'Cold, wet and windy! Must be Geography Fieldwork Time!'

Once again the AS Geography students descended on Morecambe and doubled the population on the seafront! Despite a biting south-westerly, the students completed a detailed ‘Environmental Impact Assessment’ of the coastal defences which have been developed over the years to reduce the impacts of coastal flooding and build up the profile of the eroding beaches – still there was no evidence of brave sun seekers!

During the afternoon the students studied the ‘Rebranding’ of Morecambe with the ‘Tern Project’ along the seafront and then ventured inland to asses the ‘West End Regeneration Project’, looking at its impact upon the urban structure and community of Morecambe.

The following day, after working late into the evening the expedition continued on to Sandscale Haws National Nature Reserve. One of England’s largest and most important sand dune systems, on the remote Cumbrian coast, cut off by the mountains of the Lake District.

In yet another bracing wind, students got down to surveying the vegetation communities and environmental conditions along the sand dune system … … the electric fence which restricts pastoral grazing, being the only barrier to their enthusiasm!
Lunch was taken on the dune crests providing spectacular views of the Lake District and Duddon Estuary. Barrow-in-Furness was the next port of call. Here, the students toured the once heart of British shipbuilding from the iron ore quarry and slag heaps on the outskirts of the town, through the high density Victorian tenement buildings and the Naval dockyards, still used to refit the nuclear submarine fleet.

Following the best Youth Hostel hospitality in the northwest, follow up work was undertaken in the classrooms before a lot of wind swept faces turned in for a well earned rest.

The final day of fieldwork took the students to a range of locations to study ‘Rural Rebranding’. Questionnaires to visitors and residents of local rural towns were undertaken before visiting Holme Open Farm, near Holme Fell, boarder country between Cumbria and Yorkshire. Once again the students worked tirelessly … … despite the obvious lack of sleep for some! Here the students experienced the challenges facing hill sheep farmers before moving on to ‘Greenlands Farm Village’ which presented the students with a totally different view of rural life … … as well as a warm drink and a cake, in the Farm Café!