| Sewerby Hall and Gardens, along with the Yorkshire Geological Society, will host a rock identification workshop and beach walk on Wednesday, 22 May to mark Yorkshire Geology Month 2019.
Bridlington, Sewerby and the Yorkshire Wolds were, 100 million years ago, at the bottom of a tropical sea that was warmer than the Caribbean, and the East Yorkshire coast’s magnificent chalk cliffs are made up of the shells of microscopic creatures which lived in that sea. Since then, time and tide – and not to mention a couple of ice ages – have all left their mark on the beach and wider landscape. The walk, which will start at the top of Sewerby Steps (national grid reference: TA 201 686), will be an ideal opportunity to learn about the chalk cliffs and landscapes of the Yorkshire Wolds, along with the prehistoric forces that created them. Paul Hildreth, from the Yorkshire Geological Society and who will lead the walk, said: “On either side of Sewerby Steps are internationally important geological sites. In addition, the shore and cliffs provide a wealth of information about the area’s past.” There will be an opportunity on the walk to investigate some of the different rocks seen on the beach and discover more about their origins, along with searching for many fossils found on the foreshore. An indoor session will also take place, looking at specimens from a collection of rock samples specially selected for the purposes of classification. The beach walk and workshop represents the beginning of a larger project between Sewerby Hall and Gardens and the Yorkshire Geological Society, which aims to interpret the geology, not just of the Sewerby estate but of the stones used to build the Hall itself. Robert Chester, education officer at Sewerby Hall and Gardens, said: “We are so pleased to have this opportunity to celebrate Yorkshire Geology Month with colleagues from the Yorkshire Geological Society. “Sewerby beach, the cliffs and the rocks are a real window into the past and this is a fantastic chance to learn a little more about them and our local area in the company of experts in the field. It will hopefully be the start of many more such collaborations in the future.” The workshop and walk begin at 10.30am on Wednesday, 22 May and will run until 2.30pm; and attendees will need to wear appropriate footwear and outdoor clothing. For more details, please visit www.sewerbyhall.co.uk |
