Excellent stuff. I agree that striae (my geography teachers called them striations) are one of the most vivid markers of the glacial past. There are some good and very accessible ones right by the track up Coppermines valley, well before the Youth Hostel.
And you've nobly resisted the temptation to put in a plug for your own book, but I think it's a public service to mention (as not all of your readers may know of it) 'Granite and Grit'.
Thanks Jon. 'Granite & Grit' (a hillwalker's guide to the UK's mountain geology) is out of print now - and where book plugging's concerned, I'm saving myself for 'The Hillwalking Bible' (from Conway / Bloomsbury) out next Thursday! Glacier scratches do depend on the lighting conditions -- I've seen some really nice ones at the summit of Swirl How, but it was a sunny day in winter, ideal viewing conditions. The slickensides on Haystacks is worth looking out for next time you're on that path. The clearest one I've seen anywhere.
Thank you Margaret. You probably realised I write about things in order to learn about them myself... The moment I read about "slickensides" I knew I needed to see one in the real world.
I'll keep a better lookout next time I'm in the hills and remember those wonderfully inspiring geography field trips, many years ago. My favourite word was "Roche moutonnée" ;)
Yes, so many vivid terms. Roche moutonée especially, that it doesn't just mean sheep-shaped, bur refers to a 19th century style of wig stiffened with mutton fat - must have smelt very distinctive in a candlelit room. I also like xenolith (stranger-stone); aa lava (from Hawaii, the sound you make when you walk over it barefoot); boudinisation, rock rolled up like a sausage, after a tasty breakfast snack in Belgium, France, and Louisiana; uignimbrite, fire-cloud-rock ...
Excellent stuff. I agree that striae (my geography teachers called them striations) are one of the most vivid markers of the glacial past. There are some good and very accessible ones right by the track up Coppermines valley, well before the Youth Hostel.
And you've nobly resisted the temptation to put in a plug for your own book, but I think it's a public service to mention (as not all of your readers may know of it) 'Granite and Grit'.
Thanks Jon. 'Granite & Grit' (a hillwalker's guide to the UK's mountain geology) is out of print now - and where book plugging's concerned, I'm saving myself for 'The Hillwalking Bible' (from Conway / Bloomsbury) out next Thursday! Glacier scratches do depend on the lighting conditions -- I've seen some really nice ones at the summit of Swirl How, but it was a sunny day in winter, ideal viewing conditions. The slickensides on Haystacks is worth looking out for next time you're on that path. The clearest one I've seen anywhere.
Thanks for the very good tutorial.. very helpful to see two sets of scratches explained side by side. I enjoy your posts, thank you.
Thank you Margaret. You probably realised I write about things in order to learn about them myself... The moment I read about "slickensides" I knew I needed to see one in the real world.
I'll keep a better lookout next time I'm in the hills and remember those wonderfully inspiring geography field trips, many years ago. My favourite word was "Roche moutonnée" ;)
Yes, so many vivid terms. Roche moutonée especially, that it doesn't just mean sheep-shaped, bur refers to a 19th century style of wig stiffened with mutton fat - must have smelt very distinctive in a candlelit room. I also like xenolith (stranger-stone); aa lava (from Hawaii, the sound you make when you walk over it barefoot); boudinisation, rock rolled up like a sausage, after a tasty breakfast snack in Belgium, France, and Louisiana; uignimbrite, fire-cloud-rock ...
sorry, that's me replying there under a different login...