TRIMINGHAM BEACH REVISITED    2023

Following the article about the beach and erosion in 2019 this is a repeat visit and gives an update to the continuing situation here at Trimingham.

One thing to mention is the effect of the sand-scaping scheme that took place at Bacton in 2018 and this has had the effect of reducing the natural longshore drift and has resulted in deep sandy beaches throughout the year and where there used to be low and stony beaches at this time of year, usually at a level exposing the metal piles at the base of the revetments, the sand level is at around three boards from the top of the revetments. This is the case at the eastern end of the beach but not so much at the western end, as will be seen in the following photos.

The Gap at Marl point and the high sand beach here now. (Jan 2023)

This is the area below the caravan site which in 2019 saw a large cliff fall. All of the fallen cliff material has been washed away and as can be seen the timber revetment is broken off at beach level where the cliff fall was.

There is still a lot of material and water coming out of the cliff here and there could well be further falls here.

The fresh water spring still flows below Beacon Road, but it seems to be at a much slower rate than in 2019, and looking to the left there appears to be water coming from the cliff over the clay sediment. It is possible the water flow here has been diverted.

The perimeter fence to the old RAF site. A few more posts have lost their foundation and have slipped over the edge. This area is very sandy and, although held by grassy vegetation, it continues to slip and slump down the cliff face.

Cliff Farm “still on the edge”. At this time of year surface water slides the loose top layers of the cliff down over the harder boulder clay towards the beach, where the sea breaching the defences washes it away.

The beach area bellow Cliff Farm. In 2019 the piece of sea defence on the left was 25mts from the base of the cliff, it is now 40mts!. This is mainly due to the fact that the missing timber revetment allows the sea to wash through to the cliff base and take the fallen cliff material away.

Two views behind the concrete part of the defences. The truck chassis came from a wrecked DUKW. (ex-military amphibious vehicle). It washed up here in the late 1980`s after breaking down with engine problems at sea. It had been used for pleasure trips around Cromer pier. The rail tracks were part of the sea defence work where a rail system was used to bring concrete from a mixing plant on Marl point at the gangway. The tracks and other material have not been exposed here for several years.

With the timber revetment here all missing the sea now gets over and behind the concrete wall and is now eroding away the foundations. These two photos show the state of the defences now and none of this area was exposed or damaged in this way in 2019.

Two more views showing the erosion under the concrete defences in the area stretching from roughly below Cliff Farm to the old Loop road. There is also a lot of surface water coming from the cliff in this area, especially below the old Crown & Anchor hotel site and Middle Street.

The sea side of the defences and the under-mining of the promenade can clearly be seen. The concrete pad had dropped here in 2019, but only by a small amount. The metal sheet piles protrude by half a metre now and are being worn away by the action of the waves.

The last 150mts of defence at the west of the beach, the only intact piece of revetment now remaining. This stretch works as originally intended, a beach is retained in front covering the concrete and the cliff is stable with a covering of vegetation.

The abrasive action of the sand and sea can clearly be seen at the base of this timber groyne.

The end of the defences at the west of the beach and the damage that occurred in the 2013 storm surge. A bit more distorted than in 2019 with the sea now getting under the concrete pad and the metal piles being folded over.

There is a footpath to the beach here which has been in this location for number of years, although some of the steps have to be relocated each summer season when the cliffs dry out.

The old wrecked marker buoy at the west of the beach which is a little further down the beach than in 2019 and corrosion continues to eat it away.