Walpen Chine
Encyclopedia
Walpen Chine is a geological feature on the south west coast of the Isle of Wight
, England
. It is west of the village of Chale
. It is a sandy coastal ravine, one of a number of such chine
s on the island created by stream erosion of soft Cretaceous
rocks. It leads from the 190 feet high clifftop next to the Isle of Wight coastal path
to a knickpoint
approximately half way down the cliff face above Chale Bay
beach.
The Chine is one of three chines that have been eroded by a small unnamed brook that descends from Chale
that drains rainwater from the west side of St. Catherine's Hill. The other two chines are Ladder Chine
and New Chine
. The brook initially wound its way to the cliff face and its descent over the edge created Ladder chine. As the cliff eroded, the brook found a shorter path to the sea and started creating Walpen Chine to the east of Ladder chine. As the cliff eroded further, the brook moved east again and is currently eroding an unnamed chine labelled New Chine.
Ladder and Walpen Chines are both now dry and in Walpen chine the river bed can be seen heading back uphill to the cliff edge.
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is west of the village of Chale
Chalé
Chalé is a Brazilian municipality located in the state of Minas Gerais. The city belongs to the mesoregion of Zona da Mata and to the microregion of Manhuaçu.-See also:* List of municipalities in Minas Gerais-References:...
. It is a sandy coastal ravine, one of a number of such chine
Chine
A chine is a steep-sided river valley where the river flows through coastal cliffs to the sea. Typically these are soft eroding cliffs such as sandstone or clays. The word chine originates from the Saxon "Cinan" meaning a gap or yawn....
s on the island created by stream erosion of soft Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
rocks. It leads from the 190 feet high clifftop next to the Isle of Wight coastal path
Isle of Wight Coastal Path
.There are a couple of cafes on the cliff path which I believe are open in the summer months. The only public convenience on the cliff path now appears to be closed permanently ....
to a knickpoint
Knickpoint
A knickpoint is a term in geomorphology to describe a location in a river or channel where there is a sharp change in channel slope, such as a waterfall or lake, resulting from differential rates of erosion above and below the knickpoint. Differential rates of erosion can result from a change in...
approximately half way down the cliff face above Chale Bay
Chale Bay
Chale Bay is a bay on the south west coast of the Isle of Wight, England. It lies to the west of the village of Chale from which it takes its name. It faces south west towards the English Channel, its shoreline is 5km in length and is gently curving. It stretches from Artherfield Point in the north...
beach.
The Chine is one of three chines that have been eroded by a small unnamed brook that descends from Chale
Chalé
Chalé is a Brazilian municipality located in the state of Minas Gerais. The city belongs to the mesoregion of Zona da Mata and to the microregion of Manhuaçu.-See also:* List of municipalities in Minas Gerais-References:...
that drains rainwater from the west side of St. Catherine's Hill. The other two chines are Ladder Chine
Ladder Chine
Ladder Chine is a geological feature on the south west coast of the Isle of Wight, England . It is west of the village of Chale. It is a sandy coastal ravine, one of a number of such chines on the island created by stream erosion of soft Cretaceous rocks...
and New Chine
New Chine
New Chine is a geological feature on the south west coast of the Isle of Wight, England . It is west of the village of Chale. It is a sandy coastal ravine, one of a number of such chines on the island created by stream erosion of soft Cretaceous rocks...
. The brook initially wound its way to the cliff face and its descent over the edge created Ladder chine. As the cliff eroded, the brook found a shorter path to the sea and started creating Walpen Chine to the east of Ladder chine. As the cliff eroded further, the brook moved east again and is currently eroding an unnamed chine labelled New Chine.
Ladder and Walpen Chines are both now dry and in Walpen chine the river bed can be seen heading back uphill to the cliff edge.