Important Safety and Conservation Notice
Bacton is an actively changing coastline. Please:
- Keep to the public beach and access points; do not climb sea defences or private property.
- Be tide aware – the beach can narrow significantly at high tide.
- Respect warning signs and avoid fenced or restricted areas.
Designations: This section of Bacton beach is public access and not within an SSSI. The sandscaping scheme is designed to protect both the natural coastline and critical infrastructure.
Logging Tasks
Make your observations at the published coordinates (promenade/beach access at Bacton frontage) and along the beach in front of the sea wall and revetments.
- Beach Width – Estimate the width of the beach from the sea wall/revetments to the waterline. Is it narrow, moderate or wide? How does this width help protect the structures behind?
- Beach Gradient – Looking from the waterline back toward the wall, is the slope shallow, moderate or steep? What does this suggest about wave energy?
- Signs of Nourishment – Do you see evidence that large volumes of sand have been added here (e.g., wide foreshore, sand burying parts of structures)? Describe what you notice.
- Defences – Look at the revetments/sea wall. Are they partly buried, fully exposed, or showing signs of wear? How does this demonstrate the role of sandscaping?
- Natural Processes – Can you see sand bars, ridges, or channels formed by waves? Describe one feature and what it tells you about how the new sand is being reshaped.
- Soft vs. Hard Engineering – Based on your observations, explain how sandscaping (soft engineering) here differs from the traditional hard defences (sea walls, revetments). Which seems more natural in appearance?
Optional photo: You may include a photo of yourself or your GPS on the beach, but please do not show your answers.
The Earth Science Lesson
Bacton is unique on the Norfolk coast because it is the site of the UK’s first large-scale Sandscaping Project. In 2019, nearly two million cubic metres of sand were dredged from offshore and placed along 5.7 km of coast in front of the Bacton Gas Terminal and nearby villages. This was done to protect nationally important energy infrastructure and local communities from coastal erosion and flooding.
How Sandscaping Works
Instead of relying only on concrete walls or rock revetments, sandscaping uses soft engineering. By building out a wide sandy beach, wave energy is dissipated before it reaches the hard defences. Over time, waves and currents naturally move the sand along the coast, spreading protection more widely.
Observing the Results
- The beach at Bacton is now much wider than typical Norfolk beaches.
- Older revetments are partly buried beneath the sand.
- Wave action is reshaping the sand into bars and ridges, demonstrating how natural processes interact with the nourishment.
Soft vs. Hard Engineering
Hard structures like walls and revetments hold a fixed line but can become undercut if beach levels drop. Sandscaping instead provides a flexible buffer that absorbs wave energy. It is designed to adapt over years, gradually thinning but spreading protection alongshore. Bacton is therefore a live case study in how humans can work with natural processes to defend a coast.
Sources of Information
- Royal HaskoningDHV (2019) – Bacton Sandscaping Project summary.
- Environment Agency – Shoreline Management Plan, Unit 6.13: Bacton frontage.
- North Norfolk District Council – Bacton to Walcott Sandscaping scheme information.
- BBC News (2019) – “UK’s first sandscaping project completed at Bacton”.