Jump to content

The Polish Jurassic Upland


Kasia

Recommended Posts

Last week I had the chance to go for a short fossil hunting trip to the area called the Polish Jura – famous for limestone formations, which take several fantastic shapes and have their very own names. Here are some instances:

The camel

obraz.png.9a831407cbc0b3956cb4ad8aa4740cc3.png

 

The Hercules club

obraz.png.4ce3e81259fe588919c9043b4880a1cb.png

 

The Trolls

obraz.png.b2b8d2331549268cf582bbb43adb773c.png

 

It’s also the area with numerous stone castles from the 14th and 15th century – the are located along the so-called Trail of the Eagle's Nests

 

obraz.png.e4314448b4a45219813115e4f4da41eb.png

 

Here are some examples:

obraz.png.7d5c0e6d4a533e7f0d7e9fec6894a0fa.png

 

obraz.png.ddd0443afdf562edc06f89587f498e81.png

 

obraz.png.756b7a400a4da3120f2eed5b0d876713.png

 

obraz.png.d6ddd24a9660b76e8fe86bbd7f92a1c4.png

 

But my main interest were of course fossil sites. First we visited the so-called Karniowice travertine – academic description says: “they form several lenticular bodies (up to more than 10 m thick) in the lower part of the Permian conglomerates and volcanic tuffs, discordantly overlying the Carboniferous sandstones. Light-grey travertine is locally highly porous or cavernous. It is formed of sparry calcite containing dispersed chalcedone aggregates and impregnations of iron and copper sulfides.“ According to the description it was supposed to be the locus classicus of Dendropupa zarecznyi – one of the oldest gastropods. Nowadays it looks like this:

 

obraz.png.d2024de72a37b227a765412f5feab9ed.png

 

obraz.png.88fd1c6467bb28cd8e7b6902c18f355f.png

 

obraz.png.009c07dbb7526e089c3162772663e453.png

 

We brought home a few pieces of the rock, but no Permian gastropods (or anything else, for that matter), in them. They just have really fantastic shapes :)

 

obraz.png.54f075691a09afbdd761300ab3575fcc.png

 

obraz.png.e7b04f7cbaab53a6b7bd114fb8a8a0f6.png

 

obraz.png.2ae0fa75e123665d14d09f0d72fad389.png

 

obraz.png.376d144434b9e2da3931d4bb5619e6d2.png

 

The second location en route was Płaza quarry – the Triassic site I have already visited before. The place didn’t change much from last time:

 

obraz.png.f4bcefcc147777ead9e439032114a929.png

 

obraz.png.0db22c985e98f00032420ea321d062d6.png

 

obraz.png.92fafbdde7d4273cbcc62943d1062ad8.png

 

except that there were very little fossils available, mainly brachs and crinoids:

obraz.png.d5df5bb7d3b407ce8888dda2aa62497d.png

 

obraz.png.ffe52fe0c1b1dd27180eca905f448d2c.png

 

I found these two fossils – do you think the white stuff are pieces of bones?

 

obraz.png.3ca3ebe15f3b65b5fea1f29f90dc5c8d.png

 

obraz.png.70162fcef7f696fc8d86ecca3cd7b0a9.png

 

obraz.png.d7235e3ebb13dfc53ee9c7a315f3b4cc.png

 

The other Triassic quarry in the area was unfortunately turned into a shooting range and is no longer accessible :(

The next day we went to Tarnogórski Canyon – which is a former dolomite mine. It’s quite big:

 

obraz.png.fdd67e81dde7c7e1b88f2a96137a4278.png

obraz.png.6f78c20b8ccecfc605a07d81f4a77a05.png

 

and a bit overgrown

obraz.png.6a1375ee51a2eb29c07150188c04a682.png

 

obraz.png.ddf2cbb5eb87358c66beb5394e67c06d.png

 

obraz.png.88fd2901ab7c1f6c730eebb51b667e6a.png

 

not to mention a little lake in the middle

 

obraz.png.70725c338ea35fe19ec2bc6cca866e85.png

 

We searched the rubble for quite a time, but again – only pieces of crinoids:

obraz.png.aa4798add011d0518c430f8c55bfddb0.png

 

obraz.png.5129daf0f3322603b3ea2edc19647825.png

 

obraz.png.4cbfc8e737fa6ea84e18b194b367f950.png

 

obraz.png.e4d595a77c165409d2c63b9f89265c6f.png

 

After such a disappointment, we went to see the Black Trout Adit, which is one of a few Unesco sites in Poland. It’s the only still operating drainage adit in Poland and one of the longest underground boat flows in Europe.

 

obraz.png.303b647d155d20aa477b76bd7e48f7f2.png

 

We went 30 m underground and then had a 600-metre “cruise” in metal boats:

 

obraz.png.3591129261302e6a8dbc9b44c1229b88.png

 

When we emerged back to surface, we decided to stop by the Błędów Desert – yes, we do have a desert in the middle of the country :) The Błędów Desert is actually Central Europe's largest accumulation of loose sand in an area away from any sea, deposited thousands of years ago by a melting glacier.

 

obraz.png.bd8ec39b46e2602a5650cd5c3bf40245.png

 

obraz.png.8953f2ddcadb6ac416ff8c583f880723.png

 

The aerial view:

 

obraz.png.4a4653c9d0f4015cd62dca14cf55fd68.png

 

The next day we started from visiting the former capital city of Poland – Kraków:

 

obraz.png.4880102c8d1a189b9a1e9b6210bfc935.png

 

obraz.png.a1f536ac43aa0abecefb6dcf7e50c949.png

 

obraz.png.1bc95264f1a7c4a85c5641c80cca9ed9.png

 

the home of the Wawel Dragon:

obraz.png.00df066e4332176757ba91ec4dba1871.png

 

Then we stopped at the Jurassic Mirów quarry:

obraz.png.9244df79e4b65fb36d65d698c6f2370f.png

 

obraz.png.2ccf2ad3bbd84e51aac7a5386d57e614.png

 

obraz.png.841b9dcd36947531c9fa1288267f1b5b.png

 

We were hoping for an abundance of ammos, however there were not so many as in the nearby Niegowonice and several of them partial and very flattened:

obraz.png.4ef0e2e7024c5aed958228b877d2ddaf.png

 

obraz.png.078c3980abc9ddbf1f75151338de6867.png

 

They usually are very small:

obraz.png.f36c6344fb690a1473613e61a6e5b45b.png

 

obraz.png.eaf5fc7ff15b35f4c7d26fc4823f926c.png

 

obraz.png.aa2042c2d890d601c053cad88532a901.png

 

Nevertheless, we managed to find a few things:

 

obraz.png.8a03556ce949c35d8ec2f795b4844feb.png

obraz.png.ab7a05061f8ee62db1ec3dd01941ad4c.png

 

obraz.png.11b4bb365d511c4277b59805cf0270be.png

 

obraz.png.09fc1b40fa8bdf184034b563f8cf8a56.png

 

Plus a mystery fossil?

obraz.png.09408653e66930e47b6fc32973cfe47d.png

 

obraz.png.88b9d5d16a20c1df5a2f9d3252fed3fb.png

 

The last stop was Młynka quarry – also Jurassic:

 

obraz.png.783b6923d3176f3d54928d8bd603ed3a.png

 

obraz.png.e6f3e86d50c2336559a3fd6cc0e66331.png

 

obraz.png.c772090d58e663c9773d48d030a7c490.png

 

The most interesting place however was a little ravine next to the entrance – with Callovian rocks:

obraz.png.c7a2de69752e83b4e33b3146f8ec363e.png

 

obraz.png.5ff8232cf40a331a8ddaa2339dd3820b.png

 

obraz.png.f85b861bef227e88cc16457ff25a37b6.png

 

which turned out to be full of goodies:

 

obraz.png.ec3b55d6f1816f238e25709f6bf827af.png

 

obraz.png.4f6230cb006789cf066e7f38016c8d44.png

 

obraz.png.c4888efe0a71ed886c10cb57aae02bb9.png

 

obraz.png.9ef19b8393b443f9e1d028056b3b95f1.png

 

obraz.png.d680a1a5c254e9c0c4f1487a7088a4d6.png

 

obraz.png.182edfcf1f7ec720dd32712d3f986755.png

 

And the cherry on top – the crab :)

 

obraz.png.aec10f40fe1c856baa20d80c58d2914f.png

 

obraz.png.d8af024e95f8dd65421650dd51738154.png

 

That's it - thanks for reading, I hope you liked it :)

  • I found this Informative 5
  • Enjoyed 19
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a fascinating and interesting trip report.

History, nature, fossils and a plethora of wonderful photographs. 

Thank you, Kasia. :)

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

What a fascinating and interesting trip report.

History, nature, fossils and a plethora of wonderful photographs. 

Thank you, Kasia. :)

:tiphat:thanks, Adam.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Castle Rock said:

The scenery is simply fantastic!  Your photos are likewise impressive!  THANKS!   Dave 

Thanks, I wish we had a bit more sun - but since it's November, we considered ourselves lucky it was not raining/ snowing :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, RuMert said:

Great scenery, castles and fossils:D Must have been lots of excitement

Thanks - it was, indeed. I'm always happy to find new sites with nice stuff :)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Excellent trip, good pictures and nice fossils! :)

  • Thank You 1

" We are not separate and independent entities, but like links in a chain, and we could not by any means be what we are without those who went before us and showed us the way. "

Thomas Mann

My Library

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To me, as an American the castles are amazing. That in itself would have made a great trip to me just to view them. The fossils would have been a bonus!

  • Thank You 1
  • I Agree 1

Bulldozers and dirt Bulldozers and dirt
behind the trailer, my desert
Them red clay piles are heaven on earth
I get my rocks off, bulldozers and dirt

Patterson Hood; Drive-By Truckers

 

image.png.0c956e87cee523facebb6947cb34e842.png May 2016  MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160.png.b42a25e3438348310ba19ce6852f50c1.png May 2012 IPFOTM5.png.fb4f2a268e315c58c5980ed865b39e1f.png.1721b8912c45105152ac70b0ae8303c3.png.2b6263683ee32421d97e7fa481bd418a.pngAug 2013, May 2016, Apr 2020 VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png.af5065d0585e85f4accd8b291bf0cc2e.png.72a83362710033c9bdc8510be7454b66.png.9171036128e7f95de57b6a0f03c491da.png Oct 2022

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, sixgill pete said:

To me, as an American the castles are amazing. That in itself would have made a great trip to me just to view them. The fossils would have been a bonus!

If you ever visit Poland, I can take you to several exceptional castles - they are all over the country https://klubpodroznikow.com/ksiazka/1848-zamki-w-polsce 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, nala said:

Very nice pictures and report,and Zallas?very close from Krakow :)it was a very good memory for me :)

Thanks, I decided to visit smaller quarries that do not require permission to enter :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/26/2021 at 6:39 AM, Kasia said:

Thanks, I decided to visit smaller quarries that do not require permission to enter :)

During Sunday mass god gives permission :)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/26/2021 at 6:41 AM, nala said:


during sunday mass god gives permission :)

:DOH: I had no idea! I will know better next time :BigSmile:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very interesting to me as it is an area that I’m not very familiar with but on our “bucket list” for visiting one day. Thanks for sharing your trip!!

  • Thank You 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, ClearLake said:

Very interesting to me as it is an area that I’m not very familiar with but on our “bucket list” for visiting one day. Thanks for sharing your trip!!

If you make it here, I will gladly share a few more info :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very nice travelogue!  Thanks for bringing us along.

 

Your mystery fossil is a section through an ammonite, showing the surface of a septum.

 

Don

  • I found this Informative 1
  • Thank You 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...