Eycott Hill Nature Reserve Nature Hill Eycott
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Illustration by E. Pickett Produced in consultation with the Cumbria GeoConservation Group GeoConservation Cumbria the with consultation in Produced Pickett E. by Illustration molten rock cooled slowly in a magma chamber. magma a in slowly cooled rock molten as formed which length, in cm 4 to up crystals, feldspar pale rocks that tilt away from the central Lake District. Lake central the from away tilt that rocks determine ice flow directions. flow ice determine The older lava flows on the nature reserve are noted for large, large, for noted are reserve nature the on flows lava older The These limestone layers are now part of a ‘ring’ of younger younger of ‘ring’ a of part now are layers limestone These ‘erratic’ rocks from other locations which help geologists geologists help which locations other from rocks ‘erratic’ material eroded away. away. eroded material rocks from between the lava flows and left behind behind left and flows lava the between from rocks limestone. form to time over hardened which mud limey a as hollows between formed as weaker layers and softer softer and layers weaker as formed between hollows Eycott Hill. The ice carved out softer material and weaker weaker and material softer out carved ice The Hill. Eycott bed sea the on accumulated creatures sea of remains The The ridges are the remains of ancient lava flows and the the and flows lava ancient of remains the are ridges The Ice streamed from the central fells and flowed over over flowed and fells central the from streamed Ice shallow sea. sea. shallow Hill today. today. Hill ice cap covered the Lake District. District. Lake the covered cap ice warm, a by covered was landscape lava eroded the Period, and eroded to leave the stepped landscape visible at Eycott Eycott at visible landscape stepped the leave to eroded and thick ago, a years 20,000 around age, ice last the During Carboniferous the during later, years million 100 Almost separate lava flows were erupted and later tilted tilted later and erupted were flows lava separate 20 Over rock called andesite. andesite. called rock The ice age ice The seas Tropical and vents in the earth’s crust and formed a hard, dark igneous igneous dark hard, a formed and crust earth’s the in vents and triggering volcanic eruptions. Lava flowed from long fissures fissures long from flowed Lava eruptions. volcanic triggering to close as surrounding continents moved together, together, moved continents surrounding as close to million years ago, the Iapetus Ocean began began Ocean Iapetus the ago, years million 450-460 Around unconformity A volcanic landscape volcanic A Limestone Angular mudstones and the impressive masses of Skiddaw and Blencathra. and Skiddaw of masses impressive the and District, make up the nature reserve’s western edge edge western reserve’s nature the up make District, Lava flows Lava Siltstones and and Siltstones Lava flows Lava Lake the in oldest the among rocks, These Group. the siltstones and mudstones known as the Skiddaw Skiddaw the as known mudstones and siltstones the Layers of mud and silt built up, hardening to form form to hardening up, built silt and mud of Layers sediment washed into the ancient Iapetus Ocean. Ocean. Iapetus ancient the into washed sediment million years ago, early in the Ordovician Period, Period, Ordovician the in early ago, years million 480 deposits Ancient ocean Ancient age Ice important for geology. geology. for important of the Lake District and make this nature reserve nationally nationally reserve nature this make and District Lake the of Eycott Hill Eycott and younger limestones, give an insight into the origins and evolution evolution and origins the into insight an give limestones, younger and Ancient lava flows, sandwiched between older siltstones and mudstones mudstones and siltstones older between sandwiched flows, lava Ancient years. million 500 almost back goes story geological Hill’s Eycott millions of years in the making the in years of millions Eycott Hill Nature Reserve Nature Hill Eycott Visiting About us Eycott Hill Nature Reserve We hope you enjoy Cumbria Wildlife Trust is the only voluntary visiting Eycott Hill organisation devoted solely to the conservation of the wildlife and Nature Reserve and wild places of Cumbria. The Trust stands up for wildlife, creates Eycott Hill following the self-guided wildlife havens and seeks to raise environmental awareness. geology trail. The route isn’t entirely Nature Reserve way marked on the ground so please use the enclosed map. Geology We recommend following the white topped posts to the top Cumbria GeoConservation is a specialist of Eycott Hill. group of Cumbria Wildlife Trust. A hand lens is useful for examining The group aims to look after geological the rocks more closely. Please conservation sites in Cumbria, working carefully replace any rocks you pick Please keep dogs closely with both the Cumberland and the Westmorland up and leave them so others can on a lead to avoid Geological Societies. Volunteers hold three formal meetings each enjoy them. disturbing the year and aim to visit at least one geological site each month. Take home only photographs. wildlife and grazing animals that are on Thank you to Elizabeth Pickett, John Rodgers, Chris Thompson, The ground at Eycott Hill Nature the nature reserve and Sylvia Woodhead for their valuable advice and expertise. Reserve is uneven and at times very year round. wet so sturdy wellington boots are Map reference recommended. Please note there are Directions OS Landranger sheet 90, Explorer Map OL5. no visitor facilities on site. GR: NY 394 301. Size: 216 hectares. By car Status: Site of Special Scientific Interest. Nearby facilities From the M6 junction 40 follow the A66 towards Keswick. After approx. 7 miles turn right, signposted Hutton Roof (look out for The Sportsman’s Inn, just off the A66 near Berrier, the Sportsman’s Inn from the A66), follow this road round to the and the Mill Inn in Mungrisdale serve lunch and right and then take the left, signposted Hutton Roof, Berrier and evening meals. Whitbarrow. Follow this road for 1.6 miles through the hamlet of Berrier, the nature reserve is on the left hand side. Cocklakes Farm Shop and Tea Room is on the other side of the A66, opposite the Sportsman’s Inn. By bicycle There is a petrol station at Rheged, on the A66 Eycott Hill Nature Reserve is adjacent to National Cycle Network near Penrith. route 71 on the Mungrisdale loop. Follow NCN71 signs. By public transport The nearest bus stop is 1.5 miles away at the Sportsman’s Inn just off the A66. The regular service between Penrith and Close by, you may Keswick stops here. also like to visit… unless credited, copyright Cumbria Wildlife Trust. All photography, Cover image, S. Woodhead. Berrier Highbanks Wood Local Geological Site, just over the road Photo by S. Woodhead Registered in England as Cumbria Wildlife Trust Limited, a Company Limited by Guarantee No. 00724133. Registered Charity No. 218711. Map illustration: E. Sinclair Limestone sinkholes 1 2 P 3 4 Limestone sink holes 5 Youngest lava flows Studying rock sample 6 7 Andesite Rock 8 Eycott type crystals 9 11 Cooling columns 10 Oldest lava flow Lava cooling columns Ancient Skiddaw group rocks Feldspar crystals Great Mell Fell from Eycott Hill Lava flows, looking back to car park Geology trail 1. Enjoy a panoramic view taking in most of the Lake Blocks of stone by the gate show large, pale feldspar 9. Get up close to the crags around the summit and District rock groups including the Skiddaw Group crystals that formed in the oldest Eycott lava flows look for a fresh face. The rock is still dark with of the northern fells, the Borrowdale Volcanic Group located to the west of the nature reserve. small crystals indicating that it cooled quickly. in the central fells, and the Eycott Volcanic Group. 5. The outcrop opposite the viewpoint shows evidence Some of the lavas here are quite thick and show 2. Hollows in the ground, known as sinkholes are a of ‘flow banding’. These look like sedimentary layers, some layering. As the lava cooled from about clue to the limestone rock that lies below the glacial but formed when the lava was molten and flowing. 1,000°C the rock contracted and formed rough deposits, soils, and grass here. Limestone reacts cooling columns. 6. Follow the white topped posts to go through the fell with rainwater, which is very weakly acidic, and gate, noting the small pieces of Eycott lava on the Make your way downhill from the summit to dissolves to form sinkholes. ground and large pieces in the stone wall. the lowest lava ridge. There is no way marked 3. Follow the white topped posts to cross the path at this point so take extra care. 7. As the path meanders through the wetland the footbridge and stand on the first ridge of Eycott hollows in the landscape between the ancient lava 10. This is the oldest lava flow. Holes in the rock Volcanic rock dating back 450 million years. The lava flows become more obvious. show where geologists have taken rock cores to flows here are the youngest on the nature reserve. find the latitude of the land when the lava cooled. 8. At the summit look back over the lava ridges and 4. Continue following the posts to the viewpoint to enjoy the distant view east to the Pennines, 11. At the north end of the lowest ridge is an exposure see pale grey limestone, dark grey Skiddaw slate, Crossfell, Great Dun Fell and the Eden valley, of Eycott lava, with characteristic large pale and dark green, almost black volcanic rocks in the south past Great and Little Mell Fell, and across feldspar crystals.