Rock Star

We work amidst the most stunning scenery - fantastic, but kind of stating the obvious. The job sometimes brings more subtle pleasures such as the joy of handling rocks that are round about 350 million -yes, that is 350 million! - years old. The rock that Robert, our Thursday volunteer, is holding is called Purple Breccia. There are several different types of rock within the mass of the stone, giving it a kind of conglomerated nature . And it is the most fantastic colour, a really rich reddy purple.
Imagine a volcano exploding! That very first dramatic release of energy that rockets rock and gases high into the sky. A broken and destroyed crust falls back to earth and is covered by the ash spewing from the volcano. Take a bow Purple Breccia! Well, that's the theory - or at least one of them! As with all things geological, there is always more than one theory.

Purple Breccia in starring role in wall, can you spot it?

Because of its amalgamated nature the rock breaks down into irregular lumps, and it can be quite difficult to work with, but the results can be very attractive. Purple Breccia occurs in only a few locations in the Lake District and if you are walking by the Borrowdale road or the lakeshore under Falcon Crag, keep your eyes open for this colourful, and distinctive rock.