Geology in and around Ingleton

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Ingleton has long been a popular and important place for geology and geography field trips.One practical point is that it is easily reached by a great many schools and colleges, and the terrain can be safely visited by even quite small pupils if a little care is exercised. 

The geology can be explained quite simply. There are layers of Carboniferous age sedimentary rocks that are nearly horizontal, sitting on vertically folded slaty rocks of Palaeozoic age or older. These slaty rocks form a very solid block of crust, and are bounded to the south by the Craven wrench fault system.

Examples of local rock can be found at The Rock Shop, Ingleton (pictured right).

Within the Carboniferous rocks, the Millstone Grit, the Yoredale cyclothems and the Carboniferous Limestone. They can all be easily examined, and they contain fossils, sedimentary structures and widely differing lithologies.This provides plenty of scope for very basic study as well as for more advanced work.

The slaty rocks below have been highly folded and partly recrystalised by large earth movements. They were then eroded by the encroaching Carboniferous Sea.Thus, we see a classic Angular Unconformity. The solidity of the basement rocks meant that the Carboniferous beds were largely undeformed by subsequent tectonic events, with movement along the Craven Faults being the major structural feature of the region.Again, there is scope for both a very elementary examination of the relationship of the various geological units as well extremely complicated lithological and structural studies in the basement rocks.

For the Geographer and Geomorphologist, these abrupt changes in Geology lead to many interesting and easy to study landforms.Furthermore, the various phases of past glaciation expands the number of landforms to be studied, especially as it has lead to many different glacial deposits forming such as the Norber Erratics near Austwick.Subsequent rejuvenation has further expanded the possibilities for study.Once again, there is plenty to see at all levels of study.

Erosion of the limestone has lead to the creation of potholes and caves.Whilst educational studies of such systems should be approached with the greatest caution, there are two excellent show caves in the area-both worth a visit-where many features can be easily and safely observed.

Ingleton has a good range of low cost accommodation for field groups and has a down to earth friendly environment that goes well with school and college groups.The walking is not strenuous, and there are plenty of well-marked paths as well as the famous Waterfall Walk.

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