Lakeland Rocks and Landscape. A Field Guide

by The Cumberland Geological Society

“To know how the landscape has been formed geologically adds another dimension to our appreciation of the fells”

from the foreword by Chris Bonnington

This little volume is intended for the ‘interested amateur’ with some background knowledge of the earth sciences and it succeeds admirably. Not only does it provide a geological background to the Lake District, but also suggests eighteen ‘excursions’ that take in a wide variety of the geological features exhibited in this region.

I try and make my way back to the Lakes every couple of years, this book always accompanies me. I won’t even try and pretend I understand the complicated geology of the Lakeland rocks, I don’t. But who cannot fail to be impressed upon learning that the rocks of the Borrowdale Volcanic Group, extending from Wasdale and the Duddon valley in the west through Scafell to Helvellyn, High Street and Haweswater in the east, are from 6000m thickness of rocks violently erupted in 10 million years during the mid-Ordovician period (450 Ma). No, I thought not.

Book from my shelves:

Lakeland Rocks and Landscape, A Field Guide, The Cumberland Geological Society, Ellenbank Press, 1998 revised and updated reprinted edition. ISBN 1-873551-03-7