Is it a face? Is it a goose? No! It's a rock. Explore weird rock formations that resemble animals and objects.
"Sometimes," says Shakespeare's Antony, "we see a cloud that's dragonish" – and when it comes to clouds, dragons are just the beginning.
Seeing shapes in clouds is a psychological phenomenon known as "pareidolia". Humans, it seems, are always looking to make sense of the world by imposing patterns and shapes upon it.
In the case of rocks, it has a name. Take the Face on Mars – the Martian rock formation that, from certain angles, looks like a human face. This is an example of a mimetolithic pattern.
The world is full of mimetoliths. Here at Stump Cross Caverns, our limestone caves are filled with strange and striking formations. Elsewhere in the world, there are rocks resembling people and animals.
These formations aren't just impressive. They can also make us reflect on how old the Earth is and just how much geological activity went on before we evolved.
So, without further ado, here are some weird and wonderful rock formations from across the world – starting right here at our Yorkshire Dales caves.
Stump Cross Caverns
Way back in 1935, Yorkshire lad Hugh Bottomley went on a trip to Stump Cross Caverns. In 2003, he published an account of the trip in the Craven Pothole Club Record. He said:
"The flickering lights of our candles cast shadows which added a strange effect. We could not see the supposed resemblance of a limestone formation called 'The Hawk' to the real thing. But then we didn't know what a hawk looked like. The only bird I knew was the robin that visited our bird table at home.
"We could vaguely understand [The Organ], but The Sleeping Cat was difficult to accept. To us lads The Wedding Cake was a bit far-fetched, and we couldn't understand The Cradle. We stared in wonder at The Jewel Box, which the guide compared with a miniature cave grotto – but of course, we didn't know what a cave grotto was."
Hugh's bafflement about these supposed shapes was partly because of childlike ignorance and partly because of those flickering candles.
Today, Stump Cross Caverns is kitted out with electric lights and visitors from across the world can get a good look at these mimetolithic formations.
One formation that Hugh doesn't mention is The Butcher's Shop. This is a reddish expanse of hefty stalactites that looks like meat in a butcher's window. It gets its hue (not Hugh) from iron veins in the rock.
The Princess of Hope, Pakistan
What will Angelina Jolie be remembered for? As well as her iconic performance as the Tomb Raider, chances are she'll be remembered for naming a rock formation in Pakistan.
In 2002, Jolie was visiting the Hingol National Park in Pakistan as a UN Goodwill Ambassador (a celebrity who raises awareness for the UN). There, she saw a huge, naturally occurring column of weathered rock.
Quick as a flash, Jolie saw a woman wearing a crown atop a huge flowing skirt. She called it the Princess of Hope – and the name stuck.
The Princess of Hope is part of a dramatic mountainous landscape – all gorgeous gorges and rock formations. Nearby is the Balochistan Sphinx, another naturally formed rock that looks like the Great Sphinx of Giza.
Katter Kich, Australia
Called "Katter Kich" by the indigenous Ballardong people and "Wave Rock" to the descendants of Australian colonisers, this natural rock formation looks like an ocean wave breaking over the desert.
Two miles east of the small town of Hyden in Western Australia, it's the north side of an ancient granite hill – and we mean ancient. Scientists date Katter Kich as over two billion years old.
Katter Kich forms part of the Aboriginal mythology known as "Dreamtime". The Ballardong believe it was created by the Rainbow Serpent. She drank all the water in the land and then dragged her swollen form across it.
The resulting wave-like rock is part of a "dreaming trail" running from the south coast all the way to the northeast.
Manpupuner, Russia
"Manpupuner" translates as "Small Mountain of the Idols" – but it's a pleasing coincidence that it contains the word "man".
These seven stone pillars to the west of the Urals are known in English as the "Seven Strong Men", thanks to their humanoid appearance. One glance at a photo and you'll understand why they're one of the Seven Wonders of Russia.
These 30- and 40-metre-high pillars have an otherworldly quality, not unlike Easter Island heads. They seem to belong to a different time and place – a monumental time when giants roamed the Earth.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, many legends surround the Seven Strong Men. One legend has it that a group of giants were coming to conquer the Mansi people. But as soon as they saw the holy mountains, the attackers froze into pillars.
As with all of these formations, it's incredible to think they're the product of natural processes. In this case, snow, frost, wind and heat wore down mountains some 200 million years ago.
How do rock formations form?
All of these rock formations are the product of erosion – but different rocks are eroded in different ways.
In limestone caves like Stump Cross Caverns, water does the work. Over millions of years, caves are hollowed out as the water slowly breaks down the limestone.
The water carries minerals and other sediments that get deposited on the rocks. Over time, these turn into rock formations.
Outdoor rock formations are weathered by wind, rain and other elements. Some are carved out of mountain ranges. Some are the result of volcanic activity. All are a testament to Earth's long and dramatic past.
Want to see some weird and wonderful rock formations in the Yorkshire Dales?
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