Dorset Series Earthcache (Lulworth) EarthCache
nobby.nobbs: It's had a good run, with loads of people thoroughly enjoying the visit to the cove and I thank you all for great ligs.
To be honest, I've had one too many "I couldn't be bothered to read the cache page/ didn't have time to go to the coordinates/ some other story" where I get disgruntled moans about not allowing a log. So it was either find some other silly non geology question that couldn't be googled or seen through binoculars or archive it....
Dorset Series Earthcache (Lulworth)
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Some hills to negotiate and peeble beach. Can be difficult after rain. Nothing too bad though.
PLEASE BE CAREFUL, THE COASTAL PATH IS UNSTABLE AT THE MOMENT AND HAS SUFFERED SLIPS LOCALLY. CLIFF EDGES ARE DANGEROUS AND CARRY THE POTENTIAL TO FALL.
Park in the visitors centre or back in the village by the church for limited free parking. The co-ordinates are for Stair Hole. This shows a very good example of a fold in sedimentary rocks.
The rocks of the actual hole are the Jurassic Portland Limestones whilst you are stood on a mixture of clays and sandstones known as the Wealden Group.
You then need to proceed to N50.37.139 W2.14.698. From this point you can trace the full Cretaceous series of rocks. The rocks start with the chalk. Then as you walk south around the east side of the cove you will pass through the series slowly getting to older and older rocks. There are fossils and mineral deposits within these beds but please do not dig in the ground for them. There are the remains of an old kiln near where a stream enters the cove. These were used for brick making.
Following the bay round you will eventually reach the limestone Jurassic rocks which have been folded until they are now nearly vertical. These rocks contain numerous fossils but again take photos not examples.
Care needs to be taken when near on the cliffs in this area as they are unstable.
To comply with the new guidelines from now on to claim this cache you will need to complete a task.
So as well as a photo i need an estimation of how many different types of rocks are in the sequence, which way do they dip, an estimation of that dip and HOW MANY STEPS ARE THERE ON THE SMALL WOODEN STAIRCASE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE COVE. sorry but the number of people not complyIng with the cache
PLEASE BE AWARE. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO WALK TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE COVE AND ESTIMATE THE ROCKS THERE, NOT AT STAIR HOLE. IF YOU CANNOT DO SO PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT THE CACHE. IF YOU ARE DISABLED PLEASE CONTACT ME PRIOR TO GOING AND WE CAN COME TO AN AGREEMENT AS TO HOW YOU CAN CLAIM IT.
DO NOT LOG THIS CACHE BEFORE SENDING THE ANSWERS AND HAVING IT CONFIRMED THAT THEY ARE CORRECT. SORRY JUST TOO MANY LOGS WITH EITHER NO ANSWERS OR ANSWERS THAT COME TWO WEEKS LATER
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A DIP IS JUST LOOK AT THE HINT!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
gur qvc bs n ebpx vf gur natyr vg fybcrf vagb gur tebhaq.