The process whereby material is moved along a stretch of coastline.
Waves approach the shore at an angle (usually in line with prevailing wind direction) and swash moves material up the beach in this direction.
Backwash pulls material straight down the beach.
The result is that material is transported in a zig-zag fashion.
It is important to remember that longshore drift can act on a beach in more than one direction, depending on the approach of waves and wind direction.
For example, Newquay in Cornwall has a southwesterly prevailing wind direction and wave approach, but can recieve them from other directions.
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