Hunstanton and Snettisham in Norfolk
One of the most eye catching things about Hunstanton in Norfolk, are the cliffs. The best time to see them is in a late evening summer evening - and we had just such conditions for these images. The famous red and white striped cliffs are an eye-catching attraction. Why are the cliffs striped? The stripes in the cliffs are caused by layers of different coloured rock. The main layers are Carrstone and also Chalk. Carrstone is the brown layer and consists of sandstone - sand cemented together by iron oxide (rust). In places where the cement is stronger, the rock is darker and less crumbly. There are no fossils in this layer apart from a little fossilised wood. The red and white chalk is made of limestone. Limestone forms in warm tropical climates, which suggests that Hunstanton climate was once warmer than it is today. The colour of the red chalk is due to iron staining. Patterns in the sand, made as the sea retreated. On the f...