HERE is an attempt to make the geology of the north Northumberland coast accessible for families on holiday, dog walkers and anyone who marvels at the natural beauty of the coastal landscape. The book details what to look for on seashore walks between Holy Island and Alnmouth.
Each location has photographs of those features easily found, with simple explanations of their formation. In addition there are particular ‘treasure hunt’ quests for children of all ages.
Our stretch of coast tells us about the landscape here between 345 and 300 million years ago during the Carboniferous period, when Britain lay near the equator on the edge of a massive super-continent called Avalonia.
This low-lying coast was affected by the waxing and waning of great ice sheets, with cycles of rising and falling sea levels extending over hundreds of thousands of years to leave behind sediments which include limestones, marine shales, sandstones and coal measures.
Suggested walks start from Holy Island, Bamburgh, Seahouses, Beadnell, Embleton Bay, Craster, Howick, Rumbling Kern and Boulmer.