The highly varied landscape of the Arnside & Silverdale AONB owes its origin to nearly half a billion years of geological history and evolution. It is an intricate, close-knit landscape that has been shaped, primarily, by its geology and by the range of natural processes which have acted upon it over unimaginable periods of time.

Understanding how the various rocks within the area were formed and how they have since been sculpted by ice, wind, rain and rivers, provides a fascinating insight into the nature of the area and the reasons behind its remarkable variety.

The underlying geology, topography and diversity are reflected in the wide range of special habitats which have developed in this area over the last 10,000 years or more, and which now contribute further to its natural heritage. In more recent times, generations of farming, tourism, built development and other land uses have also left their mark on the landscape, but in many cases, even these reflect the underlying geology and landforms of the area.

The National Landscape published a Geological Story of the Arnside & Silverdale AONB in 2023, which is available from the Information Centre and RSPB Leighton Moss.

For more detailed information download The Geological Story of Arnside & Silverdale AONB (a 6MB file) to find out more.