Close

This site uses cookies. No personal data is stored. You can read how we use them in our cookies policy. Continuing on this site accepts their use. Thankyou.

Viewing swaag.org website implies consent to set cookies on your computer. Full details Swaledale and Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group
Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number 1155775
SWAAG Honorary President:
Tim Laurie F,S,A,

Another Search

Scroll down the record
 *****SWAAG_ID***** 800
 Date Entered 11/04/2014
 Updated on 11/04/2014
 Recorded by Tim Laurie
 Category Geological Record
 Record Type Geomorphology
 Site Access Public Access Land
 Record Date 08/04/2014
 Location Fremington Edge, lower slopes east of Cuckoo Hill
 Civil Parish Reeth
 Brit. National Grid NZ 041 001
 Altitude 235m
 Geology Loessic soils at base of scarp slope over glacial, solifluction and colluvial deposits.
 Record Name Images of Fremington 2. Ant hills concentrated on steep slopes mark the presence of wind blown or reworked loessic soils.
 Record Description Numbers of highly stabilised and vegetated ant hills distributed across this hillslope denote the presence of wind blown (Aeolian) silt or loess. The inhabitants of these ancient ant cities were in flight and enjoying the warm afternoon sun when these photos were taken on 08 April. However there was no sign of a flying ant when SWAAG walked by during sunless dull conditions on 09 April.
 Dimensions See photgraphs
 Additional Notes Loess or wind blown silt was deposited against steep slopes and in gullies during the immediate post glacial period when violent dust storms caused by cold catabatic winds blowing off the frozen ice on the higher ground deposited quantities of rock flour, the product of glacial erosion. These loessic soils would originally have been much more widespread but were subsequently readily eroded and washed downstream as river born silt to form the high riverbanks of the Lower Swale in the lowlands.
 Image 1 ID 5363         Click image to enlarge
 Image 1 Description Ant hills on the lower slopes of Fremington Edge.
 Image 2 ID 5364         Click image to enlarge
 Image 2 Description The presence of numbers of ancient ant hills like these denotes the light wind blown loessic soils that ants demand. Ants will not colonise heavy glacial clay soils.
 Image 3 ID 5365         Click image to enlarge
 Image 3 Description These ant hills are immune to damage as this old rabbit hole indicates.
 Image 4 ID 5366         Click image to enlarge
 Image 4 Description The loessic soil is pale yellow in colour and stone free.
 
Another Search