Runswick Bay, 3rd May 2019
On Saturday 3rd May 2019 we met in Runswick Bay, North Yorkshire.
Runswick Bay is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the bedrock and cliffs are protected by law from the use of hammers, although we were free to hammer at loose material on the beach. We stayed away from the cliffs and looked for fossils on the foreshore.
The early Jurassic here is represented by Pleinsbachian age rocks (190-‐195 Ma) from the Early Lias and Toarcian age (180-190 Ma) from the Late Lias. This Lower Jurassic site is in the Upper Lias of the Whitby Mudstone Formation, consisting of deposits of the Grey Shale Member, the Mulgrave Shale Member and the Alum Shale Member. The Lower Lias consists of the Cleveland Ironstone Formation, whose deposits consist of the Penny Nab Member and the Kettleness Member.
After a short briefing on health and safety and the likely fossils we could find, we made our way down to the beach to begin the hunt.
The fossil Gods were with Peter today as he found a bumper crop of fabulous ammonites!
Thank you to all who came. We hope you enjoyed the day and went home with some great finds!