Learn about Lindisfarne's fascinating geological past

The latest in the Northumberland coast season of geodiversity walks is heading to Holy Island.
Dr Ian Kille at Cocklawburn.Dr Ian Kille at Cocklawburn.
Dr Ian Kille at Cocklawburn.

Local geologist Dr Ian Kille will lead the walk, entitled ‘Lindisfarne, the ley of a liminal landscape’ on Wednesday, June 19, starting at 10am.

The Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) walks allow people to explore the fascinating stories that the rocks exposed on the coastline tell of our deep past as well as how they have shaped the area’s history.

Lindisfarne CastleLindisfarne Castle
Lindisfarne Castle
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The second geodiversity walk will be from the Window on Wild Lindisfarne on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne and will explore the relationship between the way in which this beautiful landscape has been inhabited and revered as well as exploited, and the nature of the rocks which sit beneath the landscape.

Amongst other geological features, the walk will explore the iconic landforms created by the Whin Sill which now underpins the Castle as well as the Lookout heugh above the Priory and its recently discovered Anglo Saxon church.

Ian said: “This extraordinary phenomenon has a enormous impact on the Northumberland landscape as it provides the setting for so many of the county’s most iconic constructions including Bamburgh Castle, Dunstanburgh Castle and parts of Hadrian’s Wall as well as being the landscape centrepiece of High Cup Nick and High Force.

“This outcrop of Whin Sill has several unique features which help understand how this enormous slab of igneous rock found its way into these locations”.

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The walk starts at the Window on Wild Lindisfarne,  on the left-hand side of the path between the village and castle. The walk will be about 6km long and will involve some scrambling along the foreshore, so good footwear, appropriate clothing and a basic level of fitness is required.

Ian is also running a geo-walk in Tynemouth from 10am on Friday, June 21 in another of his roles working as the community geologist for the Hadrian’s Wall Community Archaeology Project.

Details of this walk and how to register (free) can be found at: https://wallcap.ncl.ac.uk/customer-area/home/

Details of this walk can be found at: www.northumbrianearth.co.uk along with all of the other geo-walks being run by Northumbrian Earth in conjunction with the Northumberland Coast AONB.