The Ancient Volcanoes of Great Britain, Volume 2 (of 2)

This two‑volume study takes listeners on a geological tour of the extinct volcanoes that once scarred the British Isles. Beginning with the Carboniferous eruptions that produced the famous Whin Sill and the curious toadstones of Derbyshire, it moves through the Permian upheavals of Scotland and England, and finishes with the far‑reaching Tertiary basalt plateaux. The author, a distinguished director of the Geological Survey, guides us with clear explanations, supported by seven detailed maps and numerous illustrations that bring ancient lava flows to life.

In the first act, you’ll explore the hidden volcanic necks that pierce limestone cliffs, the intricate networks of dykes that cut across the landscape, and the massive basalt sheets that form the striking plateaux of Skye, Mull and the Small Isles. Comparisons with modern Icelandic volcanoes help frame these ancient events in a global context, while the narrative explains how erosion and denudation have exposed these features for us to study today. Listeners will come away with a vivid sense of how deep time and fire shaped the scenery we now walk on.