Trearne Fossil Foray Event Cache

This cache has been archived.

AMAZO: Thanks again to everyone who attended. Might dig this one up in another million years!

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Hidden : Sunday, March 30, 2014
Difficulty:
2.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2.5 out of 5

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:

Mega Scotland 2014

The area around Beith is famous for the well preserved fossils that are found in marine deposits of limestone mainly dating from the geological era known as the Carboniferous, circa 300 million years old. Trearne Quarry is situated about 1 mile outside the village of Gateside. It contains some of the best-preserved marine fossils in the world.

The marine conditions were quite calm when the organisms died, giving relatively undamaged and intact specimens, and in addition the degree of compaction has resulted in good three-dimensional preservation.

Fossils frequenly found include solitary and colonial corals, crinoids and brachiopods. Brachiopods lived attached to the sea bed by a stalk and the another very common group, the crinoids (stalked starfish), are mainly represented by their coin-like stalk sections. Rarer specimens include sponges, jellyfish, bryozoa, blastoids (stalked-startfish), sharks teeth and trilobite cases. One species of two-valved brachiopod molluscs, Promarginifera trearnensis is named for the Trearne Quarry site.

The site is an SSSI and permission has kindly been granted by the quarry manager for a group of geocachers led by a North Ayrshire Country Ranger to access the quarry and search for fossils. Please bring sturdy boots and gloves and if you have a geological hammer and googles bring them along too.


Where?
Trearne Quarry near Beith

When?
Sunday 30th March

What time?
12 - 2pm

Additional Hints (No hints available.)



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