Nene Valley

The Nene Valley is located to the northwest of the county and is aligned west-east between Stibbington and Peterborough. To the west it is underlain by Jurassic mudstones, sandstones and limestones including the Whitby Mudstone and the Lower Lincolnshire Limestone. To the east where it adjoins the Fen Edge at Flag Fen and Farcet Fen it is underlain by Oxford Clay. It comprises the Holocene floodplain, peat and adjacent Quaternary river terrace deposits of the River Nene and its tributaries. It is located between the Jurassic Limestone Ridge to the north and the northern arm of the Alconbury Weald and Woodwalton Apron to the south. It is also abutted by the Yaxley and Whittlesey Fen Islands. The elevation ranges from 30 – 5m OD. There are poorly drained soils on alluvium, peat and bedrock clay, and well-drained soils on terrace gravels and limestone geology.

There are significant gravel deposits along the Nene Valley around Peterborough and these date from the Pleistocene (Ice Age).

The River Nene flows eastward from the ‘uplands’ of Northamptonshire, crosses the Fen Edge at the city of Peterborough, and then crosses Fen Basin before entering the North Sea at the Wash.

Peterborough Museum has excellent displays on the Jurassic of Peterborough including large marine reptiles, such as the famous Plesiosaurs and Pliosaurs, many of which were found locally. The museum also has the remains of the very large fish Leedsichthys and an excellent accompanying website.

GeoPeterborough is a local partnership promoting geoconservation in the area particularly through the designation and monitoring of Local Geological Sites (RIGS).

The Peterborough Geological & Palaeontological Group runs field trips and other events.

Peterborough also has a Geology Trail around the city centre although the guide now seems to be out of print.