Quantocks

400 million year old Quantocks

The Quantock Hills rise to over 350m, the rocks that form these hills are from the Devonian Period and are approximately 380-400 million years old. Find out more on our 'Jurassic Coast walk' on Sunday 22nd July, and in our new leaflet 'The Geology and Fossils of the Quantock Hills and Coast'. 

The ridge of Devonian rocks that form the Quantocks are 400million years old, hard to imagine right? Put that timeframe into some context: the start of the age of dinosaurs was 251 million years ago, they became extincted 65 million years ago. The first hominids evolved 2.5 million years ago and ice age mammals like Mammoths apeared 2.5 million years ago.

The Quantock Hills AONB Service has teamed up with Ecology and Geology Specialists Geckoella and produced a fascinating leaflet ‘The Geology and Fossils of the Quantock Hills and Coast' which clearly and succinctly outlines the different rock formations that make up the majestic ridge of the Quantock Hills, and explains, using a timeline, what else was happening at that time millions of years ago.

To launch the new leaflet Dr. Andy King from Geckoella will be leading a ‘Jurassic Coast walk' with Quantock AONB Ranger Tim Russell on Sunday 22nd July. The walk begins at Kilve and will take you along to East Quantoxhead and back. Andy will be explaining rock formations and fossils that are particular to this stretch of coast. Discover what it was like when ichthyosaurs were swimming in the shallow marine seas, and when the marine snail- like ammonites lived 200 million years ago.

If you would like to visit the quantock hills and would like bed and breakfast accomodation, please check out: http://www.westleighfarm.com/