New Chine facts for kids
New Chine is a special natural valley found on the southwest coast of the Isle of Wight, England. It is located to the west of a village called Chale. Imagine a sandy, narrow valley that has been carved out by a small stream. This stream has slowly worn away the soft rocks over many years. New Chine starts at the top of a 190-foot-high cliff and goes down to a point about a third of the way to the Chale Bay beach below.
What is a Chine?
A "chine" is a steep, narrow valley. It is often formed by a stream cutting through soft rock. These streams then flow out to the sea. The Isle of Wight has many chines like New Chine. They are all created by water eroding, or wearing away, the land. The rocks here are from the Cretaceous period, which was a very long time ago.
How New Chine Formed
New Chine is one of three similar valleys created by a small stream. This stream flows down from St. Catherine's Hill, carrying rainwater. The other two valleys are called Ladder Chine and Walpen Chine.
The Stream's Journey
The stream first flowed to the cliff edge and created Ladder Chine. As the cliff slowly wore away, the stream found a shorter path to the sea. This new path started forming Walpen Chine, which is to the east of Ladder Chine. As the cliff continued to erode, the stream moved east again. It is now creating the valley we call New Chine.
Two Ravines
New Chine actually has two small, narrow ravines. A ravine is a deep, narrow valley. Both of these ravines lead to the same "knickpoint." A knickpoint is a sudden change in the slope of the stream's path. The main ravine usually has the stream flowing through it. This happens for most of the year, except during the driest parts of summer. The smaller ravine, which is more to the west, forms when the stream overflows. This happens during heavy rains or "flash flooding." The extra water finds a second way to flow down the cliff.
Exploring New Chine
The Isle of Wight Coastal Path runs right alongside the top of New Chine. Part of the path also follows the stream. This allows people to walk and see this interesting natural feature.
