Geology of NY74NE, NW and NY75NE, SW and SE, Alston Cumbria

This field report provides a summary of geological information to accompany the recently resurveyed 1:10 000-scale sheets NY74NW and NE, and NY75 SW, SE and NE. It should be consulted in conjunction with the published geological standard maps and fieldslips corresponding to these areas. The area comprises Carboniferous sedimentary rocks of the Alston Block, a regional high of the Carboniferous ‘block and basin’ structure of Northern England. These strata are generally flatlying to gently dipping but are locally disturbed by late Carboniferous faults, many of which are highly mineralised with ores of lead, zinc, iron and barium, and associated gangue minerals. Superficial deposits originating for the late Devensian glaciation and subsequent Holocene processes intermittently blanket the bedrock and can be up to 15 m thick.