Northern Ireland is made up of lots of different kinds of rocks and landforms, minerals and fossils. This variety is known as geodiversity (geological diversity). For its size, Northern Ireland is one of the most geologically diverse areas of the planet!
Rocks can be divided into three categories
1) Igneous: Made of cooled magma or lava.
2) Sedimentary: Formed from layers of materials, such as cobbles, sand, mud or animal remains, that build up over millions of years and are compressed to form rock.
3) Metamorphic: Igneous and sedimentary rock types can be altered physically and chemically by heat and pressure.
The Earth's Crust
The Earth's surface is made up from separate plates that make up our continents and ocean floors. The plates sit on a layer of hot molten rock called the mantle. Heat from the Earth's core creates currents in the mantle. This moves the plates, causing them to separate or collide.
How to claim this Earthcache
Now, I know what you're thinking, "a 12 stage Earthcache?? Are you mad??", well you may be right but this location is a small but fantastic educational spot to learn about the geology of Northern Ireland in a simple way and nothing that will fry your head!
This Earthcache has been designed to be geokid friendly, and accommodating to new Earthcachers and those who are reluctant to attempt tricky and mindpuzzling Earthcaches. For more experienced Earthcachers you may already be familiar with the content of the Geogarden but this may shed a different light to the landscape of Northern Ireland.
The given coordinates will take you to the entrance of the Geogarden; step in to begin your journey through time! The route through the Geogarden is short and each stage of the cache will bring you to an information board dedicated to a geological period and an example of the rocks from this period. Please read the boards, observe the rocks and answer the following questions to claim a find.
Please send your answers to me over the messaging service. Do not wait for a response from me to log your find, I will contact you if there are any issues. Logged finds with no answers sent will be deleted.
Extra Info
-Tree cover may result in incorrect coordinates but the stage names are the same as the information boards to help guide you.
-There is plenty of free parking available in the country park.
-Please respect the rules of the Geogarden and leave no trace.
-The country park gates will close so please check the opening and closing times in the link below beforehand if you're travelling by car.
https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/crawfordsburn-country-park-p675421
Questions
Welcome to the Geological Garden at Crawfordsburn
1a) How many geological periods is the Earth's history split into?
1b) Only rocks from which period are not found in Northern Ireland?
Ancient Ocean- Precambrian
2a) Look to the rock to your left: can you see the folds? What caused this?
2b) Name one location in Northern Ireland where this ancient rock can be found.
Colliding Continents- Ordovician & Silurian
3a) Which rock from these periods is the oldest?
3b) Describe what you can see in the Granodiorite.
Volcanoes in the Desert- Devonian
4a) Where was Northern Ireland located in this geological period and what was the climate like?
4b) Name one location in Northern Ireland where Andesite can be found.
On the Reefs- Carboniferous
5a) What kind of fossil can be seen in the limestone to your left?
5b) What type of rock was formed in Ballycastle and what were the conditions like?
Extinction and Evolution- Permian & Triassic
6a) How were these sandstones formed?
6b) What can be found fossilised in a sandstone rock at Scrabo?
Ammonites Abound- Jurassic
7a) What type of fossil is to your right and why is it only a model?
7b) Name one location in Northern Ireland where exposed Jurassic rock can be found.
Ancient Animals- Cretaceous
8a) What are the main materials that make chalk pure white?
8b) What two materials are preserved in the limestone rock to your left?
The Ocean Opens- Palaeogene
9a) Basalt and Granite are igneous rocks but what is the difference in their formation?
9b) Which Northern Irish landmark was formed during this geological period?
Rock Garden- Limestone Pavement & Caves
10a) How are limestone pavements formed? Name the two features.
10b) Name the only location in Northern Ireland where limestone pavements can be found.
Ice Age- Quaternary
11a) What shape is the valley in Glenariff and what caused this?
11b) What formed in Co Tyrone and Co Down when the ice started to melt?
Our Rocks are Important- The Story Continues...
12a) What occurs on the Earth's surface that proves geological change is still occurring?
Additional
13) Take a photo of yourself, your geocaching name or a personal object somewhere in the Geogarden.
Best wishes, warmest regards
!!Congratulations Josie301 on your FTF!!
