Geological Sites | Leeds
| Bradford | Calderdale
| Kirklees | Wakefield
 STATUS: RIGS
OTHER DESIGNATIONS: Peak District National Park
COUNTY: West Yorkshire
DISTRICT: Kirklees
OS GRID REFERENCE SE 048 104 to 049 106
OS 1:50,000 Landranger 110 Sheffield and Huddersfield
OS 1:25,000 EXPLORER 288 Bradford and Huddersfield
BGS 1:50,000 SHEET 86 Glossop
FIRST DESIGNATED by West Yorkshire RIGS Group in 1996
DATE OF MOST RECENT SURVEY
SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION produced by Ian Chisholm
SITE DESCRIPTION:
The cutting runs along the eastern side of Butterley reservoir, to the
south of Marsden, for about 100m. It is about 5m high at the northern
end but becomes higher to the south along the track. Access to the
uppermost rocks is gained by a footpath to a small quarry above the
track. The rocks are Upper Carboniferous Namurian (Millstone Grit)
rocks and include sandstones with cross-bedding, shales and siltstones,
which contain fossils. The beds dip gently to the north.
A stratigraphic log has been produced and this gives the detailed rock
types and their thicknesses.
HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:
 EDUCATIONAL VALUE:
This cutting is on a public track and could be used to teach basic geology
with links to the construction of Butterley Dam. At a higher level,
the site is excellent for stratigraphic logging as there is access
to the whole sequence of rocks.
AESTHETIC CHARACTERISTICS:
There are good views of the Wessenden valley, Marsden and the surrounding
moorlands.
ACCESS AND SAFETY:
The access is from Binn Road, south of Marsden, by a public track at
Butterley Dam. The track, which allows wheelchair access, gives access
to the foot of cutting. There is space for car parking (for two cars
or a minibus but not for coaches). The upper face may be unstable but
the rock cutting has been drained with a ditch, which means that people
are not able to approach within 2m of the face itself.
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