Out & About …

… on the North York Moors, or wherever I happen to be.

A colorful rocky coastline with red, and grey stripes in the rocks. The ocean and distant islands are visible in the background under a clear blue sky.

A Geologist’s Nightmare: Wild Guesses at Dunbar

A fleeting stopover at Dunbar and a wander along the coastline offered up a geological wonder. The rock formation on the shore was arranged, rather whimsically, in red and grey layers, calling to mind a Scooby snack tipped on its side.

Of course, not being a geologist, I can only speculate wildly about the rock types. The red, I dare suggest, might be Red Devonian sandstone. After all, it practically wears a label announcing itself. Apparently, such sedimentary rocks are made when sands, minerals, and even bits of organic detritus get compressed together over time.

The grey, now, requires more imaginative guessing. I would wager it to be some sort of agglomerate, cobbled together from ash and whatever rocks happened to be flying out of a volcanic vent at the time. A mere 350 million years ago, volcanic activity was all the rage around here, leaving behind the remains of two once-ferocious volcanoes, now disguised as the rather docile Bass Rock and North Berwick Law.


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2 responses to “A Geologist’s Nightmare: Wild Guesses at Dunbar”

  1. Mark Adams avatar

    You may be interested in Siccar Point just down the coast. It’s a stirring stroll to one of the most important spots in geoscience.

    1. Fhithich avatar
      Fhithich

      Thanks, but been there, done that, as they say. https://www.fhithich.uk/?p=26237

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