Barnes Chine facts for kids
Barnes Chine is a cool natural spot on the southwest coast of the Isle of Wight, England. It's a type of coastal valley or ravine. Imagine a small, sandy gully carved into the side of a cliff. That's a chine! The Isle of Wight has many of these unique features. They are formed when the soft rock of the cliffs wears away over time.
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What is Barnes Chine?
Barnes Chine is a special kind of natural carving in the coastline. It's known as a "chine," which is a deep, narrow valley. These valleys are usually cut into soft cliffs by streams or water flow. Barnes Chine is one of several chines found on the Isle of Wight.
Where is Barnes Chine Located?
This chine is found on the southwest side of the Isle of Wight. It's located just west of a small hill called Barnes High. You can also find it southwest of a tiny village named Yafford. It's a bit hidden, making it an interesting place to discover.
How Did Barnes Chine Form?
Chines like Barnes Chine are created by a process called erosion. This happens when water and weather slowly wear away the land. The cliffs here are made of soft rock from the Cretaceous period. This makes them easy for water to carve through.
What's unique about Barnes Chine is that you don't see a big river flowing into it. Instead, the erosion happens mostly from streams that flow underground. These streams pop out below the cliff top. The water likely comes from a small pond about 150 meters from the cliff. It also gathers from the land west of Barnes High. Over many years, this hidden water flow has carved out the chine.
Exploring the Area
Finding Barnes Chine from the top of the cliff can be tricky. There isn't a clear stream valley leading to the edge. You might just see a gentle dip in the farmland. But if you look over the cliff edge, you'll spot the small, V-shaped gully. This gully drops quickly down to the beach below.
The famous Isle of Wight Coastal Path runs right past the top of Barnes Chine. This path lets you walk along the island's beautiful coastline. It offers amazing views of the sea and the unique geological features like Barnes Chine.
