If you’ve visited Lucid Gypsy a few times you’ll know that I don’t do science, but if I ever decided to, it would be geology. The ground we walk on really fascinates me, especially around here. On Saturday my friend and I went to Axmouth (and saw yesterday’s robin) and walked on the pebble beach for a while.
Just a small area, but a part of both the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, this 304 hectares has been named Haven Cliffs.
I’m not posting this first photo for its beauty but so that you can see the change in the rock, at Beer, a couple of miles west of where I stood, from white chalk to red sandstone.
Back to the cliff above me, click to see the layers.
And again. See how the landslips have made the layers visible?
Apparently, the red sandstone was formed 210 million years ago in the late Triassic era, when conditions were desert like. The grey rock layers are the remains of dried up lake beds when the deserts were inundated by rising sea levels. The overlying chalk cliffs formed 85-95 million years ago from the remains of billions of tiny sea creatures.
The South West Coast Path rises above these cliffs and it’s possible to walk the 7 miles east to Lyme Regis. It would be a killer though unless you’re really fit, in which case it would take 5 hours. The time and distance is fine but I don’t do hills very well. I’d like to take a boat trip along the Jurassic Coast, and see it from that perspective, perhaps this summer.
Lucid Gypsy 
Great pictures. Amazing information.
Happy New Year, Gilly.
What a wonderful place Gilly. Lucky you to be able to spend time there. I hope that your New Year is fun. And I wish you a terrific 2014. Hopefully I will be a better blogging friend in the coming year. 😉
Jo you’re a lovely friend and im happy to know you. I hope that the new year brings you much happiness and lots of fishy dinners 🙂 ♡
Me to Gilly !!! The Daughter is coming home for a few days tomorrow…can’t wait. Then after the 4th The Son is home for a while with his partner. Oh happy days. I get to cook my little heart out for them.
Fascinating to imagine a layer of rock from over 200mil yrs ago is visible to us today! A trip along that shoreline sounds really educational..(and fun!) Perhaps you’ll see Maggie and me on the boat this summer 🙂 !
Happy New Year to you, Gilly!
It’s real goose bump stuff, just imagining what all those layers have been through over the ages. That 5 hour walk would be great to do if one had the correct footwear and the energy. 🙂 Happy New Year to you. xx
Fascinating to walk through history. A boat trip sounds perfect. Have a Happy New Year discovering more “earth” messages.
Gilly, with your love of geology, you would love Oman. I hope you’ll get there one day! 🙂
Very interesting piece and I love the photos.
I love to hear about how things came to be the way they are … and the area is wonderful … would love to do the walk but hills are no good for me either Gilly … so lets go by boat!
You’ll have a list a mile long soon!
yes I know .. the moment will show us the way 🙂
You’ve done it again Gilly! Whetted my appetite for a visit!
It’s absolutely beautiful there Gilly. Great shots and thanks for sharing. 😀 *hugs*
Amazing land formation!
Fascinating stuff. It amazing how they all figure it all out. Or how they even get curious about it from the first place. I’ll take the 5-hour walk. 😀 …as long as there are plenty of stops. Ahihihi 😀