Shingle beach
A steep, narrow beach of smooth, waterworn gravel.
A shingle beach, also known as a cobble beach or gravel beach, is a commonly narrow beach composed of coarse, loose, well-rounded, and waterworn gravel called shingle. The gravel typically consists of smooth, spheroidal to flattened pebbles, cobbles, and sometimes small boulders, generally in the 2 to 20 centimeters size range. Shingle beaches typically have a steep slope on both their landward and seaward sides. They form in wave-dominated locations where resistant bedrock cliffs provide gravel-sized rock debris, and are also found in high latitudes and temperate shores where erosion of Quaternary glacial deposits provides gravel-size rock fragments. This term is most widely used in Great Britain.
- type
- Geological feature
- also_known_as
- Cobble beach, gravel beach
- primary_material
- Shingle (gravel, pebbles, cobbles, small boulders)
- typical_size_range
- 2 to 20 centimeters
- common_region
- Great Britain, Europe, Bahrain, North America, New Zealand
- key_characteristic
- Steep slope on both landward and seaward sides
Lore & Background
Shingle beaches are formed in wave-dominated locations where resistant bedrock cliffs provide gravel-sized rock debris. They are also found in high latitudes and temperate shores where the erosion of Quaternary glacial deposits provides gravel-size rock fragments. The term is most widely used in Great Britain, though examples occur in Europe, Bahrain, North America, and other regions such as the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, where they are associated with the shingle fans of braided rivers. Post-glacial rebound can raise shingle beaches as high as 200 meters above sea level, as on the High Coast in Sweden.
Reader's Guide
Shingle beaches are significant because they represent a distinct coastal landform shaped by wave action and sediment supply. Their steep profile results from waves easily flowing through the coarse, porous surface, decreasing backwash erosion and promoting sediment accumulation into a steep slope. The ecosystems formed by this association of rock and sand allow colonization by a variety of rare and endangered species. Shingle beaches are rare and popular for the varying rock types that can be found, as the ocean naturally smooths the rocks over time. Their presence in elevated positions due to post-glacial rebound provides evidence of past sea levels and geological processes. Understanding these beaches aids in coastal protection, as noted by the British Geological Survey's work on gravel barriers in a changing climate.
Did You Know?
- Shingle beaches are also known as cobble beaches or gravel beaches.
- The gravel typically ranges from 2 to 20 centimeters in size.
- Post-glacial rebound can raise shingle beaches as high as 200 meters above sea level.
- Shingle beaches are found on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, associated with braided river shingle fans.
More in Coastal & Marine Geology 1-21
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