ALAN BOLTON

19th April 2008

CRAIL

Tour: Hunterston Hill-Walking Club

Weather: Cool easterly breeze, but mostly sunny.

Crail is an excellent locality for fossil collecting, but unfortunately tidal conditions on the day prevented access to the most interesting sections of the foreshore. The Discovering Fossils website shows what can be found under the right conditions.

		Strongly cross-bedded Carboniferous sandstones on the raised beach at Caiplie Caves, near Crail. The predominant white colour suggests a marine origin.
		Lepidodendron branch in a block of sandstone of the Carboniferous Limestone series at Crail.
		Ripple marks in sandstone west of Crail harbour indicate formation in a coastal environment.
		These mudcracks in rocks of Carboniferous Limestone age west of Crail harbour, indicate formation in a hot environment. Britain lay at equatorial latitudes at the time.