What did the great ooze ever do for us?
A story that is a mere 90 million years in the making.
The great ooze
Ninety million years ago, a great ooze was accumulating at the bottom of a tropical sea that covered southern England and parts of Western Europe. Microscopic creatures, coccoliths, their shells made of calcite extracted from the rich seawater were contributing to the ooze. As they died, and their minute shells and skeletons settled onto the seabed, a substantial layer gradually built up over millions of years until it all eventually consolidated into rock. Chalk.
Part of our national conscious, chalk present in the dramatic and iconic white cliffs of Dover shown always in times of national crisis, now integral to our food culture, it acts as a natural reservoir and ultimately, is a giver of life.
The story of the Chilterns are in fact all about chalk; this geological formation defines our landscape, industry, people, wildlife and wildflowers. But it’s not all chocolate box imagery; quarrying for cement saw numerous sites across the region busy with extraction during the last century. Some still remain, others are filled with waste water or have been transformed into nature reserves, making them an ideal haven for wildflowers and wildlife.
Too numerous to mention, I have to share the fabulous orchids; the common spotted-orchid, common fragrant-orchid, the bee orchid mimic - see below, lady orchid, pyramidal and military orchids. At their best in early June, competing with the carpets of oxeye daisies to be a worthy star of the wildflower show.
A virtuous circle
That something so ancient, and yet so simple, can sustain so much is humbling. What comes from an ancient tropical seabed has a place in our national psyche, as well as a place in the story of the Chilterns. And now, as we seek an escape from the daily grind, these transformed spaces take us back to nature. Back to our own story. A virtuous circle: life became rock that supported our lives, literally, and has once again become abundant life.
Much is written about the loss of meadows, so to have this chalk downland ablaze with life, right on my doorstep is an absolute privilege. This is what the great ooze has done for me! What has it done for you?
Links you need
Forget M&S orchids, manicured to within an inch of their pampered lives, head instead to the nearest Chilterns summer meadow (or quarry) to indulge yourself with our own exotic orchids.
Daws Hill vineyard grows traditional champagne varieties, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, along with Auxerrois for their sparkling wines, all on Chilterns chalk.
What did the great ooze ever do for us?
A bountiful tropical sea that once covered France and southern England, means we share a fabulous wine producing geology.
Love your articles - please keep them coming!