Wednesday 10 April 2019

Solifluction or sheep tracks?

I had always assumed that these small horizontal terraces on hillsides were sheep tracks. I've been reading Derek Ratcliffe's book Lakeland about the natural history of the district and he mentions that a process called SOLIFLUCTION can result in small terraces. He calls it the "frost-sorting of soils and debris". He says that it is due to a freeze-thaw cycle and forms strips of stones with ridges of soil on slopes. He does say it is better on Skiddaw Slates than on Borrowdale Volcanics. This picture above Watendlath is the latter so maybe this is the work of sheep. I now know to look out for solifluction lobes, which don't look like sheep tracks. Sources of pictures that made me wonder are: https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-possible-example-of-solifluction-soil-fluction-dorset-england-43306329.html and https://www.geograph.ie/photo/475616