Greymare Rock by munki-boy
Greymare Rock
An easy to explore outcrop of the Whin Sill showing obvious geological folding.
Down on the shore to the north of Dunstaburgh Castle and a good place to view the larger outcrop of Gull Crag on which the castle stands.
A Sill is the name for a geological process where a sheet of magma (molten rock below ground) is forced at high temperature and under massive pressure between pre-existing layers of rock strata. Think of a volcano but the molten rock went sideways (rather than exploding upwards) in the form of a horizontal sheet of many miles. These massive events happened here around 300 million years ago.
The exposed rock is shaped like a wave - the grey mares or white horses in folk tales said to be seen galloping as the breaking ocean waves, or in mythology accompanying the pagan gods of the sea.
Greymare Rock is in Northumberland Coast AONB, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Created: 8 March 2021 Edited: 29 November 2023
Greymare Rock
Local History around Greymare Rock
There are some historic monuments around including:
St Ebba's chapel and monastic siteDunstanburgh Castle: Romano-British settlement, 14th century enclosure castle and harbour, and World War II pillbox and foxholeDovecote S of Glebe FarmDefended settlement, 600m south east of Red SteadBenthall round cairnCraster defended settlementDeserted medieval village and chapel at Tughall.
