Geology and Landscape
The character of the North Pennines has its foundation in the underlying rocks, and is the result of millions of years of Earth history.
Millions of Years in the Making
The rocks which underlie most of the area were formed in ancient tropical seas, river deltas and rainforests. The dramatic Whin Sill was once molten, and the area's mineral deposits crystallized from hot fluids deep underground. The rocks along the North Pennine escarpment tell of a long-vanished ocean, volcanoes and deserts. In the more recent geological past, vast ice sheets smoothed and sculpted the landscape. The arrival of people after the ice age heralded a new stage in the evolution of the North Pennines – a landscape that is continually evolving through natural processes and human activity.
Click on the sections below to find out more about the special geological features and landscapes of the North Pennines.
Contact Dr Elizabeth Pickett, Geodiversity Officer at the North Pennines AONB Partnership, for more information - 01388 528801 (elizabeth@northpenninesaonb.org.uk).
In this section
The Deep Roots of the Landscape
The deep roots of the North Pennines are slates and volcanic rocks, which are akin to the rocks of the Lake District, and a large granite body. These rocks are mostly buried deep underground, but the slates and volcanic rocks can be seen at the surface on the North Pennine escarpment and in part of Teesdale.
Published: 16/01/08
Layers in the Landscape
The North Pennines is mainly made up of rocks which formed during the Carboniferous Period of Earth history, around 350 to 300 million years ago. These layers of limestone, sandstone and shale form the area's distinctive terraced hillsides and flat-topped hills.
Published: 16/01/08
The Whin Sill
The Whin Sill is one of the special geological features of the North Pennines and forms some of the area's most dramatic landscapes. Its hard, dark rock was once molten, but now stands out as spectacular cliffs and waterfalls in Teesdale and on the North Pennine escarpment.
Updated: 29/09/09
Minerals and Mines
The North Pennines is world-famous for its remarkable mineral veins and deposits, known collectively as the Northern Pennine Orefield. Mining for these minerals - mainly ores of lead, zinc and iron, fluorite and a range of barium minerals - has had a profound effect on the landscape.
Updated: 17/01/08
Deserts and Floods
In the Eden Valley at the foot of the North Pennine escarpment lie red sandstones which give the villages along the foot of the fells their distinctive character. These rocks formed roughly 250 million years ago when the North Pennines baked in a hot desert environment.
Updated: 29/09/09
Legacy of the Ice Age
The North Pennines owes much of its character to the action of ice and water during and after the last ice age. Glaciers and meltwater scoured the landscape, depositing glacial debris and creating a range of landforms. After the ice, the landscape continued to evolve, shaped by landslides, freeze-thaw processes and, more recently, people.
Updated: 16/01/08
Limestone Landscapes
Limestone is an unusual rock. Although it is hard and resistant to erosion it is also slightly soluble in rainwater. This characteristic feature of limestone creates special natural features and distinctive landscapes, known collectively as 'karst'.
Updated: 16/01/08
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