|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
| Protected Sites |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Lindisfarne SSSI, Northumberland |
| |
| Lindisfarne SSSI, Northumberland comprises
more than 25 km of coastal sections, islands and inland outcop. The
SSSI encompasses Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve (NNR). There are several geological
interests on the site including: |
| |
 |
Carboniferous
sediments at Spittal Shore, important for stratigraphy, palaeontology
and sedimentology; |
|
|
|
|
|
large
sections of the Whin Sill dolerite, intruded into the Carboniferous
sediments about 295 million years ago; |
|
|
|
extensive
stretches of coastal dunes, barrier beaches and cliffs, important
for its active geomorphology; |
|
|
|
a
Quaternary stratigraphic site on Holy Island which provide an
important dateable record of Flandrian sea-level changes and
which includes the only known raised beach of Flandrian age
on the east coast of England. |
|
| |
| The geological interests are generally
robust although some unusual features of the Whin Sill, such as ropy
textured dolerite, are finite in extent and would be destroyed by
hammering. The soft sediment deposits associated with the Flandrian
sea-level changes also need careful managmement. |
| |
|
|
Ropy textured dolerite is exposed
in dyke tops, which form part of the extensive Whin Sill, at Lindisfarne
SSSI. Although ropy texture is common in lavas, it is very rarely
observed in intrusive rocks. The texture indicated the direction of
flow of the magma which was approximately right to left in the picture. |
| Photo: Mick Murphy, Natural England |
|
|
| |
|
