Location

The area known as Spurn forms the southern extremity of the Holderness coast and includes the unique feature of Spurn Head, a sand and shingle spit 5.5km long, reaching across the mouth of the Humber.

Geology

Spurn is made up of the material which has been transported along the Holderness Coast. This includes sand, sediment and shingle.

Coastal Features

(This is an aerial photograph of Spurn Head. It has been kindly donated by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust . Copyright is owned by the Trust)

The spit forms a sweeping curve which continues the line of the coast. The sand which forms the spit has been transported along the Holderness Coast by longshore drift. The energy in the waves transporting the material reduces where the North Sea meets the Humber Estuary. As a result the material is deposited. This process is known as deposition.