Sites Tsunami! Tourism

Earth Heritage magazine is published twice a year to promote interest in geological and landscape conservation.

The west coast of Jura is a classic area for raised shorelines. It is classified as a relict geomorphological site ‘IS’ - see New Earth Science Conservation Classification, page 13. The High Rock Sites Platform and its low A new backing cliff are Earth Science clearly developed in Conservation the upper part of the image, running Classification from top left to middle right. A ‘staircase’ of vegetated and unvegetated lateglacial gravel beach ridges covers Tourism the surface of this Building platform to the right a network for of the big gully. geotourists

At its seaward margin, the High Rock Platform is truncated by the prominent backing cliff of the Main Tsunami! Rock Platform. The Mega-wave surface of this that hit our platform is covered doorstep by ‘staircases’ of postglacial gravel ridges.

Photo © Patricia MacDonald/ Aerographica ue 24Iss Summer 2005 Outcrops Partnership working OnOn otherother pagespages

The effort put into geoconservation has increased massively over the Outcrops – pages 3-7 last 15 years. In particular, the voluntary sector – RIGS groups, geology trusts and Earth heritage trusts – is shouldering significant Cairngorm Mountains: £9.7m to aggregate impacts work and responsibility. new views on an old landscape – page 8 A £9.7m grant scheme has been launched based projects, with an extra £1m in each years, the ALSF grant scheme has This was one of the visions of the Nature Conservancy Council’s Earth by the Countryside Agency and English year for marine projects. produced practical, on-the-ground, results Science Conservation Strategy back in 1990. Today, there are some even New light shines on the Oolite Nature to manage the impacts that for wildlife, geology and local communities bigger potential opportunities for geoconservation: the continued – page 10 aggregate extraction can have on the Elliot Morley, the Minister responsible for affected by aggregate extraction. The diversification in the role of the statutory agencies (including the environment and local communities. the environment at the time, said: “Closer launch of this new scheme can only formation of Natural England – see page 3) is leading to a more holistic England’s first soil trail partnership working will simplify the strengthen this work further.” approach to conserving biodiversity, geodiversity and our cultural and – page 12 The Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund application process and increase the landscape heritage. To capitalise on this situation, even wider (ALSF) Partnership Grant Scheme, funded benefits to individuals, communities, Initial applications for funding under the partnership working is needed. It opens the way for RIGS groups and New Earth Science Conservation via Defra, aims to support projects which landscapes and the environment. Extracting ALSF Partnership Grant Scheme will be the geology and Earth heritage trusts who already work extensively with Classification – page 13 benefit landscapes, heritage, biodiversity, sand, gravel and rock has had a significant made through a single contact point with statutory agencies (and each other) to forge links with organisations, geodiversity and communities in England effect on the environment. This fund aims the forms available for completion and The Ice Age in Herefordshire – page 16 individuals, and educational establishments that previously may not affected by aggregate extraction. to address this environmental cost by submission on English Nature’s website at have fully considered the merits of their geological heritage. A future for Philpots Quarry SSSI enhancing old aggregate extraction sites.” www.english-nature.org.uk. The Grants – page 17 The scheme will have around £5.7m in Management Team will help applicants This issue of Earth Heritage shows that this is how geoconservationists 2005/2006 and £4m in 2006/2007, which Dr Andy Brown, Chief Executive of through the process, and can be contacted are already working – and to great effect. But, engaging the public and Rainforests will be targeted at land- and community- English Nature, said: “Over the past three on 01476 584821. making geoconservation relevant to modern society is critical. in the rock Fostering geotourism and exploiting the socio-economic potential of – page 19 our geology and landforms are some of our biggest challenges. ALSF boost for Welsh RIGS State of Nature: Central Wales RIGS Group is currently geodiversity being reconstituted and has been awarded a substantial grant from the Aggregates Levy English Nature’s fourth State of Nature Managing Editor Mineral riches Sustainability Fund (ALSF) administered report, which looks at geodiversity, is unearthed by the Welsh Assembly Government. due to be launched this Autumn. – page 20 Earth Heritage is a twice-yearly magazine produced by the The report is the latest in a series The grant is to carry out a geological audit Joint Nature Conservation Committee, English Nature, which has examined upland, lowland Scottish Natural Heritage and the Earth of the Central Wales area to provide a and maritime issues, and will highlight Countryside Council for Wales. The heritage comprehensive network of RIGS. It is the the current condition, threats to and voluntary geoconservation sector is a Discovering fossils on the web second grant of this kind to be awarded to major contributor. We would like to thank all those who have assisted with the – page 22 future challenges for England’s preparation of the magazine. However, the opinions expressed by the contributors are the Association of Welsh RIGS Groups geodiversity. not necessarily those of the above organisations. A database listing all the articles Establishing a geotourism network in (AWRG), which is already in the second carried up to issue 17 is available on CD. Contact any member of the editorial board. Scotland – page 23 year of a similar survey project in North It encompasses geology, Key articles from this and previous issues of Earth Heritage can be found on the Web at: Wales, being carried out by the Gwynedd geomorphology, soil and landscape www.seaburysalmon.com/earth.html A tale of two sites – page 24 and Môn and NEWRIGS groups. and their links to wildlife and habitat. It has been developed jointly by English Offers of articles should be directed to the relevant members of the Nature, the Countryside Agency and editorial board, who are: Tsunami on our doorstep – page 26 Professor Bill Fitches, a structural geologist the Rural Development Service in with detailed knowledge of the region, is l l advance of their integration into the e

Review – page 27 b managing the Central Wales project and p new organisation Natural England. The m

Managing Editor a welcomes any information on potential sites C

t theme of cross-discipline and r STEWART CAMPBELL, Countryside a MICK STANLEY, Geodiversity from anyone who knows the area. w e

t integrated working is emphasised and

Council for Wales, Maes-y-Ffynnon, Consulting, Park House, 8 King Cover photo S sets the scene for the way in which Ffordd Penrhos, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 Street, Ripon, North Yorkshire An exposure of the Lower Silurian Aberystwyth Grits Friog Undercliff is a 2DN. Telephone 01248 385693, e-mail: HG4 1PJ. Telephone 01765 609479, If you can help, or if you are interested in Formation near Aberystwyth, showing spectacular Natural England will move forward. mineralogical GCR site [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] joining the Central Wales RIGS Group, sole structures. This is one of many sites that will be south of Barmouth CYNTHIA BUREK, please contact him by e-mail: evaluated in the Central Wales RIGS ALSF project. For further information, contact Editors consisting of coastal The site is classified as a disused quarry (ED) in the UKRIGS Geoconservation Association, jonathan.larwood@english- DAVID EVANS, English Nature, cliffs and foreshore billfitches83@ hotmail.com or Earth Science Conservation Classification (ESCC) – Environment Research Group, University nature.org.uk or tel: 01733 455115. Northminster House, Peterborough PE1 exposures (EC in the tel: 01970 880217. see page 13. College Chester, Parkgate Road, Chester 1UA. Telephone 01733 455204, e-mail: new Earth Science CH1 4BJ. Telephone 01244 375444, [email protected] Conservation e-mail: [email protected] COLIN MACFADYEN, Classification International outlook at ProGEO symposium Production Scottish Natural Heritage, 2 Anderson – page 13). These The IV International Symposium ProGEO The Symposium will comprise scientific Seabury Salmon, Seabury Salmon & Place, Edinburgh EH6 5NP. exposures display on the Conservation of the Geological sessions with invited plenary lectures, oral Peneda-Gerês National Telephone 0131 446 2055, Associates, The Old Pound, Ludford, Cambrian rocks cut by Heritage will be held at the University of presentations and posters, and post- Park, north-west e-mail: [email protected] Ludlow, Shropshire SY8 1PP. Telephone numerous quartz- Portugal NEIL ELLIS, 01584 877442. Fax 01584 875416. sulphide veins which Minho, Braga, Portugal, 13-16 September congress field trips. The organisers are Joint Nature Conservation Committee, e-mail: [email protected] exhibit a variety of 2005. Objectives include examining interested in contributions, which they want Monkstone House, Circulation deformational features critical to determining the age of the successful examples of geoconservation integrated into a number of specific City Road, Peterborough PE1 1JY. mineralisation in the Dolgellau Gold-belt. The primary Earth Heritage is free. Contact your that can be cloned, and discussing legal themes. Details of these, and full Telephone 01733 562626, conservation objective at the site is to maintain the current local Editor to be placed on the e-mail: [email protected] levels and continuity of exposure. frameworks to support geoconservation at Symposium information, are on the web at mailing list. 2 Photo by Stewart Campbell European and international levels. www.dct.uminho.pt/cct/progeo2005/ 3 Outcrops Outcrops

Millipede discovery open to interpretation Ready to 2005 Earth science

One of Scotland’s most significant fossil Andrew Hill and Ann Bowes of the The fifth Scotland-wide Festival The Hunterian education project finds – the world’s earliest air-breathing Aberdeenshire Heritage and Museums of Geology is set to Rock On Museum in success animal – is the highlight of a project Department also provided assistance. during the whole of September Glasgow is co- This UKRIGS project – funded through developed for the Tolbooth Museum at 2005. No longer constrained to ordinating Rock On the ALSF – created materials for field- Stonehaven. A smaller mobile exhibition will take the a week or two, this biennial 2005, in partnership celebration of Scottish Geology with Scottish teaching at former aggregates sites in story of Cowie’s geology and fossils to Derbyshire and Staffordshire. The four The Stonehaven Fossil Group is a schools and local groups, and possibly is set to run from the 1st to the Natural Heritage, 30th of the month. National Museums sites were the National Stone Centre, committee of Stonehaven and District farther afield. of Scotland, Our Wirksworth; Black Rock and Dene Community Council – and no, it’s not a Rock On is aimed at making Dynamic Earth, Quarry, Matlock; Apes Tor and Ecton comment on the age of members! This The whole project is expected to cost geology, and Earth science in British Geological Hill, Wetton; and Park Hall, Stoke-on- relatively new group has prepared an around £8,500 with phased completions general, available to everyone. It Survey, and the Trent. exhibition which interprets the unique over the next two to three years. The Fossil is the hope of the Rock On Scottish Earth geology of the Stonehaven area, a coastal Group has already secured funding from organising partnership to further Science Education The resources, which meet the needs town 24 kilometres south of Aberdeen. Scottish Natural Heritage, Nortrail and the the knowledge of those already Forum. of various key stages of the National Curriculum, were produced in Stonehaven Common Good Fund. The interested in geology but, more collaboration with partners in the Earth The fossil millipede thought to have lived main interpretative exhibition at the importantly, to capture the Science Teachers’ Association (ESTA), around 428 million years ago (see issue 23) Tolbooth Museum is now open. interest of those who have little or no For further details and a complete knowledge of the subject. Events will listing of events visit the Earth Science Education Unit was found at Cowie, Stonehaven, by (ESEU) and the National Stone Centre e include mine and quarry visits; www.scottishgeology.com, n i amateur geologist Mike Newman, after a For further information, e-mail me at C geological rambles; guided walks; the gateway to Scottish geology on the (NSC) and were overseen by English n e whom it is named Pneumodesmus h [email protected]. Nature. p lectures and talks; gold and silver web. e t newmani. Mike has also found very early S panning; rock ‘surgeries’; building A 30cm model of Pneumodesmus newmani made by Everyone interested is being asked to fish fossils of the primitive jawless variety Stephen Caine of New Aberdour. Stephen makes – Derek R. Stewart, Chairman, stones walks; a dry-stone walling – Colin MacFadyen, and these too are included in the exhibition. expert models of fossils for scientific research, public Stonehaven and District Community demonstration; and fossil forays. Scottish Natural Heritage evaluate the materials produced, and With the millipede fossil being only a display and private collections. Council and Stonehaven Fossil non-specialist teachers are being centimetre long, a large model will floor of the Iapteus Ocean that once Group encouraged to use the sites for their Lothian shapes up for its second first fieldwork. The joint ESTA/UKRIGS illustrate the animal in detail. separated Scotland from England. Conference in September (see below) West Lothian, pioneer of the Local will evaluate and explain some of the The Group wants the exhibition to raise Many enthusiasts have joined the Fossil Biodiversity Action Planning process in work. awareness of the area’s geology – especially Group. Emeritus Professor of Petroleum Scotland, is set to take the lead again with the Highland Boundary Fault – among Geology at the University of Aberdeen, the first Local Geodiversity Action Plan UKRIGS has now submitted a bid to t r tourists and local people. The fault is a split Brian Williams, and Don Stewart, Secretary a the ALSF for a grant to produce

w north of the border. e t in the Earth’s crust which extends across of Aberdeen Geological Society, have been S educational materials for eight more . n R e y k

d former aggregates sites over the next Scotland from Stonehaven in the east to particularly helpful. Dr Lyall Anderson e r Thanks to funding from the Scottish a e F c D Helensburgh in the west. Associated with it from the Department of Natural Sciences, a two years. RIGS Groups are being Fossil Group members at The Toutties GCR site, Executive’s Community Environmental M n i

l invited to suggest sites suitable for is the Highland Border Complex, which at the National Museums of Scotland, has where the fossil remains of the world’s oldest-known o Renewal Grant Scheme, which represents C similar treatment. They should preserves the fragmented remains of the provided palaeontological expertise. millipede and some of the earliest fish were found. the proceeds of the Aggregate Levy, the Participants at the sixth UKRIGS Annual Conference visiting Petershill Quarry SSSI and RIGS in the preferably have open, safe public British Geological Survey (BGS) will begin Bathgate Hills, West Lothian. This abandoned quarry access, and are likely to be designated Quarry presents a friendlier face the process this summer with a geodiversity and former water reservoir is owned by the Scottish as SSSIs or RIGS, possibly with audit of West Lothian. Wildlife Trust and is one of the many geological additional Nature Reserve or other Quarrying is vital to the economy, but by two different ice sheets – an Irish exhibition, showing different types of highlights of West Lothian, where work on a Local status. doesn’t always make for attractive Sea ice sheet from the north and a sand and gravel, how the sediment is Geodiversity Action Plan is being undertaken. A leaflet produced by LaBRIGS interprets the geology landscapes. Consequently, most Welsh ice sheet from the west. The graded and processed, and the BGS and West Lothian Council (WLC), and the intimately associated flora and fauna. The Earth Science On-Site materials quarries end up hidden from view. With 60m-thick sequence at Borras is finished building product. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the are available under Education at the this in mind, Tarmac opened Borras dominated by sands and gravels Lothian and Borders RIGS Group recognition of local sites and features with UKRIGS website, www.ukrigs.org.uk Quarry in Wrexham to the public during deposited by glacial meltwater Vistors were also able to clamber (LaBRIGS), will assess the state of educational and recreational value, and the area’s Science Festival. It was an streams. Some of these are typical of around large quarry diggers and geodiversity in the area in its local to recognition of geological and – John Reynolds, UKRIGS Education opportunity for the 1,000 visitors to see those laid down on outwash plains in trucks. For the youngest enthusiasts, national context and its relevance to geomorphological assets and their value by Officer Project Manager a working quarry and appreciate the front of the ice sheet; others show that there were sandpits with smaller biodiversity, soil conservation and other local communities and land managers. issues involved in quarrying. the streams entered a substantial diggers, puzzles and quizzes. protection designations. The audit will 16-18 September 2005 water body where the sands and inform sustainable planning and Just west of Edinburgh, West Lothian Borras Quarry extracts sand and gravel gravels were deposited in large NEWRIGS produced a special set of EARTH SCIENCES & development, and management, covers 425 km2 from the Pentland Hills in and is located in what has long been deltas. three posters, illustrating the conservation and interpretation of the Earth the south-east, over the valley of the River THE COUNTRYSIDE known as the Wrexham Delta Terrace geodiversity of the area, and showed a (now referred to as the Wrexham The quarry houses the Millennium Eco collection of local rocks, fossils and heritage. It will provide the essential basis Almond to the Bathgate Hills and the south Earth Science Teachers’ Association Plateau), a massive body of glacial and Centre with its messages about minerals. for the construction of the follow-on West shore of the Firth of Forth. Annual Course and Conference and glaciofluvial sediment deposited sustainable living, biodiversity, Lothian Geodiversity Action Plan. UKRIGS Annual Conference – Hugh Barron, British Venue: University of Derby towards the end of the Devensian geodiversity and other environmental – Jacqui Malpas, Geological Survey glaciation, around 14,000 years ago. issues. A large marquee hosted NEWRIGS Geodiversity As well as a more integrated approach to More details from Peter Jones, Published with permission of the Executive Scientifically, the deposits provide displays by various organisations, and Audit Research Officer nature conservation, the project will lead to Director, British Geological Survey email: [email protected] evidence that the region was invaded Tarmac had a large ‘hands-on’ new GIS-based information; wider or tel: 01332 591724 4 (NERC). 5 Outcrops Outcrops Hand-sculpted poetry k r o w

d Intricate stonework on the west doorway of n u

o Two poems, inspired by the Scottish

r the 11th century Selby Abbey was one G /

s Stone matters! of the joys of a conference field trip.

e landscape and engraved into Caithness v a e r

g flagstones outside the Scottish Parliament, England’s Heritage in Stone conference was held from 15-17 r a H

a were unveiled earlier this year, by George March in York and organised by the GeoConservation Commission, r a b r

a Reid, the Parliament’s Presiding Officer. with sponsorship from English Heritage, English Nature, Stone B Federation GB and the British Geological Survey. Skull site winner The poems were the winning entries in the An award-winning hand-axe sculpture has Rock On Scottish Geology Festival inter- One morning session looking at the history of stone type and use been installed at the main entrance of the year Written in Stone competition. The was followed by a visit to York Minster mason’s yard, watching Swanscombe Heritage Park – the site of a overall winner of the competition, which carvers and masons at work, examing profiling and cutting geological Site of Special Scientific Interest was designed to get school pupils looking machinery and the computerised setting out shop. This allowed in north Kent. at and appreciating the landscape, was 14- delegates to understand the current practices in Europe’s largest year-old Robert Adam from Cushnie, near gothic Cathedral with a full programme of repair and replacement David Robinson and Peter Greenstreet of Alford in Aberdeenshire with his entry: of stone. The climax was a conducted tour up the spectacular East y e l

Front, now covered in many miles of scaffolding. Two walks around n

landscape design company GES Ltd a t S

Look. What can you see? the Minster, taken by Eric Robinson and Jane Jackson, looked at k scooped the top honour in A Walk into c i History competition, which invited I see beauty in the lochs. the building stone and architecture. M I see majesty in mountains.

designers to create a landmark feature for . t

t A field trip looked in detail at the building limestones of the Upper e

I see legend in rocks. n STEAM TREAT the park. The design was based on the r a Permian, Cadeby Formation (Magnesian Limestone) of the B

And it is ours. e The conference dinner at the National Railway Museum saw 400,000-year-old hand-axe discovered in i g

u Tadcaster area to the south-west of York, starting with the late 11th o delegates dining next to Mallard, the A4 Gresley Pacific railway the park, which is famed as the site of the D century Selby Abbey and the mainly late Norman church at The winner of the Gaelic language George Reid with Robert Adam and his winning engine of 1936 and world speed record holder for steam engines, oldest human remains in Britain. The Sherburn-in-Elmet, a much modified Saxon foundation with category was 15-year-old Mairead poem. now in retirement and a star attraction. Guest of honour was Sir Swanscombe skull site is where three Romanesque and Perpendicular features. Visits to Mickelfield MacNeil from Castlebay on the Isle of The unveiling drew widespread media William McAlpine, President of the Natural Stone Institute and separate pieces of skull, estimated to date Quarry, an SSSI with an interpretation of its importance, and Barra, with: coverage and boosted awareness of the former owner of the Flying Scotsman, a famous A3 Gresley back 400,000 years, were found. Smaws Quarry, now sadly an active landfill site but formerly importance of Scotland’s geology. Pacific. Beanntan Àrda supplier of stone to repair York Minster in the 1880s and Clifford’s Where to find a good quarry Fo cheò Tower in York in 1903, completed the trip. STONE ISSUES Mar chaistealan glasa The Scottish Geology Festival organising partnership led by Scottish Natural A recurring conference issue was the shortage of supply of Good Quarry – at www.goodquarry.com A' fleòdradh sa mhuir The final plenary session revealed a wish to convene a Steering Heritage is grateful to Watson Stonecraft indigenous building stone in designated areas (e.g. national parks – tackles how to incorporate good Group to establish terms of reference and operational aspects of the This translates as: who facilitated the engraving work, and conservation areas). Local politicians are unlikely to agree to environmental practice into quarry English Stone Forum. It was agreed that the Stone Working Group design, operation and restoration. The Towering mountains Gardner Malloy of Matchless Masonry re-opening as, in the public eye, all quarrying is tarred with the of the GeoConservation Commission, the body responsible for the site is funded through the Aggregates Shrouded in mist who engraved the stones and to Bord Na aggregate brush – noise, dust and many traffic movements. The conference, should act as the Steering Group, co-opting additional Levy Sustainability Fund and Like grey castles Gaidhlig (Gaelic Language Board) which reality with building stone is usually a small number of weekly members as required. administered by the Mineral Industry Floating in the sea supported the unveiling reception. traffic movements and minimal dust and noise. A concerted effort Research Organisation (MIRO). is needed from built and natural heritage conservation bodies and – Mick Stanley, Secretary, GeoConservation Commission local planning authorities to reconcile conflicting interests. Longer d n a l

t term, there is a need to recognise that ‘old’ stone quarries may

Lizard case may help close export loophole o c S

f require statutory recognition as a ‘heritage resource’ similar to that The Review of Local Nature Conservation o

In 1989 the fossil known as ‘Lizzie’ – an There is little doubt that in 1989, had s m for the built and the biological heritage. Help may be at hand as

u Sites (LNCS) in Scotland e early reptile-like amphibian found by export regulations extended to fossils, an s u Government planning guidance in the form of a new Minerals M

l LNCS have long held a place in nature conservation in Edinburgh-based fossil collector Stan Wood export licence would have been needed and a n Planning Statement 1 – Planning and Minerals (England & Wales) o i t Scotland. Whilst the first National Nature Reserve, Beinn – was put up for sale and faced export to a the RCEWA would have been able to defer a N is likely to include an annex on building stone. This leads on from e

h Eighe, was created in 1951, locally designated sites museum in Germany. issuing a licence. In reality, Mr Wood t f o the Symonds report (Earth Heritage 22) on Planning for the Supply followed some 15 years later, and so have a 40-year history s

voluntarily agreed to a delay on the export e e

t of Stone and Slate in England. Pilot resource/building studies being

s alongside other long-established mechanisms. Scotland first u r

The threatened loss of this fossil, of the specimen and funds were eventually T undertaken by the British Geological Survey, Building Research RIGS group was established in 1992. © s

Westlothiana lizziae, thought at the time to raised to keep it in the UK. It is now likely e

g Establishment, English Nature and English Heritage may point the a m be the world’s oldest-known reptile, caused that the Department for Culture, Media and I way for future research. The adaptation of LNCS to local circumstances has been a consternation. Given its price tag, it was Sport (DCMS) will initiate a consultation Lizzie the Lizard’s fossil remains (above) and a strength of the designation, and has led to innovation and brought before the Reviewing Committee on the export of fossil specimens from the reconstruction of this major fossil find. Lizzie now FIELD TRIP creative developments. However, the breath of different resides in the Royal Scottish Museum. In the future, on the Export of Works of Art (RCEWA). UK. Check the DCMS website at Other issues included the provision and accessibility of technical approaches has led to confusion as to the meaning and anyone wanting to export such nationally important status of sites, and prevents the use of the designation in This is common practice for items such as www.culture.gov.uk/ specimens overseas may need a licence to do so. information for practitioners (including architects, designers and Scottish national policy. The role of LNCS was discussed paintings and vintage cars, where export global/consultations/default.htm. builders), global market constraints on stone producers, provision controls exist so that works of art and other during debate on the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Bill in of craft, building conservation and new-build skills, and the short 2004, giving rise to a request to SNH by Ministers to lead a cultural items have a chance of staying in design life of modern buildings. One evening a conducted tour of review of LNCS in Scotland, with a consultation on draft this country. But, it became clear that the the Centre of Vocational Excellence (COVE) for stone masonry at Guidance taking place this summer. For further information, export control regulations did not cover York College, revealed the exceptional facilities available to please contact Rachel Hellings, natural heritage items such as fossils. 6 students for learning the art of the mason and carver. email: [email protected] 7 Cairngorm new views on an old Mountains: landscape

he granite mountains of the and structural John Gordon, Cairngorms form a distinctive weaknesses, have and internationally important influenced the patterns of Scottish Natural Heritage, Tlandscape. Two recent studies weathering, erosion and provide new information to help develop landscape evolution. The Earth heritage interpretation and site form of the current and Chris Thomas, Above: Tor landscape on Ben Avon. management. landscape, although British Geological Survey Photo © J.E. Gordon modified by glacial Right: The Cairngorm Mountains represent a classic landscape of selective glacial erosion. The The Cairngorm Mountains make up the erosion, is essentially an During successive phases of glaciation in extensive plateau surfaces with tors have generally been little modified by glacial erosion and contrast largest continuous area of high ground inherited one. This has been investigated in the Quaternary, glaciers and ice sheets sharply with the glacial trough of Glen Avon. This contrast is thought to reflect the former presence of above 1,000m in Britain and include most a joint study by the British Geological selectively deepened and extended the pre- active, fast-flowing glaciers in the glens, whereas the ice covering the plateaux was frozen to the of the highest summits in Scotland. These Survey and Scottish Natural Heritage. glacial glens. This is the first time that the bedrock and relatively inactive. mountains, with their distinctive plateau Cairngorms’ origins have been directly Photo © P. & A. Macdonald/SNH surfaces and glacially sculptured features, The results of detailed mapping of the traced back to when the granite formed. conserve the area’s became part of Scotland’s second National jointing and characteristics of the granite Left: Ice-marginal meltwater landforms (meltwater geodiversity and the Park in 2003. They are also included in the show that zones of weakness were The new datasets have been compiled by channels and kame terraces) formed in Glen More habitats it supports UK Tentative List of World Heritage Sites produced by hot fluids reacting with the the British Geological Survey in a along the northern flanks of the Cairngorm Mountains through sustainable for their exceptional landforms and granite as they moved along joints and Geographic Information System (GIS). during the melting of the Late Devensian ice sheet management. By geological history. In particular, the fractures in the rock. This happened soon These will provide the basis for developing around 20,000 -15,000 years ago. identifying landforms Cairngorms provide unique insights into after the granite had been intruded. novel interpretative materials. In one Photo © P. & A. Macdonald/SNH and processes as the processes of mountain landscape application, the pre-glacial relief was potentially sensitive to evolution and environmental change in a The major landscape features of the reconstructed as a digital terrain model and activities such as Special mountains maritime, mid-latitude setting in the Cairngorms began to form soon after the compared with the present relief to show afforestation, quarrying Relict landforms which originated before the northern hemisphere over the last 400 granite was exposed, around 390-400 how glacial erosion had changed the area. or river management, the ice age are unusual for their scale of million years. million years ago through selective issues can be addressed development in a glaciated mountain area. weathering and erosion of weaker rock. Geomorphological heritage through practical They include tors, weathered bedrock and Geological foundations of a Over time, the pre-glacial rivers excavated plateau surfaces. These features stand in and sensitivity management. granite landscape the precursors of the present glens along sharp contrast with the glacial cliffs of the the zones of weakness. corries, breached watersheds and deeply In a complementary study, Scottish Natural Relict landforms may be landforming environment was able to dissected glens. Together they form an The Cairngorms are underlain by a granite Heritage has compiled a GIS-based ascribed a degree of vulnerability to During the Neogene and Palaeogene recover from particular activities, whether it outstanding example of a landscape of pluton intruded into metasedimentary rocks inventory of landforms in the Cairngorms. damage or destruction from different (between about 65 and 2.5 million years would be set into a prolonged period of selective glacial erosion and show how the of the Dalradian Supergroup. This The work assesses the Earth heritage of the human activities, expressed in terms of the ago), episodes of uplift, etching (deep attempted readjustment to the new erosional effects of the ice-age glaciers were happened about 427 million years ago area not only as a resource for research, degree of damage or loss of Earth heritage very effective in particular areas but minimal weathering) and stripping of the deeply conditions (for example, changes in slope during the Caledonian Orogeny. Today’s education and interpretation, but also for interest on a scale from 1 (minimal in others due to variations in the basal weathered rock shaped the overall form of drainage), or whether the system would landscape reflects the character and how it supports special habitats and alteration) to 5 (destruction of landforms). thermal regime of the glaciers. The structure of the granite bedrock and its the relief into a series of etchplains landscape heritage (see boxes). ultimately change its nature and not recover occurrence of such a diverse assemblage of (‘erosion surfaces’), and tor-capped summit its original character. I subsequent exposure and erosion through A similar, but more complicated, exercise physical features in a relatively compact area domes where the granite is more massive is exceptional on an international level and geomorphological processes. The Evaluating geomorphological sensitivity to was developed for active geomorphological Chris Thomas’s contribution is published with permission of the and poorly jointed. invaluable for study. More information on properties of the granite, especially jointing human activity is one way of helping to systems. This took into account whether the Executive Director, British Geological Survey (NERC) www.fettes.com/Cairngorms/ – developed The postglacial vegetation history of the Cairngorm Mountains is recorded in by Dr Adrian Hall, Fettes College, Edinburgh. blanket peat and peat bogs. The lower slopes formerly supported an extensive Special habitats and landscapes forest cover of Scots Pine, but this has been greatly reduced following several The Cairngorms are of great importance native Caledonian pinewoods in Scotland, millennia of human exploitation. Both photos by J.E. Gordon for nature conservation. The high-level developed on a range of glacial deposits Further reading plateaux are rich areas of montane which provide an intricate topographic Brazier, V. and Gordon, J.E. in prep. vegetation, notably for the development of and ecological mosaic. The geomorphological heritage of the lichen-rich montane heath and the Cairngorm Mountains. Scottish Natural specialised vegetation of snow-beds and Much of the montane zone is incorporated Heritage Commissioned Report. springs, which includes many rare within Site of Special Interest (SSSI) and species. The detailed mosaic of vegetation National Nature Reserve (NNR) Thomas, C.W., Gillespie, M.R., communities reflects a close interplay designations. At an international level, a Jordan, C. and Hall, A.M. 2004. between soils, geomorphology, exposure, large part of the area qualifies for Geological structure and landscape of snow-lie patterns and microclimate. The designation under the European Habitats the Cairngorm Mountains. Scottish The River Feshie is a highly dynamic, gravel-bed river noted for rapid channel Natural Heritage Commissioned Report, changes during floods. This braided reach is the most lower ground also contains important Directive and the European Birds habitats for birds and the largest areas of Directive. No. 064 (ROAME No. F00AC103). 8 active of any gravel-bed river in Britain. 9 This advances our understanding of the temporal stratigraphical relationship of the Inferior Oolite, superior fossils New light two sites and continues the building of a composite succession of faunal horizons The rocks of the Middle Jurassic Inferior Oolite Group are the source of immense based on ammonites that far outstrips the numbers of fossil specimens now housed in our museums. The outcrop of these strata resolution achievable by division into runs from the Dorset coast near Burton Bradstock to Bristol and continues north-east to subzones. the Yorkshire coast. In the vicinity of Bristol, it is said that William Smith used the Inferior Oolite of Dundry Hill to demonstrate his subdivision of strata by fossils, which shines Louse Hill SSSI resulted in his 1815 classic work Memoir to the map and delineation of strata of At Louse Hill (Figure 4), the old quarry England and Wales with part of Scotland. exposes the Bradford Abbas Fossil Bed famed for its abundance of the ammonites The name ‘Inferior Oolite’ was first used by Reverend J. Townsend (1813) and resulted from his collaborations with Smith. It includes a succession of Jurassic strata lying on the Oolite Fig. 1 – Sandford Lane Quarry following Graphoceras and Euhoploceras. enhancement in May 2004. The floor of the pit between the Lias and the overlying rocks of the Great Oolite Series. Geological conservation and site enhancement in Dorset consists of the Corton Denham and Sandford Lane The quarry serves as a reference, as most and Somerset have enabled us to advance our Fossil Bed. Above is the massive Sherborne of the old quarries at Bradford Abbas now many ammonites. Its SSSI has made have been untouched for many years are possible the conservation of a section of the once more revealing their secrets and understanding of fossil strata and of evolutionary Building Stone. lie beneath fields. Above, is a much- reduced thickness of the Astarte obliqua pit in the midst of an industrial complex. adding vital detail to our knowledge and lineages. Bed – here it is only a few centimetres Apart from the ammonites, the site displays understanding of the Inferior Oolite, its attributed to a particular bed on the thick compared to 30cm on the coast at a remarkable flat erosion surface and the stratigraphy, palaeoecology and the grounds of their matrix or the word of the English Nature’s Facelift programme and the generous Burton Bradstock. The Irony Bed below is most complete succession in the Upper complex evolution of its ammonite original collector. The Middle Inferior a thin conglomeratic red limestone with Aalenian ironshot oolite limestone of the fauna. I co-operation of landowners and tenants have enabled us Oolite is the least complete part of the well-preserved fossils. The approximate area. It is also one of few permanently to study the Oolite more closely. Inferior Oolite, but the portion seen at equivalent at Frogden just a short distance exposed inland localities where you can see Sandford Lane is much more complete than Work still goes on involving workers from away displays sediments in excess of a the passage of the sandy beds into the more Robert Baron Chandler, other sections in Dorset. the UK and abroad. John Callomon, calcareous sediments above. Liaison Convenor, International Subcommission metre thick. Volker Dietze and Robert Baron Chandler Frogden Quarry SSSI are researching the ammonites, and Horn Park Quarry SSSI Co-operation between scientists, on Jurassic Stratigraphy In the next valley to Sandford Lane is Wolfgang Fischer is working on the The Horn Park Bed at Horn Park Quarry landowners and English Nature has uring Jurassic times, localised Around Sherborne, there used to be a vast Frogden Quarry (Figures 2-3). Although gastropod fauna. There is much more to (owned by the Seal family) near provided a unique opportunity to revisit the faulting and erosion number of quarries – some of them made the rocks are of a similar age to those of discover. Beaminster (Figure 5), is famous for its Inferior Oolite of Buckman. Quarries that controlled deposition in the famous by Sydney Savory Buckman (1860- Sandford Lane, there are beds that occur at DDorset-Somerset area. This 1929). Buckman was raised at Bradford Frogden which are not present at Sandford resulted in a sequence of thin, highly Abbas, a place surrounded by the most Lane and vice versa. Thus between them, fossiliferous limestones that are of fossiliferous Inferior Oolite. He dedicated the two quarries preserve different slices of Thanks must go to the owners and their tenants for their continued slightly different age, often between sites most of his life to the study of fossils, time (as represented by the rocks) and, support and much credit must go to the driving and mechanical skills only metres apart. Each locality, particularly ammonites. He made it his task when taken together, they fill more gaps in of Mike Higgins and Edward Seal, whose abilities to use a 30-tonne digger and pick out a single 5 cm fossil undamaged must be therefore, has a unique history and to subdivide strata by fossils to the highest the record than either quarry does on its applauded! different features meriting notification as possible resolution (Buckman, 1893). own. an SSSI. Most localities are noted for Thanks are also due to: The Wessex Cephalopod Club, A. G. England, W. Fischer, W. J. E. Jones, H. Sanders, Ed. and El. Sutcliff. Sherborne some aspect of their fossil wealth. Louse Many of these classic Inferior Oolite sites Buckman likened the Inferior Oolite to a Castle Estates and their tenants R. Hillier, R. Amor, P. Hunt, B. and L. Hill was one of the sources of lie within the Sherborne Castle Estate, fishing net. The string represented the Lock. R. Loxton and the personnel of English Nature and Dorset Huddlestone’s gastropods and Horn Park which has actively supported research in preserved strata and the holes what was County Council: R. Edmonds, C. Pamplin, H. Powell, J. Larwood, A. King, K. Jeffries. is famed for ammonites. Many display partnership with English Nature. The missing! New data from Frogden indicate superb geological features important to results have added to our understanding of the presence of horizons previously research and education, particularly the detailed succession at a number of sites unrecorded, including a direct correlation sedimentological, taphonomic and and have provided new primary research with some of the levels at Sandford Lane. structural aspects that have great material. Fig. 3 – The typical Frogden ammonite Stephanoceras sp. potential for study. Fig. 2 – Frogden Quarry showing the Sherborne Building Stone Sandford Lane above the Roadstone. The floor of the pit exposes the Blue Bed. Many of the classic Inferior Oolite sections Quarry SSSI are now found in privately owned disused The importance of the quarries and cuttings. Clearing away scrub Sandford Lane Quarry and re-excavating quarry faces has (Figure 1) lies in the age provided an opportunity to re-collect (under of its fossils. The controlled conditions) fossils, bed-by-bed. Sandford Lane Fossil Bed It has been possible to update and clarify spans an interval of time the biostratigraphy (division of strata by not reproduced in this fossil content), drawing up new high quality anywhere stratigraphical profiles and studying the else in England. The site composition and variety of the fossil fauna is also the type locality of and flora more closely than ever before. the Garantiana zone. Important specimens in museums can now Fig. 5 – The section at Horn Park exposing the Scissum Bed, be assigned to their probable horizon, so Early collections from Murchisonae, Bradfordensis and Concavum zones. the material can be used to trace this site often include Fig. 4 – The face at Louse, or Lows, Hill Quarry near Bradford Abbas, exposing the 10 evolutionary lineages. specimens that are Murchisonae to Parkinsoni zones. 11 Cynthia Burek, England’s University College Chester first soil trail New Earth Science

Students using the Munsell Conservation soil colour chart to test a brown earth ack in 1994, a forum of the forensic biology students from maintenance issues. Occasionally, Association of Welsh RIGS University College, Chester are looking though, educational institutions still Groups (AWRG) agreed that at soil differences to see what they can asked to reopen the pits and, Classification Bsoils deserved greater tell us about a crime. The students eventually, its unique suite of soil recognition, more protection, and carry out simple chemical, physical profiles was recognised. inclusion within RIGS. and weather tests and their understanding of materials at the crime The soil trail runs through a small Ten years on, Scottish Natural Heritage site is increased tremendously. Most valley alongside the Chester to soil scientist Patricia Bruneau and have no idea about the value of soils Manchester railway, close to a SSSI Chesil Beach, part of Chesil and The Fleet SSSI, Dorset contains both static (IS) and active (IA) geomorphological components.

Countryside Council for Wales for detection purposes and many did designated for its woodland biology. Photo by Colin Prosser/English Nature counterpart, Dylan Williams, are not know there were different soil types The underlying geology is glacial sands working to promote better to start with. This has implications for and gravels over Triassic red Practical experience over many years has given us the new, improved Mick Murphy, understanding of the value of an the type of material which will be sandstone. However, the uniformity of Earth Science Conservation Classification (ESCC) English Nature important resource that is often preserved at a crime scene. underlying material is deceptive as the referred to as ‘mud, dirt or old rocks’. location has eight different soil types in Original Classification Revised Classification Cwm Idwal, for example, is protected Delamere Forest is owned and a very small area. Exposure Sites Exposure or Extensive Sites he original ESCC had been used as the basic classification for its biological, geological and managed by the Forestry Commission Active quarries and pits EA Active quarries and pits EA landscape value, but its equally and, co-operating with Cheshire RIGS, The reason for the variety lies in the for all types of conservation Disused quarries, pits and ED interesting soil resource is often they have nominated the Delamere Soil fact that the trail lies alongside the work and was introduced in cuttings Disused quarries and pits ED T forgotten. Trail as a RIGS to Vale Royal and mid-Cheshire sandstone ridge and, 1990. In 2003, the ESCC was revised with Coastal and river cliffs Coastal cliffs and foreshore Cheshire County Council (Cheshire during the last glaciation, ice poured EC EC 16 site types organised into three major Possible light is on the horizon with a RIGS). In fact, the trail was set up in through the Mouldsworth Gap from the Foreshore exposures EF River and stream sections EW categories, in contrast to the 11 site types new book on soil conservation the 1980s, but had fallen into disuse west, depositing sand, gravel and till to Inland outcrops and stream EO of the original classification. The changes published by Blackwell (Morgan, 2005) and was to be abandoned because of the east. sections Inland outcrops EO are shown in the table opposite. and the production of an EU Mines and tunnels EM Exposure underground mines EU soil conservation strategy. The As a result, the soils vary and tunnels The three main categories are exposure or statutory agencies in England, from brown earths and Extensive buried interest EB extensive; finite; and integrity. The Wales and Scotland are also podzols to peats and gleys. Road, rail and canal cuttings ER distinctions between them are important producing national soil This variety makes it a because they reflect fundamental Integrity Sites Integrity Sites strategies to promote valuable teaching and differences in conservation strategies. The sustainable use including awareness-raising trail for soil Static (fossil) geomorphological IS Static (fossil) geomorphological IS classification allows generic threats and conservation and monitoring. conservation. Cheshire RIGS Active process IA Active process IA conservation strategies to be defined for the and the Forestry Commission geomorphological geomorphological different site types. But if we want to conserve are hoping to produce a Caves and karst IC Caves IC something, we must first leaflet and site interpretation Karst IK Exposure or extensive sites contain educate people to value it. panels for Delamere Forest, a geological features which are relatively Finite Sites Finite Sites With this is mind, a unique soil favourite haunt of walkers extensive beneath the surface. The basic trail is being developed. This and horse riders. I Unique mineral, fossil or other IM Finite mineral, fossil or other FM principle is that removal of material does first RIGS soil trail is situated in geological geological not cause severe depletion or damage to the Delamere Forest on the banks Further reading Mine dumps ID Mine dumps FD resource, as new material of the same type of the River Mersey in Finite underground mines Morgan R.P.C. 2005. Soil FU continued on page 14 Cheshire. In a fascinating use erosion and conservation, 3rd and tunnels 12for the site, Opening up a peat pit Photos by C. Burek Ed. Blackwell Publishing Finite buried interest FB 13 Cligga Head SSSI, Cornwall demonstrates mineral veins in granite and is classified as a finite Porth Swtan mineral site (FM). (Church Bay) in northern Anglesey provides a fine series of coastal cliffs (EC) which expose highly altered Gwna Green-Schist and Church Bay Tuffs of Precambrian age. The site is currently The summit of Roineabhal (pronounced Ron-e-val) on the south coast being considered as of Harris in the Western Isles, one of the Lewisian Geological a potential RIGS. Conservation Review sites. Composed of anothorosite, this inland Photo by Stewart Campbell outcrop (EO) was once threatened by superquarry propoals that would have removed the bulk of the mountain.

Photo by Colin MacFadyen/Scottish Natural Heritage Jurassic sediments at Sproxton Quarry SSSI, Lincolnshire are exposed in a disused quarry (ED).

Photos by Mick Murphy/English Nature unless credited otherwise The Toad Rock, Rusthall Common SSSI, Kent, is classified as a static geomorphological site (IS).

Pared y Cefn-hir GCR site lies on the north-west flank of the Cadair Idris massif. Classified as EO (inland outcrops) in the ESCC, it provides the most completely exposed sequence of strata from the

Conesby base of the Arenig (Yorkshire East) to the Upper Quarry SSSI is Llanvirn in central currently Wales. Photo by Stewart Campbell worked and so classified as an active quarry (EA). Photo by David Evans, English Nature

from previous page is being freshly exposed as material is resource. The features are often irreplaceable management. Damage to one part of a site For example, a stratigraphic sequence in a Folded removed. The main management aim of if destroyed. The basic management principle may adversely affect the site as a whole. In cliff or quarry would be classified as an sediments at these sites is to achieve and maintain an is to permit responsible scientific usage of the case of active process sites, the exposure site because removal of rock would Milook Haven, acceptable level of exposure of the features the resource while conserving it in the long fundamental principle is to maintain the generally produce further exposure of the within the of interest. Site types include active quarries term. It is often necessary to implement active processes by non-interference as far as same material. However, mineral veins Boscastle to and mines, disused quarries, rail and road controls over removal of material. Site types possible. Site types include active and static within the same sequence would often have a Widemouth cuttings, coastal cliffs and foreshore, inland include many mineral and some fossil geomorphological sites, caves and karst. The finite classification, as removal of vein SSSI, Cornwall, outcrops and extensive buried interest sites. deposits, mine dumps, finite underground site categories are not mutually exclusive and material would not produce fresh exposure, are superbly Finite sites contain geological features that mines and finite buried interest sites. there are numerous examples where part of a but would result in loss of the interest. exposed in are limited in extent and where removal of Integrity sites are geomorphological and are site is classified as exposure and another part coastal cliffs 14material may cause harmful depletion of the characterised by the need for holistic is classified as finite or integrity. I (EC). 15 The Ice Age in A future for Herefordshire Philpots Quarry e r

Andy Richards, u t a N h s

Lugg Valley, south of Stoke Prior. These i Herefordshire and Worcestershire l g n E

show the terrace gravels of the Lugg Valley / s n

Earth Heritage Trust a SSSI v Formation and record how the River Lugg E d i v

developed following the withdrawal of the a D Anglian ice-sheet. The oldest gravels of the formation are found at Sutton Walls, an ollowing the designation of 10 elevated plateau exploited by the Romans, fluvial RIGS, 10 more sites who built a fort there. In addition, three have been chosen to cover distinct terrace units are incorporated into a FHerefordshire’s Quaternary N RIGS at Kingsfield, immediately south of landscape evolution. This forms part of a Bodenham. Like the Sutton Walls Member, two-year project funded by Leader+ and Pleistocene ice-limits in Herefordshire these gravels were laid down by the River DEFRA that began in 2002. Lugg when it still drained much of the meander westward to meet the River Lugg. system are deposits that have a completely Welsh Marches - before the radical changes The solid geology of Herefordshire is While the stream valleys are very small, different origin. The Risbury Formation is to its catchment area caused by a final overlain by a wealth of superficial deposits. they contain gravel infills that are composed of coarse gravel, sands, silts and phase of glaciation. Part of the RIGS at The deposits and related geomorphological approximately half a million years old. The clays. They were deposited by a huge ice- Kingsfield has been incorporated into the landforms in the 10 new sites help give a lower and oldest of these gravels, the sheet that extended from Wales and across Earth Heritage Trust’s Queenswood Trail fascinating account of the region’s Humber Formation, were laid as part of a Herefordshire as far as the Cradley Brook Guide. landscape evolution over 500,000 years. cold-stage fluvial system that swept Valley on the west of the Malvern Hills. Herefordshire. Components suggest that the This phase of glaciation, within the cold The final major phase in the development of Quaternary record catchment of this drainage network Anglian Stage around 450,000 years ago, the landscape of Herefordshire occurred The oldest, and some of the most extended northward into Shropshire and had a profound effect on the British between 22,000 and 15,000 years ago, informative, superficial deposits overlie the Staffordshire, during a period when the landscape. In Herefordshire, most of the during the Late Devensian glaciation. While plateau formed by the St Maughans River Lugg dominated the landscape in this evidence occurs on the margins of the not as extensive as the Anglian glaciation Formation between Leominster and part of the Welsh Marches. plateau between Leominster and Bromyard. over 400,000 years earlier, the sediments Philpots Quarry – looking Bromyard. The Stretford, Holly and Three of the new RIGS are associated with and landforms associated with this phase south-east along the working Humber brooks drain this high ground and Overlying the remnants of the ancient river significant events during this phase of are found west of the River Lugg, Jon Radley, face. The Ardingly Sandstone The floodplain of the glaciation in the Stoke Prior area. It throughout the Hereford Basin. These Warwickshire Museum Member forms the bench, with River Lugg near appears that a glacial lake, one of a sediments were a focus for gravel the Top Lower Tunbridge Wells Bodenham Church. sequence associated with the retreat of the companies throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Pebble Bed on the top surface, The land rising on the Anglian ice-sheet across Herefordshire, Currently, exposure is limited, but one of David Evans, and overlain by the Grinstead left is underlain by became impounded against the ice-margin the most extensive and informative sections, English Nature Clay Formation, forming the gravels of the just east of Stoke Prior, before a phase of near Steens Bridge just north of Stoke Prior, steep grassed slope. Marden Member (1st catastrophic drainage and the retreat of the has been designated as a RIGS. It Terrace) of the Lugg ice-margin. incorporates part of the Late Devensian Valley Formation. Herefordshire end-moraine and its xcavations have started again grained sandstone of Lower Cretaceous

Photos by Andy Richards Further RIGS have been designated in the sediments and structures are typical of those at Philpots Quarry SSSI in (Valanginian) age. The sandstone occurs Left: A disused pit near Stoke Lacey on the margins near an active ice-margin. West Sussex and, with co- within the highest part of the Lower of the Lodon Valley. Gravels exposed in the pit were Eoperation between the Tunbridge Wells Sand Formation of the laid down by a precursor to the Lodon during a Scratched the surface operators, English Nature and geological Hastings Beds Subgroup. Middle Pleistocene cold stage, following the Anglian The primary aim of designating the new researchers, many important scientific Stage glaciation of Herefordshire. RIGS was to cover as many aspects of the observations and discoveries are Philpots Quarry has long exposed the Below: Deposits of the Late Devensian moraine at Quaternary development of Herefordshire beginning to see the light. highest few metres of the Ardingly The Leasows, two miles east of Leominster. These as possible. Fortunately, the sites were Sandstone Member capped by the Top deposits consist of diamictons, gravels and finer within a designated Leader+ area. These Philpots Quarry SSSI lies a short distance Lower Tunbridge Wells Pebble Bed, deposits that were deformed by minor oscillations of deposits represent a small portion of an south-west of the picturesque village of beneath an overburden of the succeeding an ice-front, approximately 18,000 years ago. extensive record of Quaternary West Hoathly on the western edge of Grinstead Clay Formation. The sandstone environments in Herefordshire. Ashdown Forest and within the High has only been worked on a small scale at Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. this site, which is, however, extremely As yet, the RIGS programme has merely important scientifically. scratched the surface of Herefordshire’s This area is the source of the geological and geomorphological heritage. architecturally important Ardingly The exposed succession has been central to The Earth Heritage Trust aims to extend its Sandstone Member, a dominantly fine- sedimentological modelling of the non- work to other areas to conserve its special I continued on page 18 16 Quaternary record and landscape. 17 A future for Philpots Quarry SSSI Rainforests from previous page marine Wealden Group carried out by Philpots Quarry features in many scientific invertebrates including pond-mussels and Professor Perce Allen of the University of papers, underlining its SSSI status and snails, countless microscopic ostracods Reading, since the 1930s. fundamental importance in Wealden (‘water-fleas’), and insects. The horsetails We explore some spectacular fossil palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. As indicate the presence of a soil bed that must forests in Wrexham’s coal measures Detailed mapping of the Ardingly quarrying proceeded, many interesting have formed on a muddy shoal in a metre Sandstone Member in three dimensions, fossils and trace fossils were discovered in or two of water. and see how discoveries are being carried out through the 1960s to 1980s as the Ardingly Sandstone Member, providing used to teach about one of the quarrying progressed, allowed Professor fascinating insights into animal and plant Philpots Quarry fell into disuse a few years strangest periods in the Earth’s history. Allen to reconstruct the precise inhabitants of the Wealden floodplains. ago, after many decades of scientific in the rock morphologies, hydrodynamic conditions, palaeoecology and climatic significance of Right: Largely intact Howard Falcon-Lang, a field of small-scale channels and fans. integument of University of Bristol Photos by Derek Jones Lepidotes – a large A range of invertebrate bony fish that was Derek Jones, fossils not uncommon in North-East Wales Institute, Wrexham Professor Allen’s investigations of the the Jurassic and overlying Grinstead Clay Formation Early Cretaceous. It was probably buried revealed a range of invertebrate fossils, t must have been a bizarre, alien rapidly before the plants and trace fossils, that confirmed the world. About 300 million years soft tissues

subsequent spread of a freshwater to e r u

t ago, Europe and North America decomposed. a Top: Searching for fossils at Brymbo.

slightly brackish lake into the basin. N h

s lay together on the equator, and i l Above: Lepidodendron fossil and (left) children learn g

n I E

/ steamy, tropical rainforests stretched Significantly, the abrupt change from the s about dendrochronology or tree-ring dating. n a v Ardingly Sandstone Member to the E all the way from Utah to the Urals. d i v

a Giant club-mosses and huge Grinstead Clay Formation at Philpots D However, when reclamation rockface’ incorporating one or more horsetails grew in vast, stinking bogs Quarry mimics the earlier transition from Top Lower Tunbridge Wells Pebble Bed – saw- excavations started, developers got fossil trees, rising from their coal-seam beneath a heavy, oxygen-charged the Ashdown Formation to the Wadhurst cut through block showing the Pebble Bed and more than they bargained for! root-base, as a static display. Clay Formation, seen for instance in the numerous burrows or borings with a circular atmosphere. Enormous millipedes, coastal sections of the Hastings-Pett Level cross-section. two metres long, scavenged the Preserved just above the Brassey coal The recently formed Brymbo Heritage SSSI, East Sussex. These classic Wealden rotting undergrowth, and occasionally seam, buried in a brown sandy layer, Group is especially keen to involve ‘megacyclic’ transitions provide an discovery. Recently, though, the quarry was the whole landscape for miles around enormous fossil trees have been local children in this work. important key to interpreting the Wealden taken over by W.T. Lamb and Sons, a was obliterated by catastrophic found. At any one time, about 10 to 20 strata. family business that has been supplying wildfires. trees are exposed, arranged in dense The fossils generated terrific interest locally made bricks and other clay products groves. One type of tree, when displayed on the North Wales for several generations. New model in 1975 Uncovering remains of these primeval Lepidodendron, has distinctive Geologists’ Association stand at the Until the late 1960s, Professor Allen was rainforests, now preserved in the diamond-patterned bark, whilst Wrexham Science Festival in March.

e Fresh rock surfaces and ex situ material are attributing them to eustatic sea-level rise, r another, Calamites, resembles a giant As a follow-up, we plan to stock-pile u Carboniferous Coal Measures, was a t a once again available, allowing appreciation drowning the sands under a blanket of N bamboo. This patch of Carboniferous some 200 tonnes of the most fossil- h favourite Victorian pastime. Most s i l of the beautifully preserved sedimentary transgressive prodeltaic mud. Subsequent g n amazing of all were discoveries of rainforest was preserved when an rich strata within the Industrial Heritage E /

s and biogenic structures of the Ardingly problems with this model, notably n a entire forests, buried in place, with tree ancient river system burst its banks, Area, so that children can experience v

E Sandstone Member.

widespread indications of shallow-water d i burying adjacent vegetation in sand the excitement of fossil hunting for

v trunks still standing upright. These a deposition amongst the Wadhurst and D phenomena were the talk of the and mud. The enclosing sediments are themselves. Ultimately this project will Several boreholes have been sunk and the Grinstead clays, led to Professor Allen’s scientific world, and all the great full of leafy branches and cones, be linked to a geological trail through There are isolated dinosaur bones and at operators have made the cores available for ‘new model’, published in 1975 in the names of the day – like Lyell, Darwin, violently torn from the forest canopy by this extremely mineral-rich area. least one partial skeleton of herbivorous research. They reveal a full profile through Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association. and Hooker – enthusiastically reported powerful floodwaters. Iguanodon, as well as a possible skin-print. the poorly known Lower Tunbridge Wells Near-complete fossil fish were encountered findings to the popular press. In the Of course, this still leaves tremendous Within this seminal paper, Professor Allen Sand Formation below the Ardingly by the quarrymen from time to time, 1880s, a museum was built to protect As the Brymbo site will be reclaimed in scope for developing an understanding attributed the sandstone-mudstone Sandstone Member, which will further notably large, thick-scaled Lepidotes. one such fossil forest at Victoria Park a few months time, the race is now on of how geology has shaped the transitions to rapid downfaulting of the enhance our knowledge of Wealden Invertebrates are represented by in Glasgow. to save some of the fossils for locality, not only through the physical London massif, leading to destruction of palaeoenvironments. Several important conchostracans (‘clam-shrimps’) and exhibitions and educational resources. landscape, but also the mineral coastal barriers around the Weald basin and fossils, stored on-site over the last few burrows of pond-mussels. Amongst the Today, since the demise of the coal Part of the site has already been exploitation. The region has been seawater leakage into the encroaching lakes years, have been donated to a local plants, the sandstones have yielded slender industry, you'd be hard pressed to find designated an Industrial Heritage Area mined for coal, iron ore, lead, building from the north-west. Capping the Ardingly museum. branching stems of the enigmatic a good coal measure outcrop to preserve ‘Ironmaster’ Wilkinson’s stones, fireclay, bricks and sand – an Sandstone Member, the Top Lower anywhere in the British Isles. That's kiln dating from the 1790s. Alongside, industrialised past that is rapidly being Lycopodites, which is possibly a clubmoss. This valuable site once again holds great Tunbridge Wells Pebble Bed was seen as why recent discoveries in Wrexham are a brand new Enterprise, Resources eroded into extinction. We must ensure promise for future finds, and continued braidplain gravel, reworked by waves along so important. Here, following and Learning Centre is being built. this rich legacy is protected and Above the sandstone, the Grinstead Clay insight into one of the most remarkable the advancing lake shoreline. demolition of the mills, the old Brymbo These locations will be ideal for managed for future generations.I Formation has revealed fragments of periods in the geological evolution of Steelworks site is being landscaped for displaying the Brymbo fossils. Our horsetail ferns, as well as many southern England. I 18 housing and new high-tech industries. intention is to recreate a ‘virtual 19 l riches une Jana Horák, ra ar Neil Davies, National Museums & Galleries of Wales e th Culturenet Cymru in e d M

ales has a Left: Tyrolite – radial sprays of crystals, a few long history millimetres in diameter, with azurite. Taken of mineral from Dolyhir Quarry, Old Radnor, Powys. Photo by D.I. Green Wmining and a rich mineral heritage, which extends back over 4,000 years to produce The to when early Bronze Age Mineralogy of Wales – miners prospected and Online. This website extracted copper in North greatly expands the Wales. The key challenge information in A Mineralogy presented to those early of Wales (Bevins, 1994), and miners, in distinguishing provides a comprehensive, different minerals and identifying authoritative listing of all known where they occurred, is still pertinent mineral species from Wales. today in our quest to preserve our mineral heritage. Website format Information is organised into two main parts. The first provides Work between the Countryside Council for Wales and the National mineral pages listing a summary of data for each known Welsh mineral Ewaldite – yellow hexagonal crystal (2.5 mm Museum of Wales has significantly increased our knowledge of mineral sites and species, and wherever possible this is accompanied by a colour illustration to aid long) with colourless twinned prismatic Welsh mineralogy. The Minescan partnership project studied over 1,200 mines and other identification. The remaining pages provide background information on mineralogy, the history of harmotome from Dolyhir Quarry, Powys. mining in Wales and also provide an opportunity to reinforce the conservation message. The Anatase – a beautiful tabular crystal mineralogical sites in Wales, characterising their mineralogy and establishing those meriting Photo by D.I. Green website format enables information to be updated regularly and provides a search facility for the just a few millimetres in size from conservation protection (Bevins & Mason, 1997-2000). From this and other work we now know mineral data, allowing, for example, minerals of a particular composition or occurring in a Tanygrisiau near Blaenau Ffestiniog, that around 350 confirmed mineral species occur in Wales, with a further 50 awaiting similar geological setting to be listed so that associations can be noted. An additional Gwynedd. confirmation. This provides us with a firm foundation for understanding what we have and what we need to protect. aspiration of this project has been that, whilst allowing the National Museum of Photo by D. I. Green Wales curatorial team to co-ordinate and edit new and existing data, it will To ensure that our knowledge of Welsh mineralogy remains up-to-date, so provide a forum where members of the mineralogical community can professional and amateurs alike are aware of new finds and discoveries, it is contribute their knowledge and expertise. Through essential that mineral information in available to the widest audience. CCW this it is hoped that by acknowledging and and the National Museum of appreciating what we already know and Wales have again what we already have, both in private worked together and publicly held collections, such as those of the National Museum of Wales, we can increase knowledge whilst protecting our heritage. I

Synchysite-(Ce) Further Pyrite – pseudo- reading: cube (10 x 12 hexagonal Bevins, R.E. & Mason, J.S. mm) embedded in slate prismatic crystal (3 (1997-2000). Welsh metallophyte and from Penrhyn Quarry, mm) on siliceous metallogenic evaluation project. CCW Gold – gold nugget, Bethesda, Gwynedd. Azurite – prismatic crystals a few mm in banded rhyolitic tuff from Contract Science Reports, Nos. 156 22 mm across and I. Jones Collection (No. 1376A). © length from Dolyhir Quarry, Powys. Cwmorthin Quarry, Blaenau (Dyfed & Powys); 257 (Gwynedd); 318 NMGW weighing 21.45 grams, Photo by D. I. Green Ffestiniog, Gwynedd. (Clwyd); & 386 (Glamorgan & Gwent). from the Afon Wen. © NMGW Photo by D.I. Green 20 Coming soon: www.welshminerals.org.uk on www.nmgw.ac.uk Coming soon: www.welshminerals.org.uk on www.nmgw.ac.uk 21 Discovering Establishing a fossils on the web geotourism network in Scotland Roy Shepherd, r Johnson, Queen Victoria and Colin MacFadyen, Discovering Fossils Mendelssohn may be described as some of Scottish Natural Heritage Dinosaur tracks DScotland’s earliest and most at Ardley Quarry, well-known geotourists, having Oxfordshire. travelled to the Isle of Staffa in the 19th Photos: Roy Shepherd century to marvel at Fingal’s Cave and the associated sea cliffs, fashioned facilities such as the Knockan Crag from columnar basalt. Since then as Visitor Centre and the National Trust one of the most recognisable for Scotland Visitor Centre at Glen Coe Since the age of four, Roy Shepherd has geological sites in the UK, it has offer a full geological interpretative been a fossil fan. attracted countless visitors. Many of ‘experience’. A lone geotourist visits McCulloch’s Tree at Ardmeanach in western Mull. Although a 9km walk Now, he has created the website these tourists have no doubt wondered at the formation of the feature and A study prepared for Scottish Natural from the nearest car park, this site, owned by the discoveringfossils.co.uk have left not knowing the incredible Heritage by the British Geological National Trust for Scotland, attracts a steady stream story the rocks have to tell. Nowadays Survey revealed that there are more of hardy visitors keen to experience the magnificence a full-colour explanatory leaflet than 250 locations in Scotland that of this 60 million-year-old structure, formed as a lava Here, Roy explains how the site lets him share his produced by the National Trust (see have some form of Earth heritage flow engulfed a large tree. passion with the wider world. back of issue 23), a welcome interpretation. Sites of Special Photos Colin MacFadyen. successor to sketchy footnotes in Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and a few National Nature Reserves (NNRs) are general travel guides, explains the geotourism potential from the building ossils reveal a remarkable accompanied by a wide range of generations. World-class locations such as among those listed. interest in terms accessible to all. stone perspective. Using the study as insight into how life and the educational resources including How Ardley Quarry are rare, but there are many a working tool it is the goal of SNH to environment have evolved Fossils Form, History and Myths and How places around the UK that offer similarly The BGS study identified a raft of other Staffa is only one of many sites in encourage the development of a through time – from luscious to Prepare and Protect Finds. There are fascinating fossils, and also require careful locations that offer scope for Scotland that now offers interpretation Scotland-wide geotourism network. F geotourism, where currently there is rainforests, to tropical seas, each also beginners’ guides for getting started protection. for the geologically curious. Many This would be based on the ‘hub’ and depicted in the fossil record left behind. and tips for tools and equipment to take on none. Some locations known more locations have explanatory leaflets, trail ‘satellite’ model – a proven approach fossil trips. Last year, the website received the widely for their archaeological and guides, interpretative boards and already working well at the Knockan The internet offers an information resource endorsement of English Nature and now architectural significance, are among entries in geology guide books. Major Centre. Knockan, complete with car about geology and collecting fossils, for Around 800 people a day visit the website, helps promote awareness of SSSIs and the the sites identified as having parking and toilet facilities, sets the amateur and professional geologists, which also promotes a code of good need to take a responsible approach to scene, telling the tale of geology and schools and ‘ordinary’ members of the practice for fossil collecting. Each location collecting fossils. Geotourists experience the spectacular unconformity at Siccar Point in Berwickshire, as part of public. Websites may provide information begins with a short summary explaining the the Scottish Borders Festival of Walking in the summer of 2004. Siccar Point is one of many about where to collect fossils, but not give age of the rock, fossil diversity, equipment The website also serves to encourage sites of international significance that will form the Scottish Geotourism network. Siccar Point continued on page 24 enough guidance on codes of behaviour needed and local facilities. Much of the participation in large public fossil hunts, may represent the highlight in a network of sites with a ‘James Hutton’ theme. Tourists visiting Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh. As well as the and site-specific issues. At the worst, this space is dedicated to large colour photos, where individuals and families can become panel shown in the photo, interpretation of this can lead to damage and, ultimately, to depicting the scenery and fossils, with involved with finding fossils for Carboniferous volcanic complex includes a fold-out guide restricted access. supporting commentary explaining where themselves. Last year, more than 60 people map and guided walks (www.geowalks.demon.co.uk). to look, fossils to find, and dangers to be attended one of these events in Folkestone, Discovering Fossils, however, is moving in aware of. The locations themselves range exploring the 100 million-year-old clay the right direction to address many of these from inner London woodlands to cliff exposed on the foreshore. Among the finds issues. Its aim is to communicate sections in Dorset. One of the notable was a large reptile tooth, a complete fish information in an interesting and visual inclusions is Ardley Quarry, a large landfill jaw, and many well-preserved ammonites. way, so that beginners and experts can site in Oxfordshire, where some of the benefit from the resources. world’s best dinosaur tracks have been New locations will be added in the future, exposed. One set of prints shows the path including fossilised plants in Wales and Discovering Fossils was launched in 2003 of a Megalosaurus and reveals how the fossil fish in northern Scotland. and includes locations for finding fossils predator stalked its prey. Discovering Fossils will also give alongside tips for locating and identifying enthusiasts free webspace to develop their finds. Within 18 months, the website It is crucial that people understand the own pages within the site. I featured more than 25 locations and was value of conserving such sites for future 22 www.discoveringfossils.co.uk www.discoveringfossils.co.uk 23 How RIGS can complement SSSIs A tale of TWO SITES Cynthia Burek, University College Chester

Students looking at the Dee he Holt/Farndon area of Wrexham and Cheshire is rich in Cliffs SSSI. SSSIs and RIGS. In fact, there are two of each in a very Differential weathering at the Dee Cliffs SSSI. small area. It is a geologist’s and geomorphologist’s Picnic area and interpretation boards at All photos by Cynthia Burek Tparadise. the Dee Cliffs SSSI. Together, two of these sites – Dee Cliffs and Holt Castle Quarry – tell a fault in the quarry face. The more complete story of the Triassic history of the area. They are a In the conclusion, it states: “The site castle ruins are protected by fantastic teaching resource. exposes a range of fluvial facies, CADW, the Welsh equivalent including deposits from different phases to English Heritage. Conflict Dee Cliffs SSSI in Farndon lies on the English side of the River Dee in of high-energy flood streams. This is an could arise with work to Cheshire and is designated for its Triassic Chester Pebble Beds Formation excellent site for the study of high- stabilise the face under the sedimentary structures, facies development and spectacular differential energy fluvial sedimentology and for the castle walls. The way the and honeycomb weathering. Holt Castle Quarry lies on the Welsh side of understanding of the early phases of geological interest is cared for the River Dee in Wrexham and is a RIGS. It has been designated for its Triassic sedimentation in the Cheshire is a sorry contrast with the Triassic sandstone sedimentary structures and structural history. Basin.” I would add “especially as you SSSI over the border. have modern fluvial processes alongside, Farndon picnic site SSSI, as it is locally known, is described in the illustrating in part the old adage ‘The present is the key to the These two sites are linked by a Medieval bridge spanning the River Permian and Triassic Red Beds and the Penarth Group of Great Britain past’.” Dee. The bridge was built by the monks of St Werburgh in 1338 volume of the GCR: “The Dee Cliffs section exposes the Chester Pebble and illustrates the use of the Chester Pebble Beds as building stone. Beds Formation, a sequence of sandstones and pebbly sandstones with Holt Castle Quarry is a picturesque site with archaeological ruins large-scale tabular cross-stratification, smaller-scale trough cross- of the castle in the middle. It has been nominated as a RIGS by the Captivating story Holt Castle Quarry, showing Triassic strata under the castle ruins. stratification and planar bedding”. North East Wales RIGS Group for its Chester Pebble Beds The story of the braided river flowing north 250 million years ago, from previous page Establishing a geotourism network in Scotland Formation of the Sherwood Sandstone Group, the associated across a red, arid landscape, traversed by dinosaurs, the subsequent sedimentary structures, and the 3-D exposure of the Holt- movement on the Holt-Coddington Fault and the final modification the landscape. Associated with this of issues including the relationship and work with consultees and Coddington Fault, a shear fault with a mainly horizontal of the landscape by converging Welsh and Irish Sea ice has major hub are satellite sites that use between the hub and its satellites; on partners to achieve it. Areas displacement of 2-3 miles. This fault cannot be seen in the cliffs on captivated local people, students and visitors alike. interpretative panels to explain other, the desirability or otherwise of having encompassed by a Geopark or which the English side. complementary, aspects of the interpretation that forges closer links are likely to achieve Geopark status This complete story can only be told using both the SSSI and the geology and landscape. with the wider natural and cultural would be obvious locations to Difference between SSSI and RIGS RIGS. It is important that both are protected and a holistic heritage; interpretative mechanisms develop and establish the first The category of RIGS is stated as both scientific and educational, approach is needed. Perhaps, though, we have here two sites Expanding the geotourism network (leaflets, trails, panels and so on): and networks. Planning and development but I would also add aesthetic. This highlights the fundamental separated by more than a river! Legislation, finance and operational across Scotland, with around 30 the desirability of having themed would mean aiming for consistency in difference between a SSSI and a RIGS. The scientific value of the procedures spring to mind. I separate hubs and satellites, will networks of sites. the geotourism experience in terms of former site is protected in law. A RIGS in a non-statutory site, involve considerable resources and the standard of interpretation, access designated for scientific, educational, aesthetic or historical will rely on partnerships. The National The BGS study identified themes that and facilities. The network would be reasons. It has a much wider remit than a SSSI but the designation Further Reading Trust for Scotland, the John Muir could possibly be applied across the promoted by flyers and a guidebook offers less protection. Benton, M.J., Cook, E. & Turner, P. 2002. Permian and Trust, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, networks – themes such as and be fully supported by a Scottish Triassic Red Beds of the Penarth Group of Great Britain. estates and individual landowners and volcanoes, fossils and Ice Age Geotourism Network site on the web. The Holt Castle Quarry is used by A-level students at the local Geological Conservation Review Series, JNCC 315 pp. local authorities are some of the Scotland. In the future, a geotourist college for geology, by the local tertiary college and the Open Burek, C. V. 2005. In the beginning, partners who may wish to be with a particular interest in volcanoes Staffa will continue to be visited by University with the Farndon site as a teaching pair. It is a safe site www.holtonline.org.uk/geology. involved. may be able to enjoy a volcano tour tourists, many will be enthralled by away from traffic and within walking distance of the local primary Burek, C.V. & Potter, J. 2002. Minding the LGAPs, of Scotland that takes in the Arthur’s the wonder of the natural rock school. However, neither site independently tells the full story. The Geoscientist, 12, (9), 16-7. Before embarking on network Seat volcanic complex in Edinburgh, formations and leave the experience sedimentary story in Farndon is used by petroleum geologists, NEWRIGS. 2005. Holt Castle Quarry site nomination, development and engaging partners, the pitchstone lava of Eigg, and the at that. Others may choose to find out teachers, students and the general public but does not illustrate the Wrexham Borough County Council. it is essential to market test the dyke swarm of southern Arran. all about location 8, or whatever fault structure. A geological notice board is maintained there by Owens, W. 1998. Sediments along the River Dee: report of proposal and establish the views of Staffa may be, in the network of sites Cheshire County Council and the site has recently benefited from a a fieldtrip led by C. Burek 6.9.1998, Open University the user groups. Research to be With a list of sites that could be that reveals the story of Scotland’s Facelift grant from English Nature to clear trees obscuring the face. Geological Society, 1998, Gogledd Cymru (North Wales) undertaken this year, based at fashioned into a geotourist network, split from Greenland and North branch, newsletter, issue 6, 4-5. Knockan Crag, will determine the and the views of those that currently America 60 million years ago. In doing Holt Castle Quarry is owned and managed by Wrexham Borough Poole, E.G. & Whiteman, A.J. 1966. Geology of the needs of geotourists visiting this hub use the geotourism resource, SNH so, they may be stimulated to Council. It too has a notice board describing the five-sided castle County around Nantwich and Whitchurch, Institute of and its satellites. Visitors will be asked can begin to promote the idea of a continue the exploration of Scotland’s and its geological history in both Welsh and English. However, little Geological Sciences Memoir 122. 24 for their views on a variety Scotland-wide geotourism network deep history. I is done about vegetation obscuring the geological interest – the 25 Reeviviewew Approximately 7,000 years ago, sea level at Noss was on our doorstep approximately 20 m Tsunami on our doorstep lower than present. Yet, Cornwall’s Geology and Scenery (2nd it is suspected that a Sediments Edition). Colin M. Bristow, 2004. tsunami at this time deposited by past would have flooded 167 pages. Cornish Hillside Publications, tsunamis are across the land area on St Austell, Cornwall. ISBN 1 900147 39 highly variable in which the croft house is character. This 4 clothbound: ISBN 1 900147 38 6 Sue Dawson, located. Given the complex sand television images of the paperback. £14.99 (paperback). University of St Andrews layer enclosed human disaster in the within peat near Indian Ocean, one can Cornwall’s Geology Sullom Voe in the perhaps imagine the Alastair Dawson, Shetland Isles, and Scenery provides fate of the Neolithic was deposited by Aberdeen Institute for Coastal people who dwelt in a description of the the Storegga this area and elsewhere county that is aimed Slide tsunami. Science and Management in eastern Scotland one at the well-informed Photo by Alastair autumn day 7,000 layman. It devotes Dawson years ago. Photo by Lorne Gill SNH space to explaining how thinking about Cornish geology or years a curious layer of silty Landslide scar been a large underwater earthquake, High-speed travel landslides. We can be reassured, though, by developed, and reviews some of sand was known to occur During the early years of geological possibly in conjunction with the release of This detailed, painstaking work was the fact that during the last 10,000 years the geological within ancient coastal investigation of the seafloor off western methane gas stored in the seafloor completed by Carl Harbitz at the there has only been one such tsunami. But concepts used in the sediments in the Forth Valley. Norway, Professor Olaf Holtedahl at the sediments. Department of Mathematics at the it was enormous! I F book. The third chapter reviews the The long-held view was that the layer University of Bergen had noticed what University of Oslo in 1990. economic importance of geology to was deposited by a major flood of the After the publication of the first paper on appeared to be evidence of a huge landslide Carl showed that the vertical motion of the Cornwall, covering mining and building River Forth several thousand years ago. the Storegga Slide and the first estimate of scar at approximately 500m water depth on ocean water during the tsunami was materials. The remainder (and bulk) of Today, we know that this sand was left by the age of the slide, Alastair Dawson, the continental slope west of Trondheim. extremely complex. His model predicted the book addresses the geological history a gigantic tsunami. David Smith and David Long proposed that that the sea level could have dropped by as of Cornwall from the Devonian to the the sediment layer contained within the HARBOUR WAVES It was not until more sophisticated much as an 8m along the western Norway by Rab Wilson present, revising the earlier edition to The view that the layer was flood silt coastal sediment sequences of eastern geophysical surveys were used in the ’70s coast during the initial stages of the They sound deceptively gentle, don’t they, include research such as the Early changed when it was identified elsewhere Scotland represented an extreme flood and ’80s that Tom Bugge, a Norwegian tsunami. This was followed by a rise in sea But change that to ‘Tsunami’, the picture Ordovician date for the Man O’War along the coastline of eastern Scotland. The deposit produced by the tsunami that marine geologist, identified this area as the level of about 16m during the next two Suddenly becomes much more sinister; Gneisses. layer’s microfossils showed that it was accompanied the Storegga Slide. site of one of the world’s largest underwater hours. His model also showed that the Primeval Great White Sharks stalking their marine in origin, and radiocarbon dating of This is a well-written and liberally landslides. The scar that Olaf Holtedahl had landslide was likely to have travelled prey. peat deposits above and below revealed a Shortly afterwards, two researchers at the illustrated book. Locations are generally identified was approximately 150km in downslope across the seafloor at an average Faster though, more lethal, much more consistent age for the layer at all the sites. University of Bergen, John Svendsen and mentioned, but I feel there is scope for a length. The landslide itself had an speed of 30 metres per second. deadly. 3 Professor Jan Mangerud, proposed that field guide to sit alongside this estimated volume of 5,580km and had Those which struck the coast of Easter Island A major storm surge was suggested as the similar sand layers in western Norway publication. travelled across the continental slope into Importantly, his estimates of flood levels at Travelled two thousand miles from the cause. But since Scotland has seen many could have been deposited by the same the deep abyssal waters of the Norwegian the coast, both for northern mainland mainland, severe surges in the 10,000 years since its tsunami. – David Evans, English Nature Sea over a distance of 800km. The area of Scotland and western Norway, matched the Toppling those ancient idols on their way. last ice sheet vanished, why was there the landslide identified by Tom Bugge was estimated levels based on geological Power, awesome in its intensity. sedimentary evidence for this surge only? almost the size of mainland Scotland! Flood levels studies of the sediment sheets. Mull and Iona. ISBN 1 85397 423 4 Out on the deep ocean, a mere ripple, Price £4.95 Scottish Natural Heritage The geological investigations of the The realisation that such a large tsunami Incredibly fast, indiscernible, [email protected] The location of the Storegga Slide and locations sediment layer in eastern Scotland initially The landslide, known as the Storegga Slide, had taken place led Jan Mangerud and his Till, growing, raging with ferocity, (blue and red dots) where geological evidence for indicated that the tsunami must have been contained individual slabs of displaced colleague Stein Bondevik to investigate a These suicidal waves attack the shore, The dramatic landscapes of Mull and the Storegga Slide tsunami has been found. associated with flood levels that typically Mathematical reconstructions for three locations sediment, the largest of which are up to series of uplifted coastal lakes in western With one last, great, valedictory roar. Iona are steeped in the history of St offshore show the rapid and very large (up to 150-200m thick, 10km wide and 30-50km reached at least 4-6m above high-tide level. Norway. They were looking for Columba and modern Scotland but 16m) changes in sea level associated with the Sue Dawson identified the sand layer at beneath the soil lies a secret, hidden long. The slide sediments appeared to have sedimentary evidence for the tsunami in This poem is taken from a complete work tsunami. Wick and along the northern coastline of history. This beautifully illustrated started adjacent to the slide scarp in depths lakes located close to the coast entitled Quake by Scottish poet Rab Wilson. Sutherland – here, also, the flood levels guide peels back the stories of how of between 500 and 1,000m and to approximately 7,000 years ago. It is a poetical work comprising a series of have come to rest on the seafloor were estimated to be similar to those these islands came to be – from the sonnets interlinked by a narrative poem in break up of an ancient supercontinent at depths up to 2,500m. proposed for eastern Scotland. Their sediment cores showed plenty of free verse. The sonnets are based on themes to the birth of the North Atlantic. From evidence that a tsunami had struck. In one and ideas inspired by earthquakes. These violent volcanoes, crashing waves and However, more recent studies of the Detailed descriptions of the slide core, they even discovered bone remains of themes are historical, geographical and scouring glaciers, this book reveals the tsunami deposits in the Shetland Isles by were first published in 1987 when a fish washed onshore during the flood all sociological/human and are interlinked by a dynamic processes over millions of Stein Bondevik, Jan Mangerud and Sue it was estimated that the main those years ago. Curiously, a study of the free verse narrative of a fictionalised account years that created Mull and Iona’s Dawson in the Sullom Voe area show that slide movement took place tsunami sediments in northern Sutherland of one person’s thoughts and experience stunning scenery. It's the essential here the flood waves may have reached 25- companion for between 8,000 and 5,000 years BP. revealed a wild cherry fruit stone. Its having been caught in an earthquake. 30m above sea level on the day the tsunami anyone interested It was proposed at this time that condition suggests the tsunami took place In light of recent events Quake highlights struck. A mathematical model was vital in in the deeper the cause of the slide could have during autumn! The Indian Ocean tsunami and emphasises the fragility of human understanding how the tsunami was Scotland. disaster of December 2004 taught the existence, and how the world must work generated. The model simulated the motion Stein Bondevik, Jan Mangerud, Sue Dawson, Alastair whole world about the devastating power of together to try and help predict such - Vanessa Dawson and Øystein Lohne, Record-breaking Height for of the Storegga Slide and linked the slide 8000-year-old Tsunami in the North Atlantic, EOS, tsunamis. The case of the Storegga Slide tragedies, plan effective humanitarian relief Collingridge, Transactions, American Geophysical Union, Volume 84, dynamics with the generation and 7,000 years ago reminds us that the author and No. 31, pages 289-300, 5 Aug 2003. Copyright [2003] in their aftermath, and therefore lessen their American Geophysical Union. Reproduced by permission propagation of a tsunami. coastline of Scotland does face a tsunami broadcaster of American Geophysical Union. impact. 26 risk from the occurrence of underwater