Blakeney Esker : an exercise in public awareness

The Blakeney Esker in North Norfolk is England’s best-developed and well known esker. It is a 3.5km ridge running south-eastwards from west of Blakeney, to Wiveton Downs, north-west of the village of Glandford. The ridge is sinuous with several near right angle bends and it varies between 40 and 100m wide and rises to approximately 20m above the surrounding topography. Student groups and local schools frequently visit it for educational purposes, as well as local residents taking advantage of the views provided by the elevated height. The origin of the feature remained unresolved until relatively recently (Gray, 1997; Hoare and Gale, this guide). Ironically, the sand and gravel quarrying that has greatly altered the appearance of the feature, has revealed important information regarding the origins of the landform. Much of the quarrying took place prior the 1980s, before the esker was designated a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). As part of an exercise to raise public awareness of the esker, the British Geological Survey were funded by the Aggregate Levy Sustainability Fund to develop an educational website and noticeboard for public display at the locality. The purpose of this paper is to outline the importance of the esker from a historical and land-use aspect as well as geological, and explain more about the project and how it has interacted with the public.