England’s Ancient Rocks

With its distinctive scenery of rolling hills and stark, craggy knolls, Charnwood Forest at the eastern edge of The National Forest, has long been regarded as one of the classic areas of British geology, home to some of the oldest rocks in England.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the discovery of Britain’s oldest fossil, Charnia, the British Geological Survey has brought out a new map and booklet: Exploring the Landscape of Charnwood Forest and Mountsorrel, featuring eleven linked walks through this stunning landscape.

Contained in a weatherproof wallet, this attractive new pack holds a 1:25,000 scale geological map and an accompanying booklet explaining the events that have happened here during the past 600 million years of Earth history.

Specially designed for the walker, the pack assumes no prior knowledge of geology. There is something here for everyone, from the Sunday stroller to the keen walker, as well as both amateur and professional geologists.

Exploring the landscape of Charnwood and Mountsorrel is available from the British Geological Survey, priced £12.00. Tel: 0115 936 3241, email: or order online at www.geologyshop.com