Morphology and significance of some Loch Lomond Stadial moraines in the south-central Lake District, England

Abstract

At three sites (Widdygill Foot, Blindtarn Moss and Cotra) in the south-central Lake District, moraine ridges and mounds have been mapped. It is inferred, on the basis of their positions within the Lake District mountains and their gross morphology, that the moraines were constructed by glaciers of Loch Lomond Stadial (LLS) age (12.9–11.5 cal. ka BP) and therefore represent additions to the growing body of evidence for a more extensive LLS glaciation of the Lake District than previously envisaged. Map-based reconstructions of the three glaciers indicate their surface areas were similar to many of the previously recognized LLS ice masses but their equilibrium line altitudes (283–340 m OD) were towards the lower end of the established range (284–785 m OD). Site aspects and the nature of surrounding terrain suggest that glacier nourishment may not have been the result of consistent site factors, particularly with respect to the directions from which wind-blown snow could have made significant contributions to glacier mass. The pattern of moraines at each site indicates that the glaciers underwent active retreat over distances of 0.2–0.8 km during their withdrawal.