Fieldwork Expeditions
The Geography Department undertook two days of fieldwork last week, on Thursday 14th and Friday 15th September, when the Upper V Geography students travelled far and wide to conduct their experiments and research.
Here Molly Agnew, Upper VA, reports on the visit to Brighton:
‘On Thursday 14th September the Upper V Geography students travelled to Brighton to complete their fieldtrip on the topic: ‘Investigate how a stretch of coastline is managed’. To do this we had to collect data about Brighton beach and a neighbouring beach at Ovingdean. We split into three groups and spread ourselves over the beach; there was a group at the shoreline, mid-way up the beach and at the very back of the beach and we proceeded to measure the angularity and the long axis of 10 pebbles each in order to decipher how erosion effects the size and shape of sediment the further up the shore you go.
Furthermore, we completed a beach profile by measuring the gradient of the beach. This was very amusing as to do this one person had to kneel on one knee meaning it looked as if Mr Chappory was proposing to Miss Keep! In addition, we measured the height of the groynes and figured out which way longshore drift was in by throwing a tangerine into the sea and watching the direction in which it floated. For lunch we ate fish and chips on the pier and were very careful of the seagulls who kept trying to steal our chips! At Ovingdean beach we completed the same techniques that we had on Brighton beach and we looked out for the key indicators of erosion such as wave cut platforms and also compared the uses of hard engineering and soft engineering to manage the coastline’s erosion. Overall it was a very fun, educational trip full of laughs and learning!’
Caitlin Parry, Upper VA, reports on the fieldwork visit to Streatley and Goring a day later:
‘On Friday 15th September, the Upper V Geographers went on a fieldtrip to Streatley and Goring, two villages on either side of the Thames. On this trip we were looking at the human aspects of rural geography and regeneration. In four areas we conducted various different types of surveys concentrating on pedestrian counts and vehicle counts. By doing this in the two villages we were able to compare the number of pedestrians and vehicles that went past us in both places, and could determine which areas of the village were most popular and why. We then looked at the results and compared them to the results of the land use survey, which categorises types and number of shops.
Some of us also approached members of the public and interviewed them in order to discover their purpose in visiting the village. By going on this visit we gathered information we needed for our exams later this year and also spent a very enjoyable day in the beautiful countryside of Oxfordshire and Berkshire. We were also lucky enough to visit the former home of George Michael!’
