Earthscape Scotland EarthCache
turningstones: Thank you to everyone who found this - if anyone wants to take this one over please let me know
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A visit to Earthscape Scotland a geological monument in Edinburgh beneath the iconic Salisbury crags.
Earthscape Scotland is an awesome set of standing stones showing the geological time zones in Scotland’s rocks and sculptures why Scotland is split into different geological terrenes. This cache is based on the standing stones which are wheelchair accessible. The Earthscape Scotland exhibit is outside Our Dynamic Earth and can be visited at any time; there is no need to enter the exhibit (but it is very good if you do). The questions are based on the standing stone exhibits their inscriptions. Why not put up a photo of you next to your favourite rock – this is not compulsory please cover up and spoilers in shot! Bonus points for spotting the spelling mistake on the signs.
Please message me with the answers to avoid spoilers in the logs!
1. What continent was Scotland in 1100 million years ago?
2. What age is the basalt lava?
3. There are two sandstones here Torridonian sandstone and Desert sandstone; have a close look at the layers of sand grains in the rock. Concentrate on the size of the grains. Which has lots of different sized grains and which has grains that are mostly the same size? Why do you think the grains are sorted differently? The stone descriptions can give you a good clue here.
4. Look carefully at the rock from the Jurassic period this rock contains many fossils. What type of animal are they? (A guess here is fine. If you are not sure just describe what you see.) Where do these animals live now? This is how Scotland was about 206 million years ago.
Thank you to Our Dynamic Earth for providing permission to make this cache. For travel directions try the Our Dynamic Earth website.
‘Simply Paul’ has let me know that the site is not lit at night so if you are hunting after dark you may need to take a torch – and be safe!
I often away doing field work so I may be slow in replying to answers. Please feel free to log without waiting for my reply – I will reply to you all when I have internet access. Please if possible send answers via the message centre as the website limits thew number of emails I can send at one time. LOGS WITHOUT ANSWER EMAIL WILL BE DELETED.
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