- 18th May 2024
- Lead: Dr Michael Dempster - Earth Science and Heritage Officer, NI Environment Agency
- Meet: Scrabo Country Park carpark, 10:30 am.
Scrabo Hill, with its iconic tower, lies just outside the town of Newtownards and overlooks the Strangford and Lecale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is visible for miles around, having survived the ravages of the last ice age which shaped the rolling hills that surround it.
The geology of Scrabo Hill is an important part of Northern Ireland’s natural heritage. The former sandstone quarries on the south and north sides of the hill were declared as Scrabo Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in 1995, solely for the geology found there. The sandstone is capped and crisscrossed by igneous rocks to form a unique feature in Northern Ireland’s geology.
This excursion will look at the geodiversity of Scrabo ASSI and the surrounding area, consider the importance of geoconservation, its relevance to sustainable development and the management of such sites.
Meet: 10:30am, Scrabo Country Park car park.
Dr. Michael Dempster
Earth Science and Heritage Officer
