Stepper Point

Also within

Cornwall County Cornwall Scenic Area King Charles Way - Marsland Mouth to Newquay National TrailSouth West Coast Path National Trail

Condition (Natural England)

Description

Stepper Point SSSI Description Stepper Point is an important geological locality illustrating some key aspects of the structural evolution of this region, developed during the Variscan mountain building episode. This site marks the first locality south of Polzeath not affected by southwards backthrusting. The backthrusting is associated with southwards transport of the Culm basin and the development of south facing recumbent folds. These can be seen as far as Polzeath where there is confrontation with earlier north facing structures. At Stepper Point the early north facing structures are overprinted by a later cleavage and folds associated with renewed northwards translation. These structures are later than the southerly directed backthrusting and therefore represent the third generation of structures in this area. These can be linked with the development of discrete thrusts which are well known in tracts further north.