This library is a striking red sandstone building in the Cumbrian town of Kendal.
When I passed it recently, I noticed some interesting patterns in the rock
Have a look at the building - look at the stone relating to the red rectangle in the image below - it's just to the right of the main pillars of the entrance.
1) Describe the patterns in the stone - mention the lines you can see and the direction or directions they appear to go
2) What kind of bedding do you think is displayed in this stone?
3) Briefly in your own words, describe why you think the patterns look like this. There is information in the text below to help you.
4) Take a photo of yourself at GZ, or an identifying item, being careful not to reveal any of the answers to the questions.
Please submit your answers via message though the Geocaching website or by sending me an email - there is no need to wait for a response before logging your find.
Sandstone, a sedimentary rock primarily comprising sand-sized silicate grains, consists predominantly of quartz or feldspar due to their high resistance to surface weathering processes on Earth.
Kendal Library is made from Red Sandstone from West Cumbria.
Cross Bedding
Cross bedding refers to the distinct layering found within sandstone rocks, characterised by angles relative to the main bedding plane.
This unique layering develops during deposition on inclined surfaces of bedforms like ripples and dunes, indicating the presence of a dynamic medium such as water or wind in the depositional environment.
Graded bedding
A graded bed is defined by a systematic alteration in grain or clast size from the bottom to the top of the bed. Typically, this manifests as normal grading, where coarser sediments reside at the base, transitioning into progressively finer ones toward the top.
These beds typically signify depositional settings where transport energy (flow rate) decreases over time. However, they can also originate during swift depositional events. Their most notable occurrence is in turbidite strata, where they indicate abrupt, vigorous currents that deposit coarse sediments initially, succeeded by finer ones as the current diminishes. Graded beds can also emerge in terrestrial stream deposits.