ŠOMOŠKA stone waterfall EarthCache
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Šomoška National Nature Reserve is a national nature reserve in Cerova Highlands. Located in the village community Šiatorská Bukovinka District Lucenec. Hill, adjacent to the Hungarian village Somosko (Šomoška) is located on the border with Hungary and access it from both countries. Area Reserve is 7.9 hectares. At the top stands Šomoška Gothic castle, built by blocks of basalt.The Cerová vrchovina Upland is built by sandstones, its hill peaks and elongated ridges are formed by volcanic rocks especially basalts, in surroundings of Šiatorská Bukovinka also by andesites. Occurrence of marine sediments indicates that at the end of Paleogene and at the beginning of Neogene, southern Slovakia was covered by the sea. After the sea disappeared (Middle Miocene - 15,5 – 16,5 Ma) and under the intrusion of andesite magma on the sandstones the highest peaks of the Cerová vrchovina Upland – Šiator and Karancs – were built. The basaltic volcanic activity, which started in the Cerová vrchovina Upland during the Pliocene stage, produced a variety of volcanic forms (so called the Cerova Basalt Formation) – for example scoria cones, maars, lava covers (plateaus). In the course of this volcanic activity, a vault uplift of the Cerová vrchovina Upland took place. Selective erosion gave a way to the relief inversion: the basalt lava flows, which originally filled paleovalleys, now form tops of elongated ridges of the Cerová vrchovina Upland. Basaltic volcanism lasted from the beginning of Pliocene till the Early Pleistocene. Stone sea and stone waterfall are two of the interesting geological features. These are best described as precisely that: a wide sea of rocks deposited on the hillside by prehistoric upheavals, and a 4-million-year-old waterfall formed when lava from a volcano hardened on its descent from on high and now resemble liquid rock pouring into a stone sea."Such a bent form...is unique in Europe." Such basalt columns, which at this site are a haven for snakes and lizards.
On this territory spread the protected landscape area Cerová vrchovina Upland and
protected territory Karancs Medves. Both of protected areas were proclaimed in 1990 in order
to protect, conserve and utilise the youngest volcanic structures in both countries. Thanks to
the relatively young geological age as well as variability of volcanic structures are suitable not
only for scientific research but also for educational activities of general public. Besides some
localities, most of them haven´t been established and made accessible for public yet.
To log your cache you need to:
1. Attach a photo of you in front of the stone waterfall to the log.
Send me an email through my profile with answers to these questions:
2, Hight of stone waterfall ?
3, What was a stone waterfall?
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Access: from the village Šiatorská Bukovinka leads one of the best built nature trails Slovakia. It is equipped with information boards, do it nicely repaired and has a very nice possibility of understanding the surrounding countryside. From Bukovinka (300 m) leads green tourism brand with Bukovinský nature trail along the river, gradually turns to the right and along the frontier passes underneath the castle hill. Go around the beautiful lakes and serpentines around the rising stone waterfall and stone to the sea castle (460 m, 1 h). The nice getting to know nature and history but also worthwhile to allocate half a day.
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