to the succeeding Cenomanian around 100 million years ago, with exceptionally rich Albian ammonite fossils. Biological interest is provided by a colony of breeding fulmars on the cliff face.
What kind of birds live on Hunstanton cliffs?
The cliffs are colonised by fulmars – birds which look like gulls but are in fact petrels. You will see pairs of these birds on their nests scattered along the entire length of the cliffs or circling in the air nearby.