Cow Green Geotrail
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Outer Spread Outer 19/08/2019 16:42 19/08/2019 1 2.indd (NF) Geotrail Green Cow - Pennines North Illustrations: © NPAP/Jed Atkinson | Front cover: Cauldron Snout Cauldron cover: Front | Atkinson NPAP/Jed © Illustrations: expertise and input. and expertise Partnership’s Geopark Advisory Group for their their for Group Advisory Geopark Partnership’s Survey, with thanks given to members of the AONB AONB the of members to given thanks with Survey, Pennines AONB Partnership and British Geological Geological British and Partnership AONB Pennines This publication is based on original work by the North North the by work original on based is publication This contact the reserve base on 01833 622374. 01833 on base reserve the contact grassland and blanket bog. For more information information more For bog. blanket and grassland from hay meadows and juniper woods to limestone limestone to woods juniper and meadows hay from range of upland habitats typical of the North Pennines, Pennines, North the of typical habitats upland of range NNR. This large reserve contains an almost complete complete almost an contains reserve large This NNR. This trail is within the Moor House-Upper Teesdale Teesdale House-Upper Moor the within is trail This northpenninesaonb [email protected] northpennines Moor House-Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve (NNR) Reserve Nature National Teesdale House-Upper Moor +44 (0)1388 528801 (0)1388 +44 @NorthPennAONB www.northpennines.org.uk heritage, visit www.northpennines.org.uk visit heritage, NorthPenninesAONB North Pennines AONB Partnership AONB Pennines North others and to fi nd out more about our geological geological our about more out nd fi to and others publications for the North Pennines. To discover the the discover To Pennines. North the for publications Cauldron Snout in Upper Teesdale. Upper in Snout Cauldron This leafl et is one of a series of geological trails and and trails geological of series a of one is et leafl This landscape and rocks around Cow Green Reservoir and and Reservoir Green Cow around rocks and landscape Find out more about North Pennine geology Pennine North about more out Find An 8km (5 mile) walk exploring the spectacular spectacular the exploring walk mile) (5 8km An and www.globalgeopark.org and To fi nd out more visit www.europeangeoparks.org www.europeangeoparks.org visit more out nd fi To designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark. Global UNESCO a as designated interpretation, education, conservation and tourism. tourism. and conservation education, interpretation, most of this for tourism and education, it is also also is it education, and tourism for this of most efforts to make the most of Earth heritage through through heritage Earth of most the make to efforts world class Earth heritage and efforts to make the the make to efforts and heritage Earth class world geology and landscape, where there are strong local local strong are there where landscape, and geology rivers and dramatic waterfalls. In recognition of its its of recognition In waterfalls. dramatic and rivers Geopark. Geoparks are places with outstanding outstanding with places are Geoparks Geopark. Layers and landscapes and Layers skies, charismatic wildlife, industrial heritage, tumbling tumbling heritage, industrial wildlife, charismatic skies, The North Pennines AONB is a UNESCO Global Global UNESCO a is AONB Pennines North The fl ower-rich hay meadows, intimate woods, dark night night dark woods, intimate meadows, hay ower-rich fl Geotrail What is a UNESCO Global Geopark? Global UNESCO a is What a stunning, upland landscape of wide open moors, moors, open wide of landscape upland stunning, a (AONB) is one of England’s most special places – – places special most England’s of one is (AONB) Global Geopark. Global Cow Green Green Cow The North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Beauty Natural Outstanding of Area Pennines North The Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and UNESCO UNESCO and (AONB) Beauty Natural Outstanding Cow Green is in the North Pennines Area of of Area Pennines North the in is Green Cow Welcome to a special landscape... The Whin Sill Limestone, sandstone and shale ...shaped by millions of years of natural processes Limestone and thousands of years of human activity. The Whin Sill is one of the Sandstone Much of the North special geological features Shale Pennines consists of This linear trail starts beside Cow Green Reservoir and introduces of the North Pennines and regular alternating Limestone many of the rocks that have made the Upper Teesdale landscape forms dramatic landscapes beds of limestone, so special for scientists, visitors and industry, and which make the in Upper Teesdale, as sandstone and shale. dale a haven for rare and interesting plants. The trail identifi es you will see on this walk. Layers of limestone can 11 points of interest along a set route. It can be cut short to avoid Stretching of the Earth’s be clearly seen along the steep descent by Cauldron Snout, or extended further down Coal Whin Sill parts of this trail and the River Tees to form a satisfying circular route. crust around 295 million years ago caused molten have a big impact on Sandstone rock at over 1000°C to rise the local landscape. Hexham up and spread out between Feeder Dyke Between 360 and Walk length: Approx. the layers of older rocks. It 300 million years ago, 8km (5 miles). A longer cooled and solidifi ed underground to form the Whin Sill, a the area that was to (12km) circular route can Alston vast, roughly horizontal sheet of a hard, dark, igneous rock become the North be made by continuing Stanhope called dolerite (known locally as whinstone). After millions Pennines lay close to past Widdy Bank Farm the equator. Limey Shale to the Cow Green road. of years of erosion the Whin Sill is now exposed at the Walk start Middleton - ooze, sand and mud in in Teesdale surface in several places. Start/fi nish: Park at tropical seas and river Wheelhead Sike car park deltas hardened into (Cow Green Reservoir) North Pennines Ice Age legacy the rocks we see today. AONB & UNESCO Rocks of this kind are Global Geopark Grid reference: 20,000 years ago the known as ‘sedimentary’ Limestone NY 811 309 North Pennines, along rocks, because they Terrain: This trail uses well-marked footpaths and minor with much of northern are formed from roads. At stop 8 there is a steep scramble to reach the Europe, was beneath ancient sediment. bottom of Cauldron Snout. If you do not want to negotiate a vast ice sheet up to this, turn around at the top of the waterfall and return several kilometres thick. Buried treasure to the car park. In places the route passes old mine The ice originated and Limestone workings, parts of which may be unstable. Please keep to spread out from the The North Pennines Sandstone the footpaths and do not attempt to enter old tunnels or highest peaks in the is famous for its Shale surface excavations. Stout boots, warm clothing and good area, like Cross Fell, mineral deposits. waterproofs are advised, as even in summer the weather which can be seen from These formed about Mineral veins of Upper Teesdale can be harsh and unpredictable. the start of this walk. 290 million years Public transport: For timetable information call Traveline As the ice crawled ago, from mineral- on 0871 200 2233 (www.traveline.info) across the land it rich waters fl owing modifi ed the hills and through cracks Useful maps: valleys of the North in the rocks deep Ordnance Survey Pennines to form the rugged landscape we see today. underground. These 1:25 000 Explorer OL31 North Pennines Teesdale The effects of ice and water have left behind a scarred solutions were heated Slate Weardale and Weardale landscape, littered with the evidence of this glacial period. by a 400 million year Granite old buried intrusion of British Geological Survey Water continues to shape the North Pennines today, both through continued erosion of the hills, and through magma known as the old Weardale Granite. As the fl uids 1:25 000 Geological Sheet NY82 and part of NY92 deposition of material elsewhere. cooled, their dissolved minerals crystallised on the walls of Middleton-in-Teesdale the cracks, building up mineral veins and deposits. On this 1:50 000 Geological Sheet 25 Alston walk you will see evidence of mining for barium minerals. 1:50 000 Geological Sheet 31 Brough-under-Stainmore 1 Car park viewpoint Follow the road Turn right onto the footpath The road dips and crosses a small Far to the west are(from for around 150m just after this exposure, stream. Just before the top of the left to right) the peaks of south-east to a then turn left where this next rise, look for a shallow trench Great Dun Fell, Little Dun patch of grey joins the single track road on the left. This marks the line of a Fell and Cross Fell. Their rock on the right. to Cauldron Snout. mineral vein, known as Rod’s Vein. distinctive shapes refl ect the almost horizontal layers of sandstone, limestone and shale of which they are formed. Also note the mine entrances on the hillside above the car park. 1 P 2 Tropical seas 2 START 3 The rock exposed here is the Smiddy Limestone. Look for small, white fragments of 4 Continue down shell and crinoids the road, stopping (creatures related at points 5 , 6 and to sea urchins and 7 as indicated on starfi sh) fossilised the map. within the grey Pennine Way limestone. The slightly Widdybank raised part of the Widdybank Fell Farm outcrop furthest from Cow Green the road is a mound Reservoir’ made of corals known as a bioherm.