Stormcoast
Stormcoasts, sometimes also called storm beaches, are a striking feature at a few sites on rock coasts of the British Isles but are quite common in the Northern Isles in general. The term stormcoast is the popular expression for a stretch of a cliff coast where cliff-top storm deposits (CTSD) occur. CTSD are wave-generated accumulations of stones and large boulders on the tops of cliffs. Such developments are restricted to the exposed outer coasts of Shetland where cliffs are exposed to the main wind directions: to the west on the Atlantic coast and to the south and south-east on the North Sea coast.
Mainly stones of all sizes but large boulders as well may be accumulated well above the high water mark at elevations of up to 50 metres. On active stormcoasts the debris thrown over the cliff top will be sorted depending on the size of the stones and boulders and the distance from the cliff edge respectively. Where there is a lack of sorting and frequent presence of boulders over 1 m in length such features are commonly not associated with stormcoasts but may point to affinities with tsunami deposits from the geological past of the area.
Where we have grass covered cliff tops, sharp edges cut into the top layers may indicate stormcoast activities as well.
The best places to view such features in Shetland are:
| North Atlantic/North Sea Location | Site | National Grid Referrence |
| North Roe | Fugla Ness | HU 313914 |
| Villians of Hamnavoe | South Head | HU 238824 |
| Villians of Hamnavoe | VH1 | HU 239815 |
| Villians of Hamnavoe | VH2 | HU 239819 |
| Villians of Hamnavoe | VH3 | HU 240813 |
| Eshaness | Head of Stanshi | HU 214805 |
| Eshaness | Grind of the Navir | HU 213804 |
| Eshaness | Lighthouse | HU 205785 |
| Papa Stour | Virda Field | HU 149625 |
| Burra | Clettnadal | HU 356302 |
| Scat Ness | Ness of Burgi | HU 386083 |
| Grutness | Grutness | HU 409103 |
| Out Skerries | Nackie Geo | HU 694724 |
| Out Skerries | South Ward | HU 683712 |
| Out Skerries | Mioness | HU 666706 |
| Mousa | Green Head | HU 463232 |
See also
Further Reading
Research Paper with many graphics and pictures, thus "easy" to understand.
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