| Site Type: | Karst | | Site Status: | ASSI | | Council area: | Fermanagh & Omagh District Council | | Grid Reference: | H0949,H0750,H0850,H0849 | | Bing maps: | 54.39001,-7.86144 | | Google maps: | 54.39001,-7.86144 | | Rocks |
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| Rock Age: | Quaternary, Carboniferous (Holocene, Visean) | | Rock Name: | Dartry Limestone Formation, Glenade Sandstone Formation, Glencar Limestone Formation, Knockmore Limestone Member, Meenymore Formation | | Rock Type: | Limestone, Mudstone, Sand, Sandstone | | Interest |
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| Other interest: | bedding, fault, joints, ripple marks, cave, cliff, clint, doline, drift, dry valley, grykes, karren, limestone pavement, pothole, sinkhole |
| Summary of site: |
| This area boasts the finest surface karst features in Northern Ireland, particularly of limestone pavements. The main features of limestone pavements—the clints (rectangular rock surfaces) and grikes (widened joints between them)—are very prominent, and surface sculpture of ridges and grooves on the clints, due to mild etching by acid rainwater, can be clearly seen. These small to medium scale structures are grouped under the German term ‘karren’ or the French equivalent ‘lapies’. | | Extensive expanses of limestone pavement, such as those on the Burren and in the Craven uplands of Yorkshire, are not found in Northern Ireland but this area shows fine examples of all the chief characteristics. The limestone in this area is a part of the Dartry Limestone Formation known as the Knockmore Limestone Member; it is particularly susceptible to the development of karst features, both above and below ground. |
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