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Earth Science Conservation Review
| Templemoyle - site of local interest | Londonderry |
| Site number: | 754 | ||
| Locality Type: | Inland exposure, Valley | Status: | local interest |
| Grid Reference: | C672042,C654026 Corners of site | ||
| Google maps: | 54.88143,-6.95298 | ||
| County: | Londonderry | Council area: | Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council |
| Period: | Quaternary | ||
| Site Description | |
|---|---|
| Highlights: | |
Templemoyle is a dissected wedge of flat-topped valley-fill remnants lying to the southwest of Teeavan Hill in the Upper Owenrigh valley. Cross-bedded medium sand and pebble gravel foresets dipping generally northwards are indicative of a 'Gilbert-type' delta. Post-depositional erosion has resulted in the dissection of the once flat-topped delta feature. | |
| Description: | |
A dissected wedge of flat-topped valley-fill remnants lies to the southwest of Teeavan Hill in the Upper Owenrigh valley. An exposure of cross-bedded medium sand and pebble gravel foresets dips generally northwards at 20-25° [C672 042] with foreset heights reaching 200m O.D. The deposits feather laterally against the rising slopes of the surrounding hills or are truncated by a rock-cut meltwater channel. To the south, hummocky topography extends in a thinning wedge for about 1km. Post-depositional erosion has dissected the delta into three fragments separated by steep-sided rock-cut meltwater channels now occupied by the Cushcapal Water, Glenedra Water and the Altnaheglish River. | |
| Importance: | |
The site is of scientific value because it contains exposures of the internal structure of a 'Gilbert-type' delta now dissected by post-depositional meltwater erosion. | |
| Interpretation: | |
The foreset dips indicate ice frontal retreat in a general southerly direction towards the Sperrin Mountains with glaciofluvial sediments from this direction passing into a water body which ponded in the Owenrigh bedrock depression at 200m O.D. Meltwater erosion has resulted in dissection of the once flat-topped 'Gilbert-type' delta and flushed out possible bottomsets infilling the Owenrigh valley. | |
| Notes: | |
See also ESCR Key Site 502 - Faughan and Dungiven Basins - Templemoyle [Sand and Gravel Landscapes Block]. | |
| Keywords | |
|---|---|
| Rocks: | Gravel, Sand |
| Structures: | cross-bedding |
| Relations: | Glacio-fluvial sediment, Ice retreat |
| Geomorph: | Gilbert-type delta, meltwater channel |
| Paleoenv: | deglacial |
| Access | |
|---|---|
| Approach: | This site is a dissected wedge of flat-topped valley-fill remnants lying to the southwest of Teeavan Hill in the Upper Owenrigh valley. |
| Record type: | SLNCI Report | ||
| Entered by: | E M Porter | ||
| Last updated: | 09/10/03 | ||
| Enlander, I., Dempster, M. & Doughty, P., 2026. Templemoyle - site of local interest, County Londonderry, site details. [In] Earth Science Conservation Review. https://www.habitas.org.uk/escr/site.php?item=754. Accessed on 2026-11-07. |
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