Spurn Point
Spurn Point is a narrow spit of sand and shingle extending approximately five kilometres south into the mouth of the Humber Estuary from the Holderness coast of East Yorkshire, a dynamic and unstable landform of great ecological and geological interest that is one of the most unusual and most atmospheric coastal landscapes in England. The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust manages the spit as a nature reserve, and the combination of the dynamic shingle and sand habitat, the exceptional autumn migration that makes Spurn one of the most celebrated birdwatching locations in Britain, and the dramatic landscape of the estuary crossing make it a rewarding destination throughout the year. The spit has been breaking and reforming over centuries as longshore drift carries sediment south along the Holderness coast and the Humber tidal currents erode and redistribute it at the estuary mouth. A major breach in December 2013 made Spurn an island accessible only on foot or by vehicle at low tide, transforming its character and access arrangements while making the dynamic nature of the landform even more immediately visible. The breach and the subsequent response of the dunes and shingle to the changed hydrological conditions provide a natural experiment in coastal dynamics of considerable scientific interest. The autumn bird migration at Spurn is one of the most celebrated events in the British birdwatching calendar. The spit's position at the tip of a peninsula jutting into the Humber acts as a funnel for migrating birds moving south along the coast, and the concentration of migrants in the scrub and dunes during September and October provides one of the finest opportunities in England for observing rarities and common migrants at close range.