Low Wray Bay
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NY376012 | — | Favourable | 3.98 | 2010-03-29 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Quaternary
Landscape processes: Glacial
Description
Description The geological interest of Low Wray Bay, Windermere lies below the bed of Lake Windermere at Low Wray Bay, on the north west shore of the lake and consists of preserved sediments which provide a record of climatic and environmental change over the past 20,000 years. Low Wray Bay, Windermere is the type site for the Windermere Interstadial a warmer interlude during a period of cold climate and is, therefore, a locality of the highest importance for Quaternary studies. The thick sequence of lacustrine sediments has provided vital biostratigraphical, lithostratigraphical, chronostratigraphical and geochemical evidence for the history of Late Devensian deglaciation and the sequence of environmental changes during the Devensian late glacial period and the Flandrian postglacial period. The palaeoenvironmental record compiled from detailed studies of pollen, plant macrofossils, diatoms, insect remains, geochemistry and lithostratigraphy has been calibrated by radio-carbon dating and facilitates critically important comparisons with sites elsewhere in Britain and north west Europe.