Tees Valley Geology
Tees Valley Geology Details
The Tees Valley is blessed with some of the most spectacular
geology and industrial archaeology in the British Isles, ranging from:
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Upland Moors and Escarpments
The
North York Moors and Cleveland Hills tower over the Tees Valley providing
a rugged horizon. The underlying geology outcrops creating spectacular
exposures at places like High Cliff Nab and Eston Hills. |
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Deep River Gorges
Draining from upland areas such as East Durham and the North York Moors
rivers have cut deep gorges creating amazing exposures and landscapes.
Rivers like Crimdon Dene and Skelton Beck are excellent examples. |
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Coastal Scar and Cliffs
The
coastline from Redcar to Staithes provides us with some outstanding
exposures and breathtaking scenery. Cliffs such as Huntcliff at Saltburn
and the scar at Redcar stand proud dominating the view south from
Hartlepool Headland. |
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Industrial Archaeology
Mineral extraction has been a major driving force behind the Tees Valley’s
development. Salt extraction, Ironstone mining, Jet mining, and the Alum
trade have all left behind scars on the landscape, creating features such
as Boulby Cliff and Eston Hills. |
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Geological Heritage of the Tees Valley
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Quaternary:
10,000 Years ago
We
were underneath 300m of ice during the last Ice Age.
Exposed all over the Tees Valley as clays, sands and gravels. |
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Jurassic: 200
Million Years ago
We
were underneath a shallow tropical ocean similar to the Caribbean Sea.
Jurassic rocks exposed in cliffs and inland throughout upland areas. |
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Triassic: 245
Million Years ago
We
were on the edge of a desert similar to the Sahara Desert today.
Triassic rocks exposed at Seaton Carew beach and at Ingleby Barwick. |
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Permian: 290
Million Years ago
Underneath
a very shallow and salty tropical ocean with massive coral reefs.
Permian rocks exposed at Hartlepool Headland. |
Project Details
The
Geodiversity Action Plan is a project delivered by the Tees Valley Wildlife
Trust, enabled by funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The GAP aims to
document, conserve, manage and promote the geological heritage of the Tees
Valley. The project is run in direct co-operation with the Tees Valley RIGS
Group.
The
project achieves its objectives by raising awareness amongst, and encouraging
practical action by local communities and schools, through education and
volunteering opportunities. The project specifically offers an extensive guided
walk programme for the general public and offers local schools & colleges the
chance to take part in site visits and classroom based geological activities.
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Volunteering Opportunities
The
project offers the chance to get really involved and help protect some
fragile or neglected sites of geological interest. |
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Guided Walk Activities Free of Charge
Taking the general public out to see the spectacular geology of the Tees
Valley raises awareness and gets people fit! |
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Education Sessions Free of Charge
Education sessions are being offered to involve local schools and raise
geological awareness at the grass roots. |
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If
you want to get involved with the GAP project then
contact Beth Andrews at the Tees Valley
Wildlife Trust. |
Did you know?
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The spectacular “ironstone
rush” during the 1800’s was responsible for the rapid expansion of our area.
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The rocks in the Tees Valley
are up to 250 million years old.
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The area is an
internationally important place for Jurassic plant fossils.
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The remains of large
reptiles and dinosaur footprints can be found throughout the Jurassic rocks in the area.
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Coal was once mined at
Danby.
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Salt extraction at
Billingham gave birth to the chemical industry boom on Teesside today.
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The first public toilets in
Hull were built to collect urine used in the production of Alum throughout
Cleveland and North Yorkshire.
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Only 10,000 years ago the
Tees Valley was in the grip of the last ice age and was buried under hundreds
of metres of ice.
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Jet was mined all over
Cleveland in places like Guisborough, Carlton and Eston, not just at Whitby.
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A surge
of molten rock ripped through the area leaving behind the Cleveland Dyke,
resulting in the Langbaurgh Ridge
feature at Great Ayton.
Tees Valley Geological
Survey
Geological Survey Details
As part
of the Tees Valley Geodiversity Action Plan the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust and
the Tees Valley RIGS group surveyed the geology of the Tees Valley. As a result
of this year long survey nearly all exposures have been logged and compiled on the GAP
Database. The database illustrates where people can go to access the geology of
the Tees Valley and also explains what they are observing.
The GAP Database is available to view online
or at every public library throughout the Tees Valley.
Click
here to access the GAP database
(The database will open in a new window,
simply close the GAP window to return to this site)