Carter Bar EarthCache
This is a cache that can be done travelling north or south, you do not need to cross the road.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO VISIT BOTH WAYPOINTS, ONE WILL DO.
Please visit one of the way-points given, gather some information and either message or email the answers to me.
Please feel free to log your find and send the answers at the same time.
For this EarthCache I wish you to turn your attention to one of the two huge marker stones marking the English Scottish border.
Please read the information below and use if to answer the questions at the bottom of this listing.
The large stones are Sandstone
Sandstone forms over the course of centuries, as deposits of sand grains accumulate in rivers, lakes or on the ocean floor, and the sand blends with calcite or quartz and then undergoes compression. It can also form as an accumulation of sand moved about in deserts by storms and violent winds regularly depositing sand in the same location. As enough time goes by, the pressure pushes all of these elements together to create sandstone. Because not all sand is identical but instead comes in a variety of colours and grain textures, each formation has a unique appearance.
A lot of the structures there are carved out of sandstone because it is a durable rock with consistent structure.
Some archaeologists have studied the formation of sandstone to determine how different layers of colour ended up in the same sandstone. The most common theory is that a mixture of various sand types split into layers as the sand accumulated centuries or even millions of years ago.
If you find sandstone here you will find it is made of thick layers which are consistent in structure and very durable but when you rub with your hand small grains will come off.
Sandstone is a wide-ranging description for vastly different types of slowly deposited stone.
Below are two descriptions of sandstone, however only one of the types of stone is here.
Read the types of stone and search the GZ to find out which one has been used for this obelisk.
Yellow Sandstone
This is a highly silica rich stone and is fine grained. Portland stone falls into this category and this type of stone is a popular building material since it is easily carved and holds its shape over long periods of time. Yellow Sandstone has been used for domestic construction and housewares since prehistoric times, and continues to be used. Sandstone was a popular building material from ancient times. It is relatively soft, making it easy to carve. It has been widely used around the world in constructing temples, homes, and other buildings. It has also been used for artistic purposes to create ornamental fountains and statues. This type of stone can be very smooth to the touch and as water runs over it can be 'polished' to an almost marble finish. This will be blonde in colour and can be bleached white in direct sunlight
Red Sandstone
Red is the rough side of the family of stones. It is still made up of sand grains but is a poor building stone since it usually has very obvious lines where different layers have been deposited and tends to split easily along these fissures. If you are looking at red sandstone you will be able to see clear lines across the rock where softer parts of the rock have 'washed away' during erosive episodes. Because of the hardness of individual grains, uniformity of grain size and friability of their structure, this type of sandstone is excellent materials from which to make grindstones, for sharpening blades and other implements. Non-friable sandstone can be used to make grindstones for grinding grain, this stone will be rough to the touch and will have a definite reddish hue.
Please read the information above and answer the questions below either by message or via email.
- Please describe the stone used for the marker stones which have England or Scotland emblazoned on them. Please concentrate on the colour and texture of the stone.
- Please tell me what type of sand stone has been used for the markers, give reasons for your answer.
- Why do you think this stone was chosen for the marker stones?
- Please tell me how high the stones are roughly.
If you feel willing you can include a photo but please do not include photos which might give away the answers.
Thanks for stopping here, it well worth it because the views are spectacular.
Happy caching
treboR