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Walton-on-the-Naze 17th February 2001

This trip was lead by Brian Harvey, assisted by Di Smith, Di Clements and members of London Branch Committee.  The trip was designed to give S260 students a flying start with their course. 

We learnt that rocks, even when they are 54 million years old, do not have to be hardened. The cliffs at Walton are particularly interesting as you can see rocks of 3 different ages. They are an SSSI.

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We examined the 54 million year old London Clay and compared it to the overlying Red Crag which is only 2 Ma old

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We looked for clues as to how they were formed and what they consist of

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We looked at modern beach processes for comparison

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We looked for fossils to help us understand the ancient environments

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We discussed what might have happened in the intervening years

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We looked for evidence of the more recent Ice Ages

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We even found evidence of volcanoes

Click Here for a Map:  


Click for the related London Platform article

All photographs © Paul Hetherington

Rotational Slip

Very recent rotational slippage at Walton-on-the-Naze

Rotational Slip

The same slip from the beach

Brian explains the processes

Another slip with very sticky mud flow

Layering in London Clay

Looking at the clasts on the beach

Looking at the features in cliff

Surface features of the London Clay exposure

An ash layer showing volcanic activity in the Tertiary

Examining fossil finds on the beach

Miniature "braided streams" forming on the beach

Applying observational techniques to the local sea defenses

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Page updated: 14/05/2010