Walpen Chine

Location map
Isle of Wight
label=Walpen Chine
lat_dir=N | lat_deg=50.60
lon_dir=W | lon_deg=1.325
position=above
width=250
float=right
caption=Walpen Chine on the Isle of Wight

Walpen Chine is a geological feature on the south west coast of the Isle of Wight, England. It is west of the village of Chale. It is a sandy coastal ravine, one of a number of such chines on the island created by stream erosion of soft Cretaceous rocks. It leads from the 190 feet high clifftop next to the Isle of Wight coastal path to a knickpoint approximately half way down the cliff face above Chale Bay beach.

The Chine is one of three chines that have been eroded by a small unnamed brook that descends from Chale that drains rainwater from the west side of St. Catherine's Hill. The other two chines are Ladder Chine and New Chine. The brook initially wound its way to the cliff face and its descent over the edge created Ladder chine. As the cliff eroded, the brook found a shorter path to the sea and started creating Walpen Chine to the east of Ladder chine. As the cliff eroded further, the brook moved east again and is currently eroding an unnamed chine labelled New Chine.

Ladder and Walpen Chines are both now dry and in Walpen chine the river bed can be seen heading back uphill to the cliff edge.

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