A Geological Field Guide to Harkstead, Suffolk.

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HARKSTEAD GEOLOGY

A GEOLOGICAL FIELD GUIDE TO HARKSTEAD, SUFFOLK BILL GEORGE Background. This geological field guide has been compiled as part of an ongoing GeoEssex project to publicise and promote the geology of the Stour Estuary. Casual visitors to the remote village of Harkstead may not be aware of the incredibly rich geology of this area revealed by a walk along the beach (British Geological Survey 2010; George 2012; Dixon 2012). The whole walk is about 4 kilometres or 2½ miles (see Map below). Objectives: To view the low cliff and extensive foreshore platform on the north bank of the tidal River Stour at Harkstead which exposes one of the best sections in Suffolk of the Wrabness Member of the Harwich Formation (Aldiss 2015: 87; King 2016: 338), previously recorded as London Clay. Continuing tidal erosion of the cliff and foreshore washes out many lower Eocene fossils including bird, reptile and fish remains (Fig. 1). Pleistocene river terrace gravels and brickearth have yielded many large vertebrate remains, about 210,000 years old and Palaeolithic flint implements. The cliffs also show clear evidence of disturbance by Arctic conditions during the Ice Age. Access for this itinerary is by car. Vehicles may be parked at the Harkstead Community Centre [TM 188 348]. Toilets and refreshments may be available at the nearby Bakers Arms public house [TM 187347]. The beach is reached by footpath by turning left at the Bakers Arms into Walnut Tree Lane and turning right at Harksleigh Cottage.

Figure 1. Looking for fossils on Harkstead beach. Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 56 (2020)


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