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Penn’s Cave is a unique and historic attraction located in Centre Hall, Pennsylvania, USA.
Penn’s Cave is America’s only all-water cavern. Visitors can explore this natural limestone cave entirely by boat. The cave’s water-filled passages wind through the earth, creating a breathtaking underground experience. (COPILOT)
Centuries ago, the Seneca Indians discovered this natural landmark in the Valley of Karoondinha (Penn’s Valley). The famous legend of the Indian maiden, Nita-nee (from whom the famous Penn State Nittany Lion got its name) and her French trapper lover, Malachi Boyer, has been told around campfires for generations. Forbidden to marry because of an Indian custom, they ran away and were captured, and Malachi was thrown into Penn’s Cave to die. Local history also tells of Indians and early explorers using the dry rooms for shelter. In 1885, Penn’s Cave opened as a commercial show cavern, and the Penn’s Cave Hotel was built. In 1976, Penn’s Cave and the Penn’s Cave House were placed on the National Register of Historic Places. (Penn's Cave & Wildlife Park website)
Located between Penn Valley and Brush Valley, Penn's Cave limestone is theorized to have formed from ocean bottom mud compressed into rock over millions of years.
This was taken on a slow-moving boat, panning backwards.
Another one out of the archives! I'd seen a TV program recently that mentioned this and it got me thinking about the shots I took there at the time, many of which hadn't seen the light of day. I found this one untouyched in the file and decided to process it, some 11 years later....
On a trip to Malta I hadn't planned much Landscape Photography but this was the one singe thing that I wanted to shoot so I'd packed my stuff for a trip out to here, (which turned out to be 2 trips out there due to not ideal weather on the first visit)
The Azure Window was a natural arch with a height of about 28 m (92 ft), I say 'was' as sadly it collapsed totally during a seastorm in March 2017, gone forever into the sea, some 4 years after this was taken.
The late light on this day was absolutely gorgeous with the side lighting picking out all the details on the Arch, on this shot I'd included the foreground rocks to show how rough the area is but very rich in texture. I recall it being very windy and several of these long exposure images suffered from it not being totally sharp, thankfully it seems I'd kept going until I got one. I can't remember what filter(s) I'd used here but the Exif says I used f/16 to get a 50 second exposure so it was a bit of a struggle, I'd guess at a polariser and a 10 stop ND.
If you put your mouse over the image I've highlighted the bit that is no longer there.
All images ©peterowbottom and may not be copied or used elsewhere without express permission.
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Lots of newly uploaded images on my website here
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Sisters Rocks are a remarkable natural attraction located just outside of Stawell, a Victorian gold mining town in Australia.
Sisters Rocks form a huge cluster of massive granite boulders heaped in the bush alongside the Western Highway. These impressive rocks have captured the imagination of visitors for centuries.
Over the years, graffiti artists have left their mark on the rocks, decorating them with interesting pictures, slogans, and names. Opinions are divided—some see it as enhancing the attraction, while others feel it detracts from the natural beauty. Some of the graffiti even dates back to the 19th century, serving as a historical record.
Sisters Rocks were named after the three Levi sisters, who were among the area’s first settlers during the mid-1800s gold rush. To protect these unique granite formations, they were officially declared a protected area in the late 19th century, making them one of Australia’s earliest attempts at nature conservation.
The Northern Grampians Shire Council has taken significant steps toward reconciliation by agreeing to gift the site known as Sisters Rocks on the Western Highway near Stawell to the State of Victoria. This decision was made in consultation with the Barengi Land Council, which represents the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia, and Jupagalk Peoples. The site holds immense cultural significance, with connections to creation stories and the wives of Bunjil, a creator in WJJWJ lore. By returning this land, the Council aims to protect its Aboriginal cultural heritage values and prevent vandalism or uses that conflict with those values and lore. The land will be secured for future generations of the WJJWJ Peoples. (According to COPILOT website)
Sisters Rocks are a remarkable natural attraction located just outside of Stawell, a Victorian gold mining town in Australia.
Sisters Rocks form a huge cluster of massive granite boulders heaped in the bush alongside the Western Highway. These impressive rocks have captured the imagination of visitors for centuries.
Over the years, graffiti artists have left their mark on the rocks, decorating them with interesting pictures, slogans, and names. Opinions are divided—some see it as enhancing the attraction, while others feel it detracts from the natural beauty. Some of the graffiti even dates back to the 19th century, serving as a historical record.
Sisters Rocks were named after the three Levi sisters, who were among the area’s first settlers during the mid-1800s gold rush. To protect these unique granite formations, they were officially declared a protected area in the late 19th century, making them one of Australia’s earliest attempts at nature conservation.
The Northern Grampians Shire Council has taken significant steps toward reconciliation by agreeing to gift the site known as Sisters Rocks on the Western Highway near Stawell to the State of Victoria. This decision was made in consultation with the Barengi Land Council, which represents the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia, and Jupagalk Peoples. The site holds immense cultural significance, with connections to creation stories and the wives of Bunjil, a creator in WJJWJ lore. By returning this land, the Council aims to protect its Aboriginal cultural heritage values and prevent vandalism or uses that conflict with those values and lore. The land will be secured for future generations of the WJJWJ Peoples. (According to COPILOT website)
This image is included in 2 galleries :- 1) "Canyons (cañones)" curated by Runa 59 and 2) "Arizona • Utah • New Mexico" by Humble Christ Follower.
The Grand Canyon (Hopi: Ongtupqa; Yavapai: Wi:kaʼi:la, Navajo: Tsékooh Hatsoh, Spanish: Gran Cañón) is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,093 feet or 1,857 meters). The canyon and adjacent rim are contained within Grand Canyon National Park, the Kaibab National Forest, Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, the Hualapai Indian Reservation, the Havasupai Indian Reservation and the Navajo Nation. President Theodore Roosevelt was a major proponent of preservation of the Grand Canyon area, and visited it on numerous occasions to hunt and enjoy the scenery.
Nearly two billion years of Earth's geological history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. While some aspects about the history of incision of the canyon are debated by geologists, several recent studies support the hypothesis that the Colorado River established its course through the area about 5 to 6 million years ago. Since that time, the Colorado River has driven the down-cutting of the tributaries and retreat of the cliffs, simultaneously deepening and widening the canyon. (Wikipedia)
This was viewed from Mather Point, which is on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Here, the sun rises just to the left of a pointed butte named Vishnu Temple, which lies on the North side of the river northeast of Shoeshoe Point.
Selected as "Photo of the Week" in NATURE'S GOLDEN CAROUSEL week 23 23/08/2019.
Walnut Canyon National Monument (Hopi: Wupatupqa) is a US National Monument located about 16 km south-east of downtown Flagstaff, AR., near Interstate 40. It was proclaimed a national monument on 30 November 1915 by President Woodrow Wilson to preserve the ancient cliff dwellings which I was stood alongside when I took this shot. Imagine going down cliffs like those seen to get your water from the canyon bottom every day...
The canyon rim elevation is 2,040m; the canyon's floor is 110m lower. A 1.4 km long loop trail descends 56m into the canyon, passing 25 cliff dwelling rooms constructed by the Sinagua, a pre-Columbian cultural group that lived in Walnut Canyon from about 1100 to 1250 AD. Other contemporary habitations of the Sinagua people are preserved in the nearby Tuzigoot and Montezuma Castle national monuments.
The canyon lies on the Colorado Plateau and cuts through the Permian Kaibab Limestone, which exposes layers of the Toroweap Formation and Coconino Sandstone beneath. The Kaibab formation also forms the rim of the Grand Canyon. Crossbedding (as clearly seen above) is present in the Coconino Sandstone.
The shaded, north-facing walls (seen above with a scattering of snow on the ground in the shaded area to the right of the rock feature) are covered in fir and ponderosa pine trees. The sunny, south-facing slopes have agaves and several species of cactus including opuntia, echinocereus and cholla. The floor of the canyon is home to several species of walnut trees, for which the canyon is named.
The first stop on a short trip to Strathconon with Steve was at this little known geological feature on the lower reaches of the River Meig.
The trees make it difficult to manage a clear shot that does the gorge justice and the very steep sides meean you have to be very careful, it is a long way down.
Here is a link to a Youtube video of some adventurous folk gorge 'walking' this stretch of the river - youtu.be/p19RJtNW-W8?si=BO-8dmSOONE2qmJd
US Highway 20 and Wyoming Highway 120 between Riverton and Cody. To live in such splendour may be enough to make you tolerate the heat in summer, the blizzards with snow drifts blocking your front door in winter, the winds howling down the canyons....
oh, and look, a syncline
Florida Caverns State Park is a state park of Florida in the United States, part of the Florida State Parks system. It is located in the Florida Panhandle near Marianna. It is the only Florida state park with air-filled caves accessible to the public.
The limestone caves in the park have stalagmites, stalactites and flowstones formed by the erosion of bedrock. Other formations are above ground, including rivers and springs.
Florida Caverns State Park and the neighboring golf course were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps as part of the New Deal. The park opened in 1942.
The park is notable for its geological features, a protected area of karst topography. This geology hosts an ecosystem with plants and animals that are adapted to the limestone substrates. The caves and waterways have blind crayfish, bats, salamanders, and other species. Native Americans inhabited the area, and it is a site of archaeological interest.
The park allows nature study, exploring, and sightseeing. The 9-hole golf course is open. Other activities and amenities in the park include camping, hiking, boating, horseback riding, and fishing. There is a visitor center with interpretive exhibits and concessions. Rangers conduct several tours daily.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
This image is included in a gallery "INTERPHOTO 2017-4 * SPECIAL AUTHORS" curated by Gianfranco Marzetti.
Bryce Canyon National Park is located in south western Utah. The major feature of the park is Bryce Canyon, which despite its name, is not a canyon, but a collection of giant natural amphitheatres along the eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. Bryce is distinctive due to geological structures called hoodoos, formed by frost weathering and stream erosion of the river and lake bed sedimentary rocks. The red, orange, and white colours of the rocks provide spectacular views for park visitors. Bryce sits at a much higher elevation than nearby Zion National Park. The rim at Bryce varies from 8,000 to 9,000 feet (2,400 to 2,700 m). The Bryce Canyon area was settled by Mormon pioneers in the 1850s and was named after Ebenezer Bryce, who homesteaded in the area in 1874. The area around Bryce Canyon became a National Monument in 1923 and was designated as a National Park in 1928. The park covers 35,835 acres (55.992 sq mi; 14,502 ha; 145.02 km2) and receives substantially fewer visitors than Zion National Park (nearly 4.3 million in 2016) or Grand Canyon National Park (nearly 6 million in 2016), largely due to Bryce's more remote location. (Sourced from Internet)
This was taken at Inspiration Point (8100 ft above sea level).
A quote from www.guilinchina.net : Reed Flute Cave known as "the Palace of Natural Arts ” is located in the northwest of Guilin City , 5 kilometers away from the center of the city. It is a cave on the southern shoulder of the Guangming Hill (Bright Hill) and is one of the most extraordinary scenic spots in Guilin .
According to a legend, Reed Flute Cave got its name because people believed that the reed by the cave's mouth could be made into flutes. The length of the Reed Flute Cave is 240 meters and offers a majestic fairyland of karst caves with landscape and rural scenery. It is a magic fairyland of stalactites, stalagmites, stone pillars, stone curtains, birds, plants and animals in fantastic shapes and colors, all glistening in colorful lights. Some of them were given names such as Pines in the Snow, Mushroom Hill, Dragon Pagoda, Sky-Scraping Twin, Virgin Forests , Red Curtain, etc. These remarkable scenes in the cave can evoke breathless admiration from domestic and foreign visitors. The cave is highly praised as the ' Huge Art Palace of the Nature'. Tourists began to visit here in the Tang Dynasty. There are 77 stone inscriptions covering many years of history.
蘆笛岩位於廣西桂林市西北郊的蘆笛公園內的光明山上，因為其洞口長有可以做蘆笛的蘆笛草得名（一說是因為該草被吹響的聲音似笛聲）。
These 12 rock columns look like imposing sentinels guarding the Half Moon Bay.
Located in Black Rock, about 19 km from Melbourne, Red Bluff is a high (over 25 m), active cliff cut in poorly consolidated clayey sands, with harder sandstone beds forming a series of irregular ledges and benches at the base. The greater part of the cliff is an exposure of the Red Bluff Sand, this site being the type locality for that geological formation. (Sourced from Victorian Resources Online)
An early morning view of Pacific Ocean with Wainae Mountain lava rocks in the foreground from Makaha Beach O'ahu Hawaii.
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The Red Canyon is a shallow, partly wooded canyon along UT 12 about 9 miles west of Bryce Canyon, Utah, USA. It is located on the Colorado Plateau on the southeast edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. It comprises of similar eroded red rocks and hoodoos, on a smaller scale than that of the Bryce Canyon. It is viewable from roadside overlooks and along short trails. It is part of Dixie National Forest.
The rocks looked glaringly red in the morning sun, against a cloudless blue sky dramatically darkened by a CPL filter.
High contrast processing captures the grandeur of Castle Mountain in Banff National Park, Alberta. With its distinctive flat-topped summit and layered rock formations, Castle Mountain stands proudly above a lush coniferous forest. The dramatic lighting and partly cloudy sky enhance the rugged beauty of this iconic peak in the Canadian Rockies.
No percurso pedestre PR5 "Pela Arriba Fóssil", em Esposende, pode-se observar uma cavidade escavada no granito, resultante da erosão prolongada pela água, que aproveitou fragilidades na rocha. Estas pias, que retêm água da chuva, formam microhabitats húmidos e são típicas da geomorfologia da região. Além das cavidades naturais, existem outras de origem humana, associadas a práticas históricas como a extração de sal ou sepulturas escavadas na rocha, testemunhando a interação das populações com o território ao longo dos séculos. O trilho, que atravessa freguesias como Belinho e Vila Chã, revela vestígios arqueológicos, incluindo dólmenes e castros, refletindo a ocupação humana e a evolução da arriba fóssil, uma relíquia geológica com cerca de 80 mil anos. As pias graníticas, ainda objeto de debate quanto à sua função exata, poderão ter sido utilizadas para rituais ou tarefas quotidianas, destacando o significado cultural das comunidades que as criaram.
On the PR5 "Pela Arriba Fóssil" pedestrian route in Esposende, you can see a cavity carved out of granite, the result of prolonged erosion by water, which took advantage of weaknesses in the rock. These basins, which retain rainwater, form humid microhabitats and are typical of the region's geomorphology. In addition to the natural cavities, there are others of human origin, associated with historical practices such as salt extraction or graves dug into the rock, testifying to the interaction of populations with the territory over the centuries. The trail, which crosses parishes such as Belinho and Vila Chã, reveals archaeological remains, including dolmens and forts, reflecting human occupation and the evolution of the fossil arriba, a geological relic about 80,000 years old. The granite basins, whose exact function is still the subject of debate, may have been used for rituals or daily tasks, highlighting the cultural significance of the communities that created them.
Back to the 2010 Road Trip through Utah. We stopped by Capitol Reef on the way to Arches and took the 12-mile long Scenic Drive, which begins outside the Visitor Center and leads to magnificent views of Capitol Dome, the Golden Throne and the Egyptian Temple. The Egyptian Temple is composed of Soft Moenkopi Sandstone, covered protectively from above by harder Shinarump Sandstone forming this magnificent structure.
Capitol Reef got its name from a line of white domes and cliffs of Navajo Sandstone, each of which looks somewhat like the United States Capitol building, that run from the Fremont River to Pleasant Creek on the Waterpocket Fold. The Waterpocket Fold is a 100-mile long wrinkle in the earth's crust known as a monocline. It extends from nearby Thousand Lakes Mountain to the Colorado River (now Lake Powell). Capitol Reef National Park was established to protect this colorful and immense geologic feature.
The Arctic Unframed: A Photographer’s Invitation to Canada’s North
In Canada’s Eastern Arctic, Nunavut, the horizon stretches endlessly—unbroken, unspoiled, and humbling. Frobisher Bay at low tide reveals a raw geometry of stone and sky, where silence is the dominant sound, broken occasionally withe sound of distant boats, and light paints the land in fleeting pastels.
There are no trees to interrupt the view, no crowds to clutter the frame—just the elemental sweep of space, texture, and time. For photographers, it’s a rare opportunity to capture scale without distraction, mood without noise, and the quiet drama of a world that still feels untouched. Every shot here is a meditation on solitude, and every moment is yours alone.
A bird takes off from the shallow waters around Ojima island, next to the, exposed by the low tide, tatami-ishi. The geological feature consists of about a thousand pentagonal and hexagonal rocks 1-1.5m in diameter, formed during the Miocene period by the columnar jointing of andesitic lava as it cooled and contracted. The name tatami-ishi (tatami stones) is derived from the resemblance to a room of close-fitted tatami mats.
Hanauma Bay park, Honolulu, Hawaii
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The Hole of Horcum is a section of the valley of the Levisham Beck, upstream of Levisham and Lockton, in the Tabular Hills of the North York Moors National Park in northern England. The hollow is 400 ft deep and stretches 3/4 of a mile across. A "Devil's Punchbowl" type feature, local legend has it that the amphitheatre was formed when Wade the Giant scooped up a handful of earth to throw at his wife during an argument.
The Hole was actually created by a process called spring-sapping, where water welling up from the hillside gradually undermined the slopes above, eating the rocks away grain by grain. Over thousands of years, a once narrow valley widened and deepened into an enormous cauldron – and the process still continues today.
The photo was taken at the Norris Geyser Basin in the Yellowstone National Park. Although the main feature in the foreground is actually not a Geyser, but a Fumarole, which basically is a steam vent, one of the Yellowstone's hottest surface features.
A ten-stop B+W ND110 filter was used here.
Along the seashore Valtos sandstone can be seen, dating back to the Middle Jurassic. An impressive feature of the sandstone is the huge 'concretions', some as much as 2 metres across, such as the ones shown here. These have formed by migration of calcite within the sands after burial (perhaps taking about 5 million years to reach the size now seen). These protrude from the cliff face, and the rock platform below is littered with these boulders which have been eroded out of the cliff.
Frozen Vermilion River Falls at Hastings by the old city mills.
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Significant for geology and history. The coloured sandstone is linked to famoul sands of Alum Bay, Isle of Wight.
The WWII Pill box is listed for its special architectural and historic interest.
Name: Pillbox below Redend Point
List entry Number: 1411813
Early morning light cuts across the eroded formations of Cathedral Gorge State Park in Nevada, casting cool shadows and revealing the intricate textures of the bentonite clay landscape. These dramatic spires and cliffs, carved over centuries by water and wind, rise from the desert floor beneath a clear blue sky. This image was created by Duncan Rawlinson during a quiet morning in the Great Basin Desert.