Natural Archs
Bwa Gwyn (White Arch) & Bwa Du (Black Arch)
Bwa Gwyn and Bwa Du are both superb natural archs at the coast path near Rhoscolyn, Anglesey in North Wales. Please visit both locations, make your own observations an answer the following questions:
- Describe the structure and surrounding rock of the White Arch Bwa Gwyn. How big is the passage approximately (height, width, depth)? What type of rock could it be?
- Please compare the White Arch with the Black Arch (see waypoints). What differences can you notice?
- How was both archs created?
- What other coastal erosion landform features can you see in the surrounding area?
- Please take two photos of yourself or a personal item: One showing the Bwa Gwyn and the other showing Bwa Du (see example photos below) and attach them to your log.
Coastal erosion landform features
Coastal erosional landforms come in many shapes and sizes, some of which you may have seen before. This is due to the combination of the rock type and erosional processes, such as abrasion, attrition and hydraulic action that take place within destructive waves. Along a coastline, all three main types of erosional processes will take place, and this means you can often find multiple different erosional landforms on the same coastline. These landforms are cliffs, wave cut platforms, headlands, bays, caves, arches, stacks and stumps.
Arches are an extension of caves. After continual erosion of the cave, eventually, the water will erode entirely through the headland so that that water can flow completely through the arch from one side of the headland to the other.
Please send me the answers via the contact form of my GC profile or the message function. Afterwards you can log directly, you do not have to wait for a log-release. Please don't forget to upload your pictures.