6th Form Students on Geography fieldwork
The advancement of Geographical skills as well as brushing up on coastal case studies before the summer examinations was the purpose of the recent trip to the Isle of Purbeck for our Year 12 Geography students.
During their three day visit the students were taken to some of the finest coastal scenery in the UK (if not the world?) and were able to see how coastal management has been conducted along Christchurch Bay from Hengistbury Head to Hurst Castle Spit.
The geology of the Purbeck coast was explored late on the first day as the students were shown Old Harry Rocks at the chalk headland of Hand-fast Point and many could not believe that this band of chalk once joined with the Needles on the Isle of Wight forming a land bridge before sea levels rose af-ter the last Ice Age.
The importance of the geology along the coast from Exmouth in Devon to Old Harry Rocks in Dorset has resulted in the area being branded a ‘UNESCO World Heritage Site’ and as such, puts the area on a par with places such as the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef. The importance of the area was not lost on the students as they explored Swanage, Portland Bill, Chesil Beach, Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove and Stair Hole.
The group conducted a beach survey at Ringstead Bay, which will enable them to answer a sizeable section of their skills paper in June.
Despite a very early start on the final day, the enthusiasm of the students did not diminish as they were given the opportunity to attempt rock climbing and abseiling along the limestone cliffs at Dancing Ledge in what was a fine culmination to a superb three days.