Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Geology
Wales can claim one of the richest and most diverse geological heritages in the world; and
it is geology, more than anything else, that has helped shape the destiny of Wales in modern
times. Since the 17th century, geolo- gists have pondered the mysteries of Wales' rippled
rocks, puzzling fossils and ice-moulded valleys. In contrast with Wales' relatively young
evolutionary age of just 200 million years, some of the oldest rocks in the world lie ex-
posed at St Davids Head on the Pembrokeshire coast.
The flat-topped Brecon Beacons in South Wales are the product of extreme, rock-shatter-
ing temperatures. The mountains were eroded to form the red-sandstone moorland, and the
porous limestone cliffs were perforated with waterfalls, creating massive cave systems.
Rich deposits of coal south of the Brecon Beacons and the slate mountains of Snowdonia
altered the face of Wales, sparking an industrial revolution that attracted hordes of fortune-
hungry workers.
But the natural wonder of Wales is not solely related to geological history. Two of the
world's 64 Unesco Geoparks, scenic locations of special geoscientific significance, are
found in Wales. Visit Fforest Fawr in the western half of the Brecon Beacons National Park
or GeoMôn in Anglesey for a more contemporary take on natural beauty.
Fossilised marine life on Snowdon's summit reveals that Snowdonia's peaks and valleys are remnants of a
continental collision that occurred 520 million years ago, swallowing the ancient Iapetus Ocean that di-
vided Britain.
