The rocks around Rinsey Cove and Trewavas Head form part of the metamorphic aureole that surrounds the Godolphin granite mass. This granite mass was one of several, from Dartmoor to the Isles of Scilly, that were intruded over a period of about 30 million years, between 270-300 million years ago into the sedimentary rocks that were being laid down on the ocean floor that covered present day Cornwall. The sedimentary rocks were altered (metamorphosed) by the intense heat and pressure caused by the intrusion of the molten granite.
Much of the Rinsey area formed the roof of the granite mass and as a result the Rinsey area is a real mixture of metamorphosed rocks and intrusions of igneous rocks from the molten granite · granite sills (thick, mainly horizontal, intrusions of granite), aplites and pegmatites (these terms refer to their texture rather than their composition, aplites are fine grained meaning that they have cooled quickly, whereas pegmatites are a coarse crystalline igneous rock with crystals at least 1 cm long, most pegmatites contain quartz, potassium feldspar and sodium rich plagioclase feldspar and formed during the fluid and vapour phases after most of the granite had crystallised. Some complex pegmatites contain up to 300 different minerals (including tin and tourmalines), as well as spotted slates with andalusite and cordierite in them. The Camel`s Head is a remnant of the intrusion and subsequent geomorphological processes found in this area,leaving a protruding rock mass shaped like it`s name sake.
PLEASE NOTE: I CANNOT ACCEPT JOINT ANSWERS FROM GROUPS OF GEOCACHERS NOR JOINT PHOTOS AS I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO SORT OUT WHO HAS SENT WHAT FOR WHOM!. IF YOU WANT TO LOG MY EARTHCACHE PLEASE EXTEND ME THE COURTESY OF MESSENGING ME YOUR OWN ANSWERS INDIVIDUALLY. THANK YOU
To log your visit you must complete a task:
1. Visit the Camel`s Head and take at least one photo (optional) of the rock with your GPSr in the foreground and upload it to your log entry. If you would like to be in the photo that would be great.
2. MESSAGE me the answers (via LINK at top of this page) to the following questions. Do not put the answer on the `logged it` page.
a. Estimate the Camel`s Head dimensions - width and maximum height. Metric or Imperial is acceptable.
b. Estimate the distance from the top of the head to the sea below. Metric or Imperial is acceptable.
WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CLIMB DOWN TO THE CAMEL`S HEAD due to the dangerous cliffs. Take all your photos and estimated measurements from the top of the cliff above.
Adjacent to the site are the mine workings from WHEAL TREWAVAS MINE. Have fun trying to find some `fools gold - iron pyrite, in some of the small stones! However, obey all warning signs if you venture towards the Mine Engine Houses as there are OPEN SHAFTS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Best location for parking your car is approximately 0.5 miles away at Rinsey.
Good Luck and enjoy the spectacular views.
YOU MUST LOG AT THE SAME TIME AS SENDING ME YOUR ANSWERS VIA A GEOCACHING MESSAGE. If you can`t do both at the same time then wait until you can, otherwise I will just delete your LOG and you will have to do it all again as I DO NOT have the time to chase after you. AND be warned, I do check every one! Unfortunately, a few geocacher`s try to log the earthcache without completing the task and so I will maintain the right as the earthcache owner to delete any logs that do not fulfill the requirements or I entries that I believe to be false. I will ONLY contact you if there is a problem AND I will delete any logs for which I don`t receive answers or LOGS that I believe to be false.
This is No 3 in Snake Plissken`s Lizard Peninsula Earthcache Series!
SNAKE PLISSKEN -