Reclaiming the Land

Hawthorn Hive has a long rich history of geological change, the dene being carved out by glacial run-off and the cove was once a favoured landing spot for smugglers. The beach has suffered generations of abuse by being used as a dumping ground for industrial waste from the kiln industry and then the coal industry. Over time this resulted in a thick layer of industrial waste covering the beach. When I was a young man, this deposit spread almost to the water's edge. However, since the demise of the coal industry, the sea is gradually reclaiming the beach.