Fact Sheet: Spits – Hurst Castle - Hampshire
Background Information
A spit is a long and narrow ridge of sand or shingle, with one end attached to the land. The other end extends
out into the river estuary and is hooked in shape. On the spit can be found areas covered by sand dunes and
behind the spit an area covered by costal salt marshes.
Formation
Prevailing south westerly winds blowing of the Atlantic Ocean push waves up the beach at an oblique angle.
The swash and backwash of these waves therefore, transports beach material by longshore drift along the
coast of Hampshire in an easterly direction.
When the coast suddenly changes direction at the Solent the material been transported is deposited in the
water sheltered by the headland. Overtime these deposits slowly build up in a narrow band to form a spit.
The spit becomes stable when vegetation such as Marram grass becomes established allowing sand dunes to
develop.
Occasionally the wind changes direction coming from the south east forcing the waves to push some of the
material at the east end of the spit inland. This forms the hooked shaped end of the spit.