| Other
As well as the usual locations for sand collecting, such
as beaches and dunes, there are number of less obvious
places where sand may be collected. Old
Stone Walls
Keep an eye out for old stone walls made from sandstone, particularly
those that have been there for many years as erosion will
have had more time to break down some of the sandstone into
sand. You can often find small pockets of sand in this type
of wall, as well as fragments of stone that are easily
crumbled in the hand down to fine sand. Sand can often be
found along the foot of the wall but tends to also contain
other matter blown in from elsewhere. As well as
free-standing walls buildings such as ruined castles, old
churches, in fact any old building constructed from
sandstone. Landslides
Fresh, or even 30 year old landslides, can often be very
productive for the sand collector. Depending on the local
geology, you can often find bands of sand, clay, and loose
sandstone readily available for collecting. I've found a
number of landslides, both at the coast and inland, where
good collecting was had. Raised
Beaches
These are essentially normal beaches that have
been left high and dry by the lowering of sea levels. They
are found inland from the coast and can vary in
height from less than one metre high to over ten metres
high. Recognising them is not always so straight forward as
they are often lost in the landscape. However, if you do a
little research, for example, getting hold of some local
geology reports, can be of some assistance. Animal
Burrows
Many animals, such as rabbit, otter, mink, fox and badger, excavate burrows in
which to raise their young. In many instances, the animals in question
choose locations where the soil is easy to excavate, usually
sand or sandy soil and the spoil heaps found outside these
burrows are often worth investigating for sand samples.
Animal burrows are a good way of collecting samples from
raised beaches, which often lack exposed areas. Mole hills
and even ant hills are further potential sources of samples
and may be worth investigating.
Caves & Overhangs
Many caves and overhangs, both inland and at the
coast, can offer opportunities for Sand Collecting. Caves
and overhangs often have accumulations of sediment, which
may include sand or sediment washed in by rain or running water. Some
are also dry and good clean samples may be collected.
Natural erosion can also produce good samples.
Spoil Heaps
Most mining activities, as well as all types of excavations,
produce spoil of one form or another
and while natural sand might not be present, the results of
natural weathering on the spoil heaps can produce a form of
sand, which can be collected. At open cast sites, the
removal of the over-burden, the earth and rock that lies
above the layer of material being quarried, may also
contain sand and close inspection of such spoil heaps may reveal
collectable samples. Excavations
Any type of excavation into the ground may go
through layers of sand, particularly in areas where glacial
debris has been deposited. However, deep excavations can be
dangerous and great caution should be taken at all times.
Large, open cast excavations, such as the laying of new
roads are less hazardous and also worth investigating.
Excavations can be found just about everywhere, and often in
the most unexpected places. I once found a large hole in
some woodland, the hole having been created by youths for a
BMX track and I as able to gather a good sample from the
exposed side. A good tip is to always carry a few sampling
bags as you never know when you might come across a suitable
excavation. Just ask the workmen to collect a small sample
for you. Bird
Colonies
Some birds, such as sand martins are summer visitors to the British Isles
and are a good
indicator that exposures of sand may be situated close by.
If you spend some time watching the birds and following
their comings and goings, you should be able to locate the
nesting colony. However, please do not collect during the
breeding season, note the location and return in the winter when the birds
have finished breeding. Collect sparingly and avoid damaging
the nesting site. Other birds that nest in sandy soil
include puffins, bee eaters and the kingfisher. Rotten Rock
Many locations such as coastal cliffs and old quarries may
have areas where the natural rock is starting to decompose.
Sometimes this soft rock, when crushed by hand or hammer,
crumbles into sand. This sand can often contain minerals
that would eventually dissolve or be broken down during
weathering and are
absent from sand samples collected from, for example, on the
beach. One example I found at the coast contained numerous
flakes of mica, a mineral absent from the beach sand of the
same location. Toppled Trees
When trees fall during winter gales or storms, the exposed
roots of the unfortunate tree often leave large holes in the
ground, sometimes more than 1.00 metre deep. If the tree was
growing in a suitable habitat such as beside a river, at the
coast or in an area where glaciation has taken place in the
past, samples of sand might now be exposed and available for
collection. |
