5616 x 3744 px | 47,5 x 31,7 cm | 18,7 x 12,5 inches | 300dpi
Data acquisizione:
3 luglio 2023
Ubicazione:
Neptune's Arm, Herne Bay, Thanet, Kent
Altre informazioni:
Herne Bay is in north-east Kent, on the coast of the Thames Estuary. The town is situated 4.5 miles (7.2 km) east of Whitstable and 6.6 miles (10.6 km) north-north-east of the city of Canterbury. The village of Herne is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the south and the village of Reculver is about 3 miles (4.8 km) to the east. The landscape of the town has been largely influenced by the Plenty Brook, which flows northward through the centre of the town and into the North Sea. It is thought to have been a much larger stream in ancient times. The coastline has two distinct bays, separated by a jut of land created by silt from the outflow of the brook into the sea. The first buildings in the town were built along the east bay, a short distance from the brook outflow, where the road from Canterbury met the sea. The town has since spread across both bays, across the Plenty Brook valley and onto the relatively high land flanking both sides of the valley. The land to the east of the valley reaches a height of 25 metres (82 ft) above sea level and to the west reaches 10 metres (33 ft). Cliffs are formed where this high land meets the sea. The rising land beside the coast, between the valley and the eastern cliffs, is known as The Downs (no relation to the North or South Downs). This area has been named a Site of Scientific Interest and a Special Protection Area for birds. The whole of the north-east Kent coast has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Stormy weather can cause the sea level by the coast to rise by up to two metres. In the past, this has caused disastrous flooding in the town; the worst in the town's history being in 1953. Coastal defences were subsequently constructed including groynes, sea walls and shingle beach In the 1990s, these defences were deemed to be inadequate and an offshore breakwater, now known as Neptune's Arm, was built to protect the most vulnerable areas of the town.
