Essex Rock & Mineral Society Field
Trip
Herne Bay, Sunday 21 March 2004
The date coincided with the best low Spring tide for a weekend visit, it wasn't a particularly good but that doesn't usually put many of us off because it is always possible to collect something from this locality. It is one of those that is an ideal starting point for new members, and a welcoming start to the season for old campaigners.
Low tide for the Sunday was about 7am, which meant an early start to be on site at the break of day around 6am. Two (lazy) members, aware of the problem, stayed over night at the leaders home so as to get an extra hour of sleep that would have otherwise been spent travelling at some ungodly hour!
They both arrived at Herne Bay midmorning on the Saturday and, after a leisurely breakfast, strolled across the windswept tops from Herne Bay to Reculver. The beach was not walked as the tide was coming in and not knowing whether it was possible to get cut-off or not on a Spring high tide, it was decided to err on safety.
On route a detour was made through the undergrowth that surrounds the top of Bishopstone Glen. The feature looks more impressive and extensive when viewed from it's rim as opposed to the view from the foreshore. Pondering this feature it was concluded that it was formed from waters of a stream cutting down through the the un-consolidated sandy subsoil on route to the shore. The sides of this gully were steep with a classic "V" shape but all overgrown with shrubs and trees. Many were broken, uprooted and unstable and looked as though they would pose a serious danger to anyone scrambling about at the bottom.
Bishopstone Glen viewed from the east rim above the foreshore. The black band is the Basal Pebble Bed (Unit L) of the Oldhaven Formation. The exposures below this horizon are of the Woolwich and Reading Formation.
The tops of the cliff path towards Reculver were being blasted by a strong gale from the south east. It was hoped that this wind might drive the tide out even further on the Sunday.
There wasn't that much to be deduced from the landscape above the cliffs as this had undergone extensive reworking to form the Reculver Country Park, which although an ideal place to walk the dog or fly a kite has little of interest.
On reaching Reculver they paused for a look at the remains of St Mary's Church and then walked around the perimeter of the Roman Fort. As it was still not quite high tide, the pub seemed the ideal place to spend a pleasant half hour. If only the door would open? The wind was full blast onto the side of the building, the door opening outwards need both hands and strong continuous pull to gain entry. One of the duo remarked that it was the best pint he had tasted in a long time. (15 to 20 years). The other moaned that everything he chose was waiting for a new barrel to be connected.
Once the tide had peaked they strolled along the beach back to Herne Bay. On route attempts were made to find the various divisions in the exposed cliff sections, namely those of the Thanet Formation and Woolwich and Reading Formation. It proved more difficult than first thought. The cold gale force wind, coupled with the cliffs being in shadow and personal safety (not to be underestimated for unstable cliffs) put pay to any serious attempt. Perhaps a return visit on a dry sunny Summer's evening?
The
day of the official trip, Sunday, started bright but with a strong cold
wind from the west, about 8 members turned up, perhaps it was because
it was "Mothering Sunday" or more likely too early in the morning.
The tide never did go out as far as predicted but members found fossil sharks' teeth as usual. However, one of yesterday's duo, went rushing about the foreshore traversing the exposures of the Old Haven Formation, Woolwich and Reading Formation and the Thanet Formation. He said some features were more easily spotted underfoot than in the cliffs and that he was looking for evidence of the minor faults that appear in the Thanet Formation. Not that much bothered he marched back to car park where the other member had breakfast on the go. The sausages, eggs and bacon went down a real treat especially with a nice freshly brewed mug of tea. Afterwards they caught up with the rest of the club who had departed for Les Lanham's home for tea and biscuits. All said a very enjoyable weekend!
This classic location for fossil sharks' teeth offers the opportunity to examine several sedimentary sequences both in cliff section and along the foreshore. However, the foreshore is only accessible for short periods at low tide and the cliff sections are almost impossible to decipher, due to talus and slumping coupled with the changes in detail being so obtuse. It takes skill if not practised in the art. I would not recommend close observations on vertical sections, and prefer to stand back with a pair of binoculars. Safety is my number one consideration. I will return time and time again to this location, just to view the geology which is my interest, fossils being secondary to that. However, summertime and late afternoon would seem to afford the best lighting conditions for the cliff sections. As for the foreshore, just try for one or two features at each low tide (anytime of the year), you really don't have that much time to get to grips with what you see!
Text and Photographs © R Coleman 2004