We returned to Germany in October 2023 to run our “Volcanoes & Famous Fossil Sites” tour. This round-trip from Frankfurt takes in some world well-known fossil specimens in addition to volcanoes, meteor influence craters and historic caves! For this journey, we had been joined by friends from the UK and Ireland – unusually, six of our group already knew one another, as they had been all members of the Irish Geological Association! It added a beautiful dynamic to the group and earlier than lengthy, everybody was getting on like outdated associates! The weblog beneath is a day-by-day diary of our journey illustrated with a choice of one of the best images.
Please click on on the images to enlarge them
Day One: Thursday twelfth October
Our tour group assembled at a Frankfurt Airport resort, with a quick welcome assembly adopted by a gaggle dinner. We received to know one another, mentioned the route and reviewed the assorted themes that we might be masking on the tour earlier than getting an early night time to be prepared for our first touring day.
Day Two: Friday thirteenth October
Our first touring day began with sunshine and heat climate and we headed straight to the Messel Pit website to kick off the tour. The Messel Pit is an important Eocene fossil website on the planet and it’s located within the Bergerstraße-Odenwald UNESCO Geopark. The fossils discovered right here had been preserved in an anoxic lake shaped within the explosion crater of a maar volcano which erupted 43.7 million years in the past. The space across the lake was lush sub-tropical forest and the higher layers of the lake would have supported quite a lot of life. It was the overturning of the lake layers and volcanic gasoline releases which might have killed the animals on this space. We had been handled to a wonderful tour of the Messel Pit itself, with our information explaining the method which created the location and the fossil preservation, in addition to explaining the more moderen historical past to us. The pit had been dug for iron ore in 1859 and in 1879, throughout quarrying work for oil shale, the primary fossil crocodile was discovered. The Sixties noticed an finish of the quarrying and extra methodical specimen accumulating was undertaken. However, a brand new menace then appeared – a plan to show the big crater right into a landfill website. With this menace looming, many rescue excavations had been undertaken within the Seventies and 80s, to try to rescue and document as a lot as attainable. Permission to create this landfill website was granted in 1987, however fortunately the significance of the location was recognised and in 1995 it was inscribed as a World Heritage Site, providing it the safety it totally deserves. Having accomplished the guided tour of the pit, we had a while within the customer centre, earlier than heading on to our subsequent cease. After a brief drive from the Messel Pit, we arrived within the lovely metropolis of Darmstadt and headed for the splendidly imposing constructing which homes the Hessisches Landesmuseum. Here we had loads of time to view the fabulous array of fossils from the Messel Pit that are on show right here. Messel is most well-known for its mammals which together with bats, rodents, anteaters, pangolins, tapirs, rhinos, and “Ida” essentially the most full primate fossil identified. There had been additionally six species of crocodiles, turtles, many birds, amphibians, fish and exquisite insect fossils, in addition to many plant species and plenty of, many different specimens. We additionally took the chance to benefit from the wonderful museum cafe! Once we had loved the time within the museum, we hit the highway for the afternoon’s drive to Rückersdorf, the place we spent the night time.
Above left: The GeoWorld Travel group stands outdoors the doorway to the Messel Pit UNESCO World Heritage Site which is located within the Bergstraße-Odenwald UNESCO Geopark.
Top proper: The Messel Pit World Heritage Site, arguably the world’s most import Eocene fossil website. The first pit was dug for iron ore in 1859, adopted by quarrying for oil shale from 1875 – ensuing within the first fossil crocodile being discovered. In the Sixties, quarrying stopped and methodical specimen accumulating started. During the Seventies and 80s, there have been many rescue investigations as a result of website doubtlessly turning into landfill website (permission for this was granted in 1987). However, in 1995, it was made a World Heritage Site.
Bottom proper: The borehole that proved the Messel Lake was created by a volcanic explosion. The volcanic eruption occurred 43.7 million years in the past, forming an explosion crater which subsequently full of water and have become an anoxic lake. The space across the lake was lush sub-tropical forest. The higher layers had quite a lot of life whereas the underside layers had been anoxic because of sheer amount of natural materials and algal blooms. Exceptional fossil preservation occurred on this lake.
Above left: Our native Messel Pit information explaining the volcanic eruption that created the Messel Lake.
Above proper: Fossil leaves that our group discovered within the Messel Pit oil shale.
Above left: Excavations by each the Senckenberg Museum and the Hessisches Landesmuseum are ongoing on the Messel Pit. Here, in August 2023, the bones of what are believed to be a primitive horse had been found.
Above proper: A duplicate of ‘Ida’, the one fossil of the species Darwinius masillae, a primate that lived about 47 million years in the past. Ida is essentially the most full primate fossil ever found—solely her left rear leg is lacking. The two halves of the unique fossil are within the USA and Norway.
Top left: A fossil of Heterohyus nanus, an apatemyid from the Eocene. This was a small, tree-dwelling creature with elongated fore and center fingers, in these regards it considerably resembled a modern-day aye-aye. Photo taken within the Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt.
Top proper: The Messel anteater, Eurotamandua joresi. Photo taken within the Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt.
Bottom left: A pregnant primitive horse Eurohippus parvulus. In this instance, the fossil foetus might be seen on the rear of the physique cavity. 70 specimens of ancestral horses have been discovered within the Messel Pit from two totally different species, the smaller one was solely 30-35 cm on the shoulder. Photo taken within the Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt.
Middle proper: Crocodiles fossils are widespread within the Messel Pit. Photo taken within the Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt.
Bottom proper: A big constrictor, Palaeopython. Photo taken within the Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt.
Day Three: Saturday 14th October
Having loved our night time in Rückersdorf, with a scrumptious meal on the restaurant subsequent to our resort, we awakened refreshed and raring to go! First cease for the day was the Jura Museum, housed in Willibaldsberg Castle in Eichstätt, which dates again to the 14th century. The museum is house to an intensive exhibit of Jurassic fossils from the quarries of Solnhofen and environment. The Solnhofen Limestone is world well-known for its Archaeopteryx fossils; to date, 12 Archaeopteryx have been present in it. The Eichstätt specimen (pictured beneath) was on show within the Jura Museum, together with marine reptiles, pterosaurs, and the well-preserved skeleton of the coelurosaur Juravenator. Having spent a while on the museum marvelling at these fantastic fossils, we headed again to the autos and received on the highway to our subsequent cease. On the way in which, we had temporary stops on the close by find-sites of the Berlin and Eichstätt archaeopteryx specimens. We then arrived on the ‘Twelve Apostles’, within the Altmühltal Nature Park, that are constituted of arduous Jurassic limestone and are made up of siliceous sponge-microbial reefs. These reefs shaped within the marginal areas of the ocean, which existed on the time, and so they have taken the shape that they’ve at present because of weathering processes. After this, we transfer on to the Fossilen Besuchersteinbruch quarry, Mühlheim, the place the group had the prospect to search for their very own fossils within the Solnhofen limestone. It was additionally right here that Roland Pöschl found the thirteenth archaeopteryx specimen in 2017. It is assessed as Alcomonavis poeschli and was on show within the Jura Museum. We had been lucky to have an introduction to the location by Roland himself earlier than venturing out to search for our personal specimens. Despite heavy rain, spirits weren’t dampened and the fossil searching continued, however although we searched fastidiously, we weren’t in a position to flip up a brand new Archaeopteryx specimen in our time on the quarry! Not too disheartened, we hopped into the autos and headed over to the Bürgermeister-Müller-Museum in Solnhofen to view some extra Archaeopteryx specimens. There are three extra unique specimens on show right here: the Solnhofen Specimen, “Chicken Wings” and the Eleventh Specimen. As effectively because the archaeopteryx specimens, the museum additionally homes Jurassic animal and plant fossils from the native quarries at Langenaltheim, Eichstätt and Solnhofen in addition to from Brunn , Hienheim and Painten. There are additionally many species of reptiles , together with a fossil Tuatara (Rhynchocephalia), plesiosaurs and several other pterosaurs together with Pterodactylus kochi. Additionally, there are crabs, echinoderms, ammonites, belemnites, and jellyfish. Having spent a while having fun with the unbelievable specimens on show on the museum, we set off for our in a single day vacation spot of Nördlingen, making a few temporary stops on the way in which to see the only Archaeopteryx feather and ninth specimen discovery websites, and the Langenaltheim quarry website.
Above left: The unique Eichstätt Archeopteryx specimen within the Jura Museum, Eichstätt. This was found in 1951 close to Workerszell and described 1974; it’s the fifth and smallest Archaeopteryx specimen with the second-best head. Archaeopteryx is among the world’s most well-known and necessary fossils. The sort specimen of Archaeopteryx was found simply two years after Charles Darwin printed On the Origin of Species and appeared to verify his concept of evolution. Archaeopteryx is presently categorised as a genus of avian dinosaurs and is a transitional fossil between non-avian dinosaurs and birds. Between the late 19th century and the early 21st century, Archaeopteryx was typically accepted by palaeontologists and well-liked reference books because the oldest identified chook. Older potential avialans have since been recognized, together with Anchiornis, Xiaotingia, and Aurornis. Despite their small measurement, broad wings, and inferred means to fly or glide, Archaeopteryx had extra in widespread with different small Mesozoic dinosaurs than with fashionable birds. In specific, they shared the next options with the dromaeosaurids and troodontids: jaws with sharp enamel, three fingers with claws, a protracted bony tail, hyperextensible second toes (“killing claw”), feathers (which additionally recommend warm-bloodedness), and numerous options of the skeleton.
Above proper: The unique Alcomonavis fossil chook within the Jura Museum, Eichstatt. It was found in 2017 by Roland Pöschl on the Besuchersteinbruch quarry, close to Mühlheim and initially reported because the thirteenth Archeopteryx specimen. In 2019 was renamed as the kind species of Alcmonavis poeschli.
Above left: The Twelve Apostles are constituted of arduous Jurassic limestone and are made up of siliceous sponge-microbial reefs. These reefs would have had restricted lagoons between them and different reefs. The waters in these lagoons had been stratified, hyper saline on the backside however energetic within the higher layers. Periodically storms would combine the waters killing the organisms within the higher layers. They would then be fossilised with distinctive preservation within the hypersaline lagoon bottoms that turned the Solnhofen limestone Lagerstätte.
Above proper: Lyudmyla seems to be for her personal Jurassic Solnhofen limestone fossils within the Fossilen Besuchersteinbruch quarry, Mühlheim.
Above left: The unique Solnhofen Archaeopteryx specimen within the Bürgermeister-Müller-Museum, Solnhofen. This specimen was found within the Seventies close to Eichstätt and was initially described in 1988 as Compsognathus. It was later reclassified because the sixth Archeopteryx specimen and is the most important specimen identified. However it’s now thought it might belong to a separate genus and species, Wellnhoferia grandis. It is lacking solely parts of the neck, tail, spine, and head.
Top proper: The unique ‘Chicken Wing’ Archaeopteryx specimen within the Bürgermeister-Müller-Museum, Solnhofen. This is the ninth Archaeopteryx specimen, found in 2000.
Bottom proper: The unique Munich Archaeopteryx specimen within the Bürgermeister-Müller-Museum, Solnhofen. It is seventh specimen and was found on 3 August 1992 close to Langenaltheim.
Day Four: Sunday fifteenth October
The group loved a leisurely begin to the day, with the choice to take a while to have a look at the city of Nördlingen, located within the Ries UNESCO Global Geopark. One of the sights within the city (for geologists!) is St George’s Church, which is constructed from suevite, which shaped within the Nördlingen Reis meteor influence. We came upon way more about this meteor influence at our first scheduled cease of the day on the Reis Crater Info-Center. The Nördlinger Ries is a meteorite influence crater shaped 14.808±0.038 million years in the past within the Miocene. The unique crater rim had an estimated diameter of 24 km (15 mi). The current ground of the melancholy is about 100 to 150 m (330 to 490 ft) beneath the eroded stays of the rim. It was initially assumed that the Ries was volcanic in origin, however in 1960, it was demonstrated that it was in actual fact brought on by a meteorite influence. We took the time to learn the numerous fascinating data panels within the museum and to look at the informative movies earlier than shifting on to our subsequent cease. We headed about 30 miles to the south-west of Nördlingen, arriving at Steinheim am Albuch. Stenheim is the placement of one other meteor crater, this one impacting round 15 million years in the past. A lake existed within the crater for 1 million years, which attracted many animals and resulted in a wealthy fossil document for this space. There have been many mammal fossils discovered right here, in addition to finds of snail fossils and crayfish which clearly reveal evolution of those species. We had really had the chance to search for a few of these tiny snail fossils ourselves at a location on the sting of Steinheim previous to heading to the native museum. The museum confirmed us a really informative video, which defined in regards to the formation of the crater and the following historical past of the realm. Having watched this, a number of of the group joined a stroll as much as the crater rim to absorb the views over the city. We then loved a beautiful conventional lunch at an area Gasthaus! After lunch, we journeyed to our vacation spot for the subsequent two nights – Blaubeuren. On arrival within the splendidly picturesque city of Blaubeuren, we parked up at our resort after which made our approach down the road to the URMU (Urgeschichtliches Museum – Prehistory Museum). Here we had been in a position to view a number of the fantastic man-made objects which have been discovered within the prehistoric caves of the Ach and Lone valleys, which make up the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the “Caves and Ice Age Art of the Swabian Alb”. At round 40,000 years outdated, there are among the many oldest artistic endeavors identified to mankind. The objects embody animal and human figures carved from mammoth ivory, flutes fabricated from mammoth ivory and chook bones, and quite a few jewelry finds. Seeing these inspirational objects was an effective way to spherical off the day.
Above left: St George’s Church in Nördlingen is constructed from suevite which shaped within the Nördlingen Reis meteor influence.
Above proper: An in depth-up of the suevite masonry in St George’s Church in Nördlingen.
Above left: Inside the Nördlingen Reis Geopark data centre, with an animation explaining the meteor influence that shaped the Nördlingen Reis crater. The Nördlinger Ries is a meteorite influence crater shaped 14.808±0.038 million years in the past within the Miocene. The unique crater rim had an estimated diameter of 24 km (15 mi). The current ground of the melancholy is about 100 to 150 m (330 to 490 ft) beneath the eroded stays of the rim.
Above proper: A moon rock within the Geopark Info-Center Nördlingen
Above left: Looking for fossil snails within the Steinheim am Albuch meteor crater. The meteor crater was created by an asteroid hit 15 million years. There was a lake inside the crater for the primary million years, by which many fossils had been preserved.
Top proper: The GeoWorld Travel group stand by an data signal on the rim of the Steinheim am Albuch meteor crater. The different facet of the crater rim might be seen within the far distance.
Bottom proper: The 40,000-year-old Venus carved from mammoth ivory which was discovered within the Hohle Fels collapse 2008. This is the oldest figural artwork on the planet. Hohle Fels is within the UNESCO World Heritage Site Caves and Ice Age Art within the Swabian Jura, and likewise within the Swabian Alb UNESCO Global Geopark.
Day Five: Monday sixteenth October
The group loved a barely extra leisurely begin to the day at present! There was an elective stroll to the extremely lovely Blautopf, on the northern finish of Blaubeuren, to begin the day, for individuals who wished to hitch. The Blautopf is a 22m deep karst spring that’s related to a larger cave community (the Blue Cave system, which is 13km lengthy). The water is turquoise as a result of absorption of red-light spectra and reflection from CaCO3 crystals and the water temperature is 9°C all 12 months spherical. Seasonal variation sees the water circulation vary from as much as 520,000 gal/min to as little as 4,755 gal/min after sizzling, dry months. After having fun with the beautiful setting of the Blautopf, we headed again to the resort to choose up the automobile after which to go to the Laichinger Tiefenhöhle (Laichingen Pothole). This is the deepest present collapse Germany and was solely found in 1982. It descends 80m – though solely the primary 55m is accessible to the general public. The cave is minimize into late Jurassic white limestone and reef sponges might be seen within the cave partitions. We braved the quite steep steps to get down into the cave and had been rewarded with fantastic views of the rock formations! We returned to Blaubeuren to get pleasure from lunch within the city earlier than reconvening for a day journey out to the ‘Caves and Ice Age Art in the Swabian Jura’ UNESCO World Heritage Site. This World Heritage Site was inscribed in 2017 and consists of caves within the Ach and Lone valleys. The first cave we visited was Geißenklösterle cave, which is the location of the oldest fashionable human settlement in central Europe (additionally Neanderthal stays), and in it had been discovered 40,000-year-old figures carved in mammoth ivory and three flutes fabricated from swan bones or mammoth ivory. The subsequent cave we visited was Hohle Fels cave, the place greater than 80,000 stone instruments and 300 ornaments have been discovered. Mammoth ivory collectible figurines and a Griffin vulture bone flute have additionally been discovered right here, throughout 40,000 years outdated. Perhaps essentially the most well-known figurine although is the ‘Venus’, together with her exaggerated reproductive options, which was found right here in 2008. We completed our afternoon of cave visits with Sirgenstein cave. Excavations right here in 1906 confirmed that it was beforehand occupied by each Neanderthals and fashionable people. Having loved these fascinating caves in a wonderful valley setting, we returned to Blaubeuren for our second night time within the city.
Above left: The Blautopf, Blaubeuren, within the Swabian Alb Geopark. This is a 22m deep karst spring which is related to a larger cave community (the Blue Cave system), which is 13km lengthy). The water is turquoise as a result of absorption of red-light spectra and reflection from CaCO3 crystals. Seasonal variation sees the water circulation vary from as much as 520,000 gal/min to as little as 4,755 gal/min after sizzling, dry months. The water temperature is 9°C all 12 months spherical.
Above center left: The GeoWorld Travel group coming into the Laichingen Pothole (Laichinger Tiefenhöhle). This is the deepest present collapse Germany and was solely found in 1982. It descends 80m – though solely the primary 55m is accessible to the general public. The cave is minimize into late Jurassic white limestone and reef sponges might be seen within the cave partitions.
Above center proper: One of the flights of steps within the Laichingen Pothole.
Above proper: Flowstone contained in the Laichingen Pothole
Above left: Geißenklösterle Cave was the location of the oldest fashionable human settlement in central Europe (additionally Neanderthal stays), and in it had been discovered 40,000-year-old figures carved in mammoth ivory and three flutes fabricated from swan bones or mammoth ivory.
Above proper: The view down the Ach Valley within the UNESCO World Heritage Site Caves and Ice Age Art within the Swabian Jura. Many millennia in the past, mammoths would have migrated up this glacially eroded valley and had been hunted by the human inhabitants of the caves within the valley sides.
Above left: Sirgenstein Cave. Excavations of the collapse 1906 confirmed that it was beforehand occupied by each Neanderthals and fashionable people.
Above proper: The GeoWorld Travel group stands outdoors the doorway to the Hohle Fels cave.
Day Six: Tuesday seventeenth October
We solely had two most important geological stops at present, however they had been definitely spectacular stops! The first cease of the day was Urweltmuseum Hauff, one of many largest non-public pure historical past museums in Germany, now run by the fourth era of the Hauff household. The specimens on show within the museum are, in lots of instances, completely breath-taking – as proven within the images beneath. One of the highlights is the ichthyosaur which is the dimensions of a killer whale – Temnodontosaurus from the Lower Jurassic of Holzmaden. There have additionally been a excessive share of pregnant feminine and juvenile ichthyosaurs discovered on this space, which means that this might have been a birthing space to which animals migrated. Another spotlight is the skeleton of Hybodus hauffianus, a shark from the Lower Jurassic Posidonia Shale, whose abdomen nonetheless accommodates belemnites. But maybe essentially the most spectacular exhibit on show is the gorgeous fossil of an 18m lengthy Seirocrinus crinoid colony connected to a 12m lengthy floating log. The room that this crinoid is displayed in was constructed particularly for the show of this unbelievable, large fossil! Various different fascinating shows actually crammed within the story of this space. Our second geological cease of the day was only a quick hop from the museum, so a brief drive and we arrived at Schieferbruch Kromer (Kromer Quarry), the place the group had an opportunity to seek for their very own Holzmaden Shale fossils. The slate on this quarry is from the 180-million-year-old deposits, so the commonest finds are sea creatures, reminiscent of ammonites, belemnites and shells. However, uncommon finds of fossil driftwood, fish and bones of marine reptiles are additionally attainable. Our group made some good finds and completely loved their fossil searching! Handing again our fossil-hunting instruments, we received again on to the highway and began the drive to our in a single day vacation spot, the World Heritage Site and cathedral metropolis of Speyer. On arrival in Speyer, there was some beautiful afternoon sunshine and an opportunity to discover the gorgeous metropolis. Some of the group took the prospect to go to the cathedral, which based in 1030, was remodelled in the direction of the tip of the eleventh century and is among the most necessary Romanesque monuments from the time of the Holy Roman Empire. No lower than eight medieval emperors and kings of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation had been interred within the vault of the cathedral.
Above: An ichthyosaur the dimensions of a killer whale – Temnodontosaurus from the Lower Jurassic of Holzmaden.
Above: The very spectacular 18m lengthy crinoid fossil within the Hauff Museum, Holzmaden. This is a Jurassic Seirocrinus crinoid colony connected to a 12m lengthy floating log.
Above: A Stenopterygius ichthyosaur, with dorsal fin and preserved pores and skin clearly seen, on show within the Hauff Museum, Holzmaden. This specimen was ready by Bernhard Hauff, the museum’s founder, in 1903.
Above left: A belemnite with soft-body components preserved, on show within the Hauff Museum, Holzmaden
Top proper: Inside the Hauff Musuem, Holzmaden. An wonderful exhibit exhibiting the totally different layers inside the Lower Lias of the Holzmaden Lagerstätte, one of many world’s most necessary fossil websites with distinctive soft-bodied preservation – maybe most well-known for its pregnant ichthyosaur specimen.
Bottom proper: The Hauff Museum, Holzmaden
Above: A hybodont shark, an extinct group of shark-like chondrichthyans, which existed from the late Devonian to the late Cretaceous. On show within the Hauff Museum, Holzmaden.
Above left: Some of the GeoWorld Travel group attempting to find fossils at Kromer Quarry. The slate on this quarry is from the 180-million-year-old deposits, so the commonest finds are sea creatures, reminiscent of ammonites, belemnites, and shells. However, uncommon finds of fossil driftwood, fish and bones of marine reptiles are additionally attainable.
Top proper: An ammonite discovered within the Kromer Quarry, within the Holzmaden Shale Lagerstätte
Bottom proper: Collecting hammers for our fossil searching at Kromer Quarry within the Jurassic Holzmaden Shale Lagerstätte.
Day Seven: Wednesday 18th October
We mentioned goodbye to Speyer this morning and began the drive to Bundenbach, the place we might be spending a number of hours within the Hunsrück Slate space. We arrived on the Herrenberg Slate Quarry Visitor Mine in Bundenbach and met up with our native information, Michael Brzoska. Unfortunately the mine is now closed to guests, however we had been lucky sufficient to have the ability to get pleasure from many specimens from this space within the museum subsequent to the mine. The fossils are a number of the most necessary fossils on the planet, with delicate physique components superbly preserved as pyrite. The organisms had been residing on a shallow seabed and would periodically be catastrophically buried by anoxic sediments that had a low natural content material however a excessive iron content material. Once buried, sulphate-reducing anaerobic micro organism broke down the natural materials, producing sulphide. This then transformed to iron monosulphide and cardio micro organism oxidized it to pyrite. The mudstone was later transformed to slate within the Variscan orogeny and the explanation why the fossils might be recovered is that within the Bundenbach space, tight folding means the cleavage and bedding planes are parallel. Some of those fossils are pictured beneath. The Hunsrück Slate is a a Devonian Lagerstätte. After we had had an opportunity to have a look at these fascinating specimens, which included echinoderms, eurypterids, sea-spiders, fish and uncommon marrellomorphs and anomalocarids (present in 2009), Michael took us to a close-by quarry the place we had the chance to seek for our personal Hunsrück Slate fossils. This was just a little tougher than a number of the different fossil searching we had accomplished beforehand! However, folks loved the problem and did discover some promising options within the rock.
Having had a really informative time with Michael, we bade him farewell and headed off to Strohn, our first cease within the Vulkaneifel space. The Vulkaneifel UNESCO Global Geopark was designated in 2015 and covers the realm referred to as The Efiel, which is a hilly panorama with deep, glacially carved valleys minimize into outdated Devonian sediments (360-415 million years outdated).There are volcanoes scattered throughout this panorama, with 350 identified eruption centres. Two volcanic phases created Vulkaneifel: the primary was lively round 45 to 35 million years in the past. The second section was round 1,000,000 years in the past that ended with the newest eruption, the Ulmener Maar, 10,900 years in the past. The space is the worldwide sort locality of maar volcanoes. Our first cease on this space was on the Strohn Lava Bomb, an accretionary lava ball which weighs in at 120 tons. Although referred to as a lava bomb, it was really shaped by being repeatedly fired away from the eruptive vent, every time rolling again down the within of the scoria cone receiving a brand new coating of lava. A bit of approach down the highway from the lava bomb, at Wartgesberg, we additionally noticed a bit minimize into the facet of a scoria cone. The first of our last three stops of the day was Pulvermaar, which at 11,000 years outdated is the youngest volcano in Germany, forming an ideal round crater occupied by a lake. Then, only a quick drive away, our penultimate cease of the day was at The Eyes of the Eifel (or the Daun Maars). We parked between the Schalkenmehrener Maar and Weinfelder Maar and mentioned their formation. The former is definitely a double maar (one dry and one with a lake), which was shaped 10,500 years in the past after a volcanic steam explosion. The latter was created round 30,000 years in the past, additionally in a volcanic steam explosion. And lastly, we stopped for a view over the Gemündener Maar, one other 30,000 12 months outdated maar. We then arrived at our resort in Schalkenmehren, located on the sting of the maar and with fabulous views!
Above left: The entrance to the Herrenberg Mine, Bundenbach, which is unfortunately not open to guests. Here, Hunsrück Slate was mined and plenty of fantastic soft-bodied Devonian fossils had been discovered.
Middle left: A uncommon arthropod fossil, Nahecaris sturtzi, on show on the Hunsrück Museum.
Middle proper: Parisangulocrinus zeaeformis, a crinoid from the Early Devonian, on show on the Hunsrück Museum.
Above proper: Palaeoisopus problematicus, a sea spider from the Early Devonian, on show on the Hunsrück Museum.
Above left: Looking for our personal Devonian Hunsrück Slate fossils
Above proper: Lunch time on the quarry with our native information, Michael!
Above left: The GeoWorld Travel group on the Stohn ‘lava bomb’. The accretionary lava ball referred to as the Strohn Lava Bomb is situated within the Vulkan Eifel UNESCO Geopark.
Top proper: The GeoWorld Travel group have a look at a bit minimize into the facet of a scoria cone at Wartgesberg, Strohn.
Bottom proper: The group at Weinfelder Maar, a volcano and one of many Eyes of the Eifel. The Maarsee was created round 30,000 years in the past in a volcanic steam explosion and is round 525m lengthy, 375m huge and 51m deep.
Day Eight: Thursday nineteenth October
Almost earlier than we knew it, our last full touring day had arrived! From our maar-side resort in Schalkenmehren, we set off to view the Wingertsbergwand – an incredible wall, uncovered by quarrying, which provides an entire cross-section via the pyroclastic flows, surges and pumice fallout of the Laacher See eruption. Most of the fabric was deposited in a number of days with a considerable amount of this occurring within the first six hours. The layers additionally present dunes and waves exhibiting that the pyroclastic density currents should have flowed at terrific speeds. The backside layers are phonolitic however the later layers had been produced from much less advanced components of the magma chamber. The scale of the wall is kind of one thing! Our subsequent vacation spot was the Vulkanmuseum Lava-Dome in Mendig, the place we loved a guided tour of the museum after which the lava cellars. The lava cellars had been carved by hand by slicing away basaltic cooling columns in a 200,000-year-old lava circulation; any damaged columns had been made into mill stones. The cellars began within the Middle Ages and had been later used for brewing beer. Once we had accomplished our tour of the cellars, we loved a beautiful lunch (and a few loved the native brew!) on the neighbouring Vulkan Brauhaus! Feeling refreshed, we then took a brief drive to the shore of the Laacher See caldera. This caldera was shaped in Central Europe’s largest volcanic eruption in current earth historical past which had a VEI of 6 (making it 1.5 larger than Pinatubo). The eruption occurred 13,000 years in the past and was each hydrovolcanic and magma-emitting, producing a Plinian eruption with a 30km excessive eruptive column which created pyroclastic density currents (PDCs). This caldera was shaped within the last phases of the Plinian eruption and the CO2 nonetheless bubbles up in locations. A brief distance from the Laacher See, we parked up and walked to the Lydiaturm, the place a number of members of the group ascended the tower to benefit from the view over the lake. Having taken within the view and loved stretching our legs, we headed again to the autos and hit the highway to our last cease of the tour – Meurin Roman Mine. Despite arriving in torrential rain, we had been in a position to benefit from the (principally!) undercover exhibit the place historic mines are preserved and introduced with a raised walkway over the two,000-year-old Roman tunnels. Initially, the Roman tunnels had been below a layer of pumice 4m thick, which was shaped in the course of the later phases of the Laacher See eruption. The white tuff was mined as constructing stone and this was a part of the most important Roman tuff stone mining space north of the Alps. Returning to the autos, we then headed again to Frankfurt the place we returned to the airport resort we began the tour in. We loved a farewell group meal collectively, wanting again on a number of the unbelievable locations we had visited and the recollections that we had made.
Above left: The Wingertsbergwand, an incredible wall, uncovered by quarrying which provides an entire cross-section via the pyroclastic flows, surges and pumice fallout of the Laacher See eruption. Most of the fabric was deposited in a number of days with a considerable amount of this occurring within the first six hours.
Above proper: Dan and Mila on the Wingertsbergwand. The layers present dunes and waves exhibiting that the pyroclastic density currents should have flowed at terrific speeds. The backside layers are phonolitic however the later layers had been produced from much less advanced components of the magma chamber.
Above left: In the Mendig Lava Dome caverns. The creation of those caverns started within the Middle Ages and had been later used for storing beer and within the brewing course of.
Top proper: Learning in regards to the Laacher See volcano.
Bottom proper: Our museum information by a mannequin of the caverns on the Lava Dome, Mendig. The lava cellars had been carved by hand by slicing away basaltic cooling columns in a 200,000-year-old lava circulation. Broken columns had been made into millstones.
Above left: The Laacher See caldera shaped in Central Europe’s largest volcanic eruption in current earth historical past. The eruption occurred 13,000 years in the past and was each hydrovolcanic and magma-emitting, producing a Plinian eruption with a 30km excessive eruptive column which createdpyroclastic density currents. This caldera was shaped within the last phases of the Plinian eruption, and, in locations, CO2 can nonetheless be seen effervescent to the floor.
Above proper: Meurin Roman mines the place tuff, which shaped within the Laacher See eruption, was extracted.
Day Nine: Friday twentieth October
Today was departure day, with many of the group heading house, however a few folks extending their travels in Germany. We had a good time seeing the, usually stunning, geological range that Germany has to supply. It was a completely pleasing journey and we thank the friends for his or her firm and entertaining discussions! We can be returning to Germany once more sooner or later – please see our web site for dates, costs and availability: https://www.geoworldtravel.com/Germany.php
