Devil's Bridge is a place of much lore and history. The bridge crosses the River Lune, it's 3 arches harking back to Medieval times. The Devil has rumoured to have had dealings here, with the fabled story of the Old woman and her dealings with the Devil.
It is a busy place, though the bulk of folk stay up by the bridge. This EarthCache takes us upstream from the bridge.
⚠️ THIS IS A HIGH TERRAIN EARTHCACHE. YOU WILL NEED TO PADDLE ACROSS TO THE LOCATION, FROM THE WEST BANK.
⚠️ DO NOT ENTER ANY DEEP WATER.
⚠️ IT SHOULD ONLY BE A SHALLOW PADDLE ACROSS TO THE LOCATION.
🚨If the river is running high, or in spate DO NOT ATTEMPT THE EARTHCACHE. 🚨
ℹ️ YOU CANNOT LOG IT BY JUST VISITING THE RIVER BANK.
LOOKING TO THE LOCATION.
🤔 The geology of the location.
This is limestone, part of the Urswick Formation Limestone, which was deposited during the Asbian Substage. This geological period was part of the Visean Stage of the Carboniferous Period. It is between 337 and 330.9 million years old. At the time, there was a shallow marine environment, rich in sea live, both in the water, and on the sea floor.
🤔 What are we here to look at?
We are here to examine the rocks for coral fossils, and then to decide what type we have found. Coral, was and still does form part of our ecosystem. There are lots of different types of corals, and fossil corals, with many of the fossil coral in the Dales belonging to the genus known as Rugosa. This was a much varied type, and it is now extinct, dying out in the Permian period. Rugosa corals come in many forms, but basically they are either colonial or singular. The living part of the coral was known as the polyp, and it lived in a hard body formed of calcite. It is that body that we can now see as fossils. Some corals were filter feeders of algae and plankton, whilst others were carnivorous, some with stinging tentacles.
🤔 Undertaking an EarthCache is about seeing and learning.
We are going to look at the fossil coral, and then decide what type. There is already a nearby Earthcache about horn corals, so we can discount that type, we shall be looking at colonial corals. This means they lived in a colony, or in simple terms, all together. It is a complex subject looking at corals, so we shall stay simple, and look at two types, Siphonodendron and Lithostrotion. Now, to be exact, Siphonodendron is actually a sub species of Lithostrotion coral, but there are subtle differences which will help us.
🍜Siphonodendron.
Siphonodendron coral, in a wall near the Pennine Way, Dawsons Close.
Siphonodendron coral, in an outcrop, top of Penyghent Gill.
Siphonodendron coral, above Halton Gill, Littondale.
Siphonodendron, is a colonial coral, its structure is of thin closely packed tubes, like spaghetti, or thin noodles.
🍜 Lithostrotion.
Lithostrotion coral fossils, from Yorkshire Dales.
Lithostrotion coral fossils, from Yorkshire Dales.
Lithostrotion coral fossils, Little Stainforth, Ribblesdale.
Lithostrotion coral, is also a colonial coral, but has a more spaced out network or branches, and has thicker tubes.
📝
This is an earthcache. In order to log it, I ask that you answer the below questions. Please send them to me, and do not include them in your log. You can send them to me by using the message facility or email, both of which can be found by looking at my profile.
1. At the specific location, please describe the coral fossils, and define which type there is.
2. Why is there coral fossils in the limestone?
3. Please have your photograph taken or of your device , as per Hillgorilla with your feet in the water, or with the water in view.
Once you've completed the EarthCache, and logged successfully, please feel free to add the following picture to your geocaching profile.
