The Anston Stones Geological Trail
The Anston Stones Geological Trail was designed, and the photographs taken during a thorough geological survey of Anston Stones Wood by Scott Engering. Photographs copyright S Engering. If you want to wander along the trail there are parking areas off Rackford Road or off the A57 Worksop Road. You can add on other footpaths to make a longer walk if you require (Ordnance Survey Explorer 279).
The granite setts of the embankment wall are re-used road cobbles. There is a range of rocks here from the Channel Islands to the Lake District.
The prominent gnarled landforms are the remains of an ancient reef which survived at the edge of the Zechstein Sea 260 million years ago. Britain was hot and dry and animal life was scarce but remains of shellfish and colonies of primitive organisms can be found. If you look across the gorge large block or rock have been undermined and slipped down the hillside.
Along the Cut on either side of the path you can see the thin horizontal layers of Magnesian Limestone. These form a record of the sea beds of the Zechstein Sea, laid one on top another. There are ripple marks detectable in the rock, evidence of tides and currents.
The railway bridge contains two different types of stone, local Magnesian Limestone used for the walling and Millstone Grit from the Pennines used for the coping. The arch is built in Staffordshire blue engineering brick renowned for their strength and durability.
Aston Brook slows down as it flows eastward out of the gorge and the wood.
The brook has changed its course many times over the years leaving thick deposits of silt. On the stream bed and near the bank the pebbles have been graded by the flow. Miniature rapids can be seen where small outcrops of hard limestone are hidden below the surface of the water.
If you are interested the geology of Anston Stones Wood or for further information please contact
Scott:-
Email scottatsengering.fsnet.co.uk (remember to change at to @) Tel. 0114 2699167.