Avon Gorge Bristol UK
Channel: mesmoland
Date: 30/05/2010

The Avon Gorge (grid reference ST560743) is a 1.5 mile (2.5 km) long gorge on the River Avon in Bristol, England. The gorge runs south to north through a limestone ridge 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of Bristol city centre, and about 3 miles (5 km) from the mouth of the river at Avonmouth. The gorge forms the boundary between the unitary authorities of North Somerset and Bristol. In the past, when Bristol was an important port, the gorge formed a defensive gateway to the city.
On the east of the gorge is the Bristol suburb of Clifton, and The Downs, a large public park. To the west of the gorge is Leigh Woods, the name of both a village and the National Trust forest it is situated in. There are three Iron Age hill forts overlooking the gorge, as well as an observatory. The Clifton Suspension Bridge, an icon of Bristol, crosses the gorge.
The spectacular scenery of the Avon Gorge owes its remarkable features to the amazing forces of geology spanning over 300 Million years. The gorge is famous for the shear amount of Carboniferous rock exposed over such a small area. These limestones and sandstones are teaming with the record of ancient life and it was this rich diversity of life that made the Avon Gorge the site of the first major studies into Carboniferous fossils. 
Not surprisingly, the 2.5km long gorge has been awarded the SSSI (a Site of Special Scientific Interest) title -- a reflection of the truly outstanding fossil flora and fauna, as well as rare modern day wildlife. 
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