Headlands And Bays - GCSE Geography Definition

Headlands and bays are coastal landforms that form along coastlines where there are alternating bands of hard and soft rock. Over time, the sea erodes the softer rock more quickly, creating a bay, which is a curved, inward area of the coastline. Meanwhile, the harder rock erodes more slowly and sticks out into the sea, forming a headland. This process of erosion by waves results in headlands and bays often being found side by side along coastal areas. These features are important in geography because they show how the sea shapes the land and can influence local ecosystems and human activities like tourism and fishing.