The formation of Nidderdale’s landscape
350 million years ago
The worlds continents were joined in a land mass called
Pangea. Nidderdale was at the hottest part of the earth
near the equator and under a tropical sea.
340 million years ago
Sea creatures died and their remains settled onto an
undersea mountain range called the Askrigg Block. This
made a layer which became Nidderdale limestone.
330 million years ago
The sea level went down and up. When the land was
above sea level, plants grew, mud formed and this washed
into the sea. It covered the limestone and became Nidderdale’s sandstone, shale rocks and coal.
320 million years ago
Millions of years later, the land became a huge river delta.
The water running into it washed tonnes of larger grit over
the sand layer. This became the millstone grit that we see at
Brimham Rocks and Guise Cliff.
280 million years ago
As the continents collided together, the rocks of Nidderdale
were pushed upwards. Earthquakes made big cracks. Minerals and metals leaked out from the centre of the earth and
cooled to make Nidderdale’s lead ore and crystals.
280 million years ago onwards
Over time, these layers were pushed down under the earth
and then upwards again. Layers wore off the tops of these
rocks to show the rocks we see in the landscape.
280 million years ago onwards
It was the river that made the start of the valley as we
see it today. The water gradually wore away the soil and
rock and created ‘v’ shaped valley sides.
2 million to 10,000 years ago
The earth became very cold and Nidderdale was filled with
snow and heavy ice. This moved slowly down the valley,
scraping out the rock and stones to make a ‘u’ shaped valley from Lofthouse downwards.
Picture attributions:
Today
Today, the Nidderdale landscape is still changing. The river
moves stones and wears away rock and also puts them
down further along. The weather, humans and animals also
continue to change our landscape.
Storm cloud: CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/
index.php?curid=276654
Cumulus cloud and blue sky: By Huhu Uet - Own work, CC BY 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10402657
Watercolour drawings—Rob Lees
Glacier image: By Cecilia Bernal - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://
commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39091987
Sketches of land cross-section based on Sid Perou’s video,
‘Limestone, the Living Rock’.
The formation of Nidderdale’s landscape
350 million years ago
The worlds continents were joined in a land mass called
Pangea. Nidderdale was at the hottest part of the earth
near the equator and under a tropical sea.
340 million years ago
Sea creatures died and their remains settled onto an
undersea mountain range called the Askrigg Block. This made
a layer which became Nidderdale limestone.
330 million years ago
The sea level went down and up. When the land was
above sea level, plants grew, mud formed and this also
washed into the sea. It covered the limestone and became
Nidderdale’s sandstone, shale rocks and coal.
320 million years ago
Millions of years later, the land became a huge river delta.
The water running into it washed tonnes of larger grit over
the sand layer. This became the millstone grit that we see
at Brimham Rocks and Guise Cliff.
280 million years ago
280 million years ago onwards
As the continents collided together, the rocks of Nidderdale
were pushed upwards. Earthquakes made big cracks.
Minerals & metals leaked out from the centre of the earth
and cooled to make Nidderdale’s lead ore and crystals.
Over time, these layers were pushed down under the earth
and then upwards again. Layers wore off the tops of these
rocks to show the rocks we see in the landscape.
280 million years ago onwards
2 million to 10,000 years ago
It was the river that made the start of the valley as we see it
today. The water gradually wore away the soil and rock and
created ‘v’ shaped valley sides.
Today
The earth became very cold and Nidderdale was filled with
snow and heavy ice. This moved slowly down the valley,
scraping out the rock and stones to make a ‘u’ shaped
valley from Lofthouse downwards.
Colour the land layers as they form
and then change over time.
Today, the Nidderdale landscape is still changing. The river
moves stones and wears away rock and also puts them
down further along. The weather, humans and animals also
continue to change our landscape.
Glacier image: By Cecilia Bernal - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39091987
Sketches of land cross-section based on Sid Perou’s video, ‘Limestone, the Living Rock’.
Other sketches: Julia Sharpley
The formation of Nidderdale’s landscape
350 million years ago
The worlds continents were joined in a land mass called
Pangea. Nidderdale was at the hottest part of the earth
near the equator and under a tropical sea.
340 million years ago
Sea creatures died and their remains settled onto an
undersea mountain range called the Askrigg Block. This made
a layer which became Nidderdale limestone.
320 million years ago
330 million years ago
The sea level went down and up. When the land was
above sea level, plants grew, mud formed and this also
washed into the sea. It covered the limestone and became
Nidderdale’s sandstone, shale rocks and coal.
Millions of years later, the land became a huge river delta.
The water running into it washed tonnes of larger grit over
the sand layer. This became the millstone grit that we see
at Brimham Rocks and Guise Cliff.
280 million years ago
280 million years ago onwards
As the continents collided together, the rocks of Nidderdale
were pushed upwards. Earthquakes made big cracks.
Minerals & metals leaked out from the centre of the earth
and cooled to make Nidderdale’s lead ore and crystals.
Over time, these layers were pushed down under the earth
and then upwards again. Layers wore off the tops of these
rocks to show the rocks we see in the landscape.
280 million years ago onwards
2 million to 10,000 years ago
It was the river that made the start of the valley as we
see it today. The water gradually wore away the soil
and rock and created ‘v’ shaped valley sides.
Today
Today, the Nidderdale landscape is still changing. The river
moves stones and wears away rock and also puts them
down further along. The weather, humans and animals
also continue to change our landscape.
The earth became very cold and Nidderdale was filled
with snow and heavy ice. This moved slowly down the
valley, scraping out the rock and stones to make a ‘u’
shaped valley from Lofthouse downwards.
Draw your own sketches of the
land layers forming and then
changing over time.
Glacier image: By Cecilia Bernal - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39091987
Sketches of land cross-section based on Sid Perou’s video, ‘Limestone, the Living Rock’.
Other sketches: Julia Sharpley
The formation of Nidderdale’s landscape
350 million years ago
PANGEA—THE LAND IS AT
THE EQUATOR UNDER A
TROPICAL SEA
330 million years ago
SEA LEVEL DROPS ->
PLANTS & MUD GROW ON LAND
SEA LEVEL RISES ABOVE LAND>MORE LIMESTONE LAYERS
280 million years ago
CONTINENTS COLLIDE
MAKING HILLS AND CRACKS
IN THE ROCKS
280 million years ago onwards
OUR LANDSCAPE DRIFTS
SLOWLY NORTH
2 million to 10,000 years ago
ICE RE-SHAPES THE NIDD
VALLEY INTO A ‘U’ SHAPE
340 million years ago
REMAINS OF SEA CREATURES
FORM A LIMESTONE LAYER
320 million years ago
THE LAND IS COVERED BY A
HUGE RIVER DELTA.
RIVER GRAVEL MAKING A
MILLSTONE GRIT LAYER
280 million years ago onwards
LAYERS WEAR OFF SHOWING
THE LIMESTONE AND
SANDSTONES
280 million years ago onwards
RIVER NIDD CUTS A ‘V’- SHAPE
IN THE LAND
Today
THE LANDSCAPE CONTINUES
TO CHANGE