29th May, 2018. The example of Holland (clay banks continued). Also Kilnsea Visitor Centre.

Having considered Sunk Island the authors of Tidal Lands then describe the clay banks of ‘Holland’ in some detail.

The background to this is that about 50% of the Netherlands is below one metre above sea level, 28% being below sea level. The techniques of reclaiming coastal lowlands have been pioneered by the Dutch since the 1500s, reclaimed areas being known as ‘polders’. 17% of the area of the Netherlands is polder land. In 1932 the marine inlet known as the Zuider Zee was blocked-off from the North Sea creating the Ijsselmere lake much of which has subsequently been reclaimed to polder-land totalling 965 square miles. The Netherlands is therefore particularly threatened by climate change and rising sea level, the picture above (taken from the internet) portrays the ‘Christmas Flood of 1717’.

Recently went for ride to Kilnsea at the head of Spurn Point at mouth of the Humber Estuary. Although didn’t go for this reason decided while there to go see the controversial new visitor centre built by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust in the area. The building is raised on stone-filled casions in case of flood but also to give views of the Humber, of the spit itself and out to sea. The building itself was stark but functional and the immediate surroundings need time to flourish (shrubs etc just recently planted). It is generating a great deal of interest and loads of people were in the area. Sadly the café at Kilnsea has closed, this probably related to competition from the one at the new visitor centre. Very little remains of the Second World War gun emplacement at Kilnsea, a victim of coastal erosion.

The Y.W.T. visitor centre at Bempton, north of Bridlington, is much nicer but did not have to be built with flooding in mind, being on land above some of the highest, most resistant, cliffs in England. They have loads of bird feeders but I saw none at Kilnsea.