As part of our Geography topic, we visited Tynemouth today. On a walk along the seafront, we began by identifying physical features of coastal areas that we had learnt about in the classroom and coastal management strategies that were used by North Tyneside Council to prevent coastal erosion in Tynemouth. Then we discussed the different amenities available in Tynemouth to cater for the needs and entertainment of tourists visiting the area. After carrying out a traffic and footfall survey, we compared our data with that of Mrs Fraser’s when she visited Tynemouth on Saturday morning. We were able to explain the differences using factors such as weather, people’s working patterns and school term time. Then we speculated about what the data would look like during the summer holidays. When we visited the beach, before having some time to enjoy the sand and paddle in the sea, we took part in a litter survey to consider the negative impact tourists can have on coastal areas. We discussed how to improve this, such as the council patrolling and giving fines, adding more bins and using posters to encourage people to clear away their litter. Some of us impressed our teachers as they made bays, headland, caves, arches , stacks and stumps out of the sand!
