FIELD MEETINGS FOR I909 185 



Whelpington. Higher up, it fringes the north side of the 

 Wansbeck, and about Sweethope rises in a fine series of crags 

 which run south past Bavington. Thick Bernician limestones 

 and massive beds of sandstone add variety. Near Crookdene 

 is a little whin dyke in the bed and banks of the Wansbeck 

 which has many points of interest; among others it contains 

 segregations of the felspar anorthite. 



Towards the Lough the sandstones increase in thickness 

 and culminate in the massive beds of the Wanny Crags. 

 Coming on to the Lisles Burn valley, perhaps the most 

 noticeable feature is the glacial drift which partly fills that 

 valley and is cut through, often to the rock beneath, by the 

 burn. Stretching across the valley from Whetstone House is 

 a very fine crescentic ridge of drift, which is one of the few 

 known terminal moraines in Northumberland, and marks a 

 stage in the disappearance of the Ottercaps glacier. There 

 are also kaim-like hillocks of pebbles a little above this, and 

 at Linnheads there is, as the name indicates, a waterfall, 

 which is well worth seeing. 



The brackens on the moor were just unfolding, and the 

 belated bloom was still on the hawthorns. The yellow 

 mountain pansy was in flower ; and on reaching the bog the 

 butterwort was found in profusion, but the search for the 

 sundew was in vain. The lesser butterfly orchis had been 

 seen earlier in the day on the railway embankment, and the 

 early spotted and marsh species were growing freely. 



On reaching the Loughs disappointment was felt, for 

 instead of a large sheet of water, there was a baked surface 

 of alluvial matter interspersed by large cracks. Arrived at 

 the Crags a halt was called to examine the precipitous and 

 rocky height of the great Wanny. 



Gulls, sandpipers, stonechats and wheatears were noticed 

 on the route, as well as the common birds of the countryside. 

 The remainder of the walk to Woodburn was somewhat 

 marred by rain. 



