Geology Trail

Walks start at the Roundhay Park Mansion, by the cafe entrance, at 1.30 pm. Why not join in – no previous knowledge of geology is assumed.  Allow 2 hours and please note paths may be muddy so sensible footwear is advisable.

Trail Guide leaflets, with photographs and descriptions of each site as well as basic background geology can be ordered by adding to your cart.  They can also be purchased from Bill Fraser at the start of the walk.  Contact Us for further details

“The Gorge”  a V shaped valley cut by glacial melt water, reveals shales and sandstones laid down some 300 million years ago when this part of the earths crust was close to the equator. Shales are formed from fine mud particles deposited as horizontal layers in quiet water conditions. However, at one site a fold in the shales is clear evidence of later lateral compressional forces.

The shale beds in some sites contain both fresh water and marine fossils so there were also periods of sea incursion.  At higher levels shales give way to sandstones and at the highest level in Scout’s Quarry we find coarse millstone grit which contains quite large quartz pebbles. Such deposits are only transported by very fast flowing rivers. The bedding planes define the direction of flow, the sediments being derived from the erosion of mountain range to the north.