Please be careful with dogs and children as some of the Quarry rocks are unstable, so stick to the paths. Also some pathways go up heights and there is little fencing - so again keep hold of children and dogs.
What is Limestone? Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed primarily of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the form of the mineral calcite. It most commonly forms in clear, warm, shallow marine waters. It is usually an organic sedimentary rock that forms from the accumulation of shell, coral, algal and fecal debris. It can also be a chemical sedimentary rock formed by the precipitation of calcium carbonate from lake or ocean water. Most limestones form in shallow, calm, warm marine waters. That type of environment is where organisms capable of forming calcium carbonate shells and skeletons can easily extract the needed ingredients from ocean water. When these animals die their shell and skeletal debris accumulate as a sediment that might be lithified into limestone. Their waste products can also contribute to the sediment mass. Limestones formed from this type of sediment are biological sedimentary rocks. Their biological origin is often revealed in the rock by the presence of fossils. Some limestones can form by direct precipitation of calcium carbonate from marine or fresh water. Limestones formed this way are chemical sedimentary rocks. They are thought to be less abundant than biological limestones. Limestone is by definition a rock that contains at least 50% calcium carbonate in the form of calcite by weight. All limestones contain at least a few percent other materials. These can be small particles of quartz, feldspar, clay minerals, pyrite, siderite and other minerals. It can also contain large nodules of chert, pyrite or siderite.
The presence of limestone and other types of rock in the Yorkshire Dales has led to the development of several large industrial quarries where materials are extracted for use as e.g. aggregates in road building and the construction industry, etc. Quarrying on this scale inevitably leads to irreversible environmental damage, including the permanent scarring and removal of entire hillsides and natural features and in some cases the destruction of rare habitats such as limestone pavements as well as other significant national assets.
Here we have a disussed Quarry where work is being undertaken to make it a place for walkers to enjoy, it is a lovely walk to the top of the Quarry (Quarry Floor) where you will find a lonely Public Footpath sign, and a beautiful Quarry Lake - please do not attempt to go down to the lake as the rocks are very unsteady.
Okay so to log this cache you will need to do the following:
1. Email me:
i) describe the limestone in the quarry walls, what is the texture, colour, can you see any other materials as stated in the geocache lesson above?
ii) observe the height of the quarry walls and estimate the height - at it's highest point.
iii) explain what limestone is used for mainly from Yorkshire quarrying, as described in the geocache lesson above.
2. You can also upload a photo of you at the quarry with your GPS with your log if you wish.