Monday
Dodgy Cliffs

The hours sped by really fast, with the enthusiasm of Christophe and the clear, detailed explanations from Jane. They have this clever way of posing questions that force you to work the answer out for yourself. Sometimes you don't really feel like working hard, but in the end I think you probably remember better if you have to tease the information out for yourself.

Throughout the visit, we took care to heed the safety instructions and keep clear of the cliff. Felt a bit daft, wearing hard hats and staying away from the cliff face when ordinary people were wandering under the cliffs, walking their dog, and not wearing hard hats. Insurance, I guess. Two more hail storms and a packed lunch later, we wandered back. Staithes is a very time-critical visit as there is only a small window of opportunity. Leave it too late to go back, and you risk getting cut off by the tide right near the jetty.

As we walked, we looked at the rocks we were walking over. They contained some of the most amazing fossils. These, below, were converted to haematite and glistened beautifully in the sun.