Vertical bedding slab at Northcott Mouth, Cornwall.

This vertical slab of sandstone is at Northcott Mouth, near Bude, north Cornwall. See geotag for exact location.

This is part of the Bude Formation (upper Carboniferous) - deltaic and some turbidite sandstones interbedded with shales. The sandstones are relatively thick, compared with the underlying Crackington Formation, and as a result, more competent. The response to the Variscan earth movements at the end of the Carboniferous was to form more open, mostly upright or slightly asymmetric angular folds, compared with the cascades of tight recumbent folds which characterise the Crackington Formation a few kilometres to the south.

This slab is the part of the vertical northern limb of an asymmetric anticline, and the view is of the underside of he bedding. There are sole structures - mostly trains of ripples/scours - on this surface, proving that it is the base of the bed.

I would guess that the local rock climbing fraternity have given this slab a name, so if anyone knows it please let me know. Thanks!