Mousehold Heath Earth Heritage Trail
Post date: Nov 22, 2011 1:51:16 PM
Progress Reports
2016
The Trail website has been changed and converted into downloadable PDFs on the City Council website - click here.
November 2012
The Trail is now launched on the WWW (click here), and a permanent version of the introductory leaflet is being printed - both courtesy of Norwich City Council.
October 2012
Ideas are being explored for a possible community archaeology project investigating the links between the Heath's industrial history and its landscape. This might be financed through the Heritage Lottery Fund.
September 2012
The waymark posts have now been installed, thanks to Will Stewart and his team of conservation volunteers.
The new post at Valley Drive.
Photo courtesy Will Stewart
.The new post at Lower Birch Walk
Photo courtesy Tim Holt-Wilson
July 2012
About 30 people enjoyed a Guided Walk on July 17th. Tim Holt-Wilson introduced most of the points of interest on the Trail. A short print-run version of the new leaflet has been designed by Stephen Little, and was available on the day. The next stage in the project is to give more detail about the Trail, through web pages and associated downloads.
Click PDF link below to download Web version of leaflet.
Looking at an exposure of glacial gravels near Vinegar Pond.
Photo courtesy Jeff Riches
April 2012
A mini-digger has been used to create three new geological exposures on Mousehold Heath, as part of the Earth Heritage Trail.
An exposure at ‘Foxhole Bank’, Gilman Road, adjacent to an existing sand and gravel exposure.
An exposure at a bank on the plateau area close to Vinegar Pond.
An exposure at Oak Avenue on the edge of the old Deep Hole Brick Pit.
Mini-digger in action at 'Foxhole Bank'.
Photo Tim Holt-Wilson
This will provide new opportunities for understanding the complex glacial geology of Mousehold, and will also provide fresh habitat for heathland species favouring soft, sandy substrates for basking, hunting and nesting. View the excavation report by clicking on the blue arrow icon below (2.2 Mb).
February 2012
Two geological exposures in Birch Walk were enhanced by a volunteer team including Paul Brocklehurst, Brendan Delaney, Tim Holt-Wilson, Elvin Thurston and Simon Underdown. As a result we now have fresh exposures of cryoturbated Anglian glacial torrent gravels and laminated outwash sands for the Trail. The Conservators have kindly agreed to hire a mini-digger to open up a new geological section at Foxhole Bank (Gilman Rd).
Cleaning up an exposure of glacial gravels at Upper Birch Walk.
Glacial deposits exposed at Lower Birch Walk: alternating yellow sands and reddish, clay-rich sands overlying gravelly sands.
November 2011
Work has begun on telling the story of the Earth heritage of Mousehold Heath, near Norwich, thanks to grant funding from the Norfolk Biodiversity Project Fund and the Geological Society of Norfolk, with support from the Mousehold Heath Conservators. Themes will include
Roots of the landscape – introducing geodiversity of the physical landscape, including geological strata, natural landforms, soils and water.
The industrial landscape – introducing human modification of the physical landscape, including the brownfield story of mineral extraction (chalk, sand and gravel, brickearth) and consequent landscape alteration.
The biological landscape – introducing heathland habitat and biodiversity, and their relationship to geodiversity and human modification of the landscape, with reference to shifting landuse patterns over the last 1000 years (trees, common grazing, industry).
Regenerating heathland plants on podsol soil over glacial gravels.
Glacial torrent gravels containing a jamb of laminated clay, Mousehold Heath, 1931.
Photo © BGS / NERC P205584
Work on the Trail will be carried out by Tim Holt-Wilson, in partnership with Norwich City Council and its Heath Wardens, the Mousehold Heath Conservators, the Norfolk Heathland Topic Group, and the Geological Society of Norfolk.
Click PDF links below to download files