Yorkshire OUGS trip to Knaresborough, 22 April 2006 - many thanks to Dr Tony Cooper of the BGS for leading us, and to Dave and Karl for organising the trip
![]() |
Rough sketch map (north at top) - patches of green along the river show
Carboniferous outcrops. Pale blue - LML - formerly Lower Magnesian
Limestone - now the Cadeby Formation - dolomotised oolitic limestone
(Permian); dark orange (formerly Middle Permian Marl - marl
with evaporites) - Edlington Formation; UML (darker blue) - formerly Upper Magnesian Limestone - now
Brotherton Formation.
The course of the River Nidd diverted to its present course due to glaciers in the Devensian Ice Age - exploiting areas of geological weakness (eg the graben formed by the faulting, lower part of sketch). (Knaresborough Castle near the small orange circle, above the river, on top of the pale blue area). |
![]() |
![]() |
| The unconformity is very obvious all the way along Waterside! | Carboniferous millstone grit sandstones, with Permian dolomite above |
![]() |
![]() |
| The dolomite follows the underlying contours (below) | The train runs along the viaduct onto the Edlington and Brotherton Formations on the western side of the river |
![]() |
![]() |
| Mudstones, western side of River Nidd (Mother Shipton's river walk) | Dropping Well from Mother Shipton's cave |
![]() |
![]() |
| Tufa building out from the mineralised water | Quarry now being used as a caravan park - this is the back wall |
![]() |
![]() |
| Walking south along the riverside, east side of river | Vugs in the dolomite |
![]() |
![]() |
| Abbey Crags - unconformity | Yet another exposure of the unconformity |
![]() |
![]() |
| Large clasts in the millstone grit | Bob and Dave peer into the entrance of St Robert's cave by the river |
![]() |
![]() |
| Tony stands on the Carboniferous sandstone, Permian dolomites above and behind him | More Cadeby Formation at Calcutt cricket ground |