Alderney and La Hague: an excursion guide

The rocks of Alderney are surprisingly diverse, well exposed on the coast, and full of easily observable features for all those with an interest in geology.

The rocks of Alderney provide the best opportunity to view intrusive igneous suites of the Cadomian orogeny and the lower Cambrian fluvial strata associated with post-Cadomian sedimentation.

The itineraries selected in La Hague, Cotentin Peninsula, provide the opportunity to view the more basinal, deltaic and marine components of lower Cambrian post-orogenic deposits as well as the younger Ordovician strata formed during the rift-drift phase of opening of the Rheic ocean.

The Quaternary rocks of the region are also different from those typically found in mainland Britain. The region lay to the south of the mamixum extent of ice masses and preserve excellent examples of periglacial deposits and landforms.

Alderney and La Hague have many additional items of interest. These include spectacular coastal geomorphology, viewpoints, wildlife, notably the seabird colonies of gannets and puffins around Alderney, archaeological sites featuring Neolithic remains at Cap Rozel, and the numerous historic structures on Alderney relating to Roman, Napoleonic and WW2 times.

The occupation of the Channel Islands duing WW2 was accompanied by the use of forced labour and the building of four concentration camps on Alderney, the remains of which are partly preserved. The numerous historical features are incorporated into the itineraries.