Groyne - GCSE Geography Definition

A groyne is a man-made structure built along the coast, usually made from wood, stone, or concrete. It sticks out from the shore into the sea and is designed to stop sand and pebbles from being moved along the beach by longshore drift. This helps to reduce coastal erosion and keep beaches from shrinking. Groynes work by trapping the moving material carried by the waves, allowing the beach to build up. This is useful for protecting coastal areas, but sometimes groynes can cause problems further along the shore where the natural movement of sand is blocked.