Beachy Head

Led by Rory Mortimore

Click for the related London Platform article

This what we did:

We walked along Foyle Track to Cow Gap. On the way we saw the base Lewes Nodular Chalk Formation along the track, viewed the Upper Greensand reefs and the landslip area across the southern eroded limb of the Beachy Head Anticline.
At Cow Gap and Head Ledge Rory explained the Albian Gault Clay and Upper Greensand and the basal Cenomanian Glauconitic Marl Member of the West Melbury Marly Chalk Formation. We also saw Indigenous body fossils, reworked, phosphatized body fossils, trace fossils, marker beds (litho- and bio).
From Head Ledge and Falling Sands, work up the Cenomanian succession to the Plenus Marls and Melbourn Rock members of the Holywell Nodular Chalk Formation.
West of the Plenus Marls view the huge cliff collapses that have occurred during the winter 2000-2001. These rock-falls have covered most of the higher part of the Chalk including the Turonian and Coniacian (Holywell Nodular Chalk, New Pit Chalk, Lewes Nodular Chalk and Seaford Chalk Formations).
We travel to the top of Beachy Head (by cars) and looked from the top of Beachy Head onto the cliffs and foreshore below. Rory discussed the European research programmes; how geology is helping planners and engineers with cliff problems.
Then a final stop at Birling Gap to see beds in Seaford Chalk Formation brought to sea-level from the top of Beachy Head by folding (the Birling Gap Syncline).
We went to the pub.

Click on any picture to enlarge the view

Rory describes the area of interest	On the chalk	The view back towards Eastbourne	On our way to Cow Gap
The sign board at Cow Gap	On the beach at Cow Gap	On the beach at Cow Gap	Looking up the succession
On the move in the rain!	One of the recent landslips	Attempted removal of an ammonite	A view of the cliffs
Looking at the chalk	We had some sunny weather as well	On the cliffs at Beachy Head	A stack ready to part company from the cliff
The Beachy Head lighthouse	At Birling Gap, looking towards the Seven Sisters	Some of our finds: 1. 2. Concodial Fracture 3. 4. Ammonite 5. 6.	A fine example of a ?

COW GAP AND BEACHY HEAD 16th JUNE 2001