NW Highlands of Scotland - new book

A Geological Excursion Guide to the North-West Highlands of Scotland Edited by Kathryn M. Goodenough and Maarten Krabbendam, co-published with Edinburgh Geological Society.
The area covered largely corresponds to the North-west Geopark.The 16 excursions:
• Loch Assynt and the Achmore Duplex
• A Transect through the Canisp Shear Zone,
   Achmelvich
• Stoer Group at Stoer Peninsula
• Stoer Group at Enard Bay
• Ullapool River, Creag nam Broc and Glen Achall
• Knockan Crag and the Knocken Klippen
• Traligill and Bealach Traligill
• Conival and Ben More Assynt
• Glen Oykel and the Loch Ailsh Pluton
• Cam Loch, Ledmore and the Loch Borralan Pluton
• Glencoul
• Scourie Mor
• Tarbet
• Durness, Balnakeil Bay and Faraid Head
• The Moine Thrust Zone at Loch Eriboll
• Roadside Stops around the North-west Highlands
Advice is given on travel and accommodation.
£15.99 - available from website, bookshops or contact the publisher on 0131 247 4083. Bulk order/trade discounts available.
This is the companion volume to An Excursion Guide to the Moine Geology of the Northern Highlands of Scotland by Rob Strachan, Ian Alsop, and Suzanne Miller at £17.99, available as above, as is A Geological Excursion Guide to Rum by C H Emeleus and V R Troll at £12.99.
Those of you with young geologists in mind may be interested in Scottish Rocks and Fossils by Alan and Moira McKirdy, aimed at 7-11 year-olds at £5.99.

Pregnant lizard - 120 million years old

A 120-million-year-old fossil is the oldest pregnant lizard ever discovered, according to scientists. The fossil, found in China, is a very complete 30cm (12in) lizard with more than a dozen embryos in its body. Researchers from University College London, who studied the fossil, say it was just days from giving birth when it died and was buried during the Cretaceous period. The fossil is especially interesting to scientists because it is a reptile that produced live young rather than laying eggs. Only 20% of living lizards and snakes produce live young, and this shows it is an ancient, if unusual, trait. The fossil comes from world famous rocks of the Jehol Group in north-eastern China, where the fine limestone there has been worn away to gradually reveal hundreds of exquisite specimens of dinosaurs, but also fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, plants and invertebrates. The mother lizard has been identified as a specimen of Yabeinosaurus, a large, slow-growing and relatively primitive lizard.
Click here for more details.

BBC and new Geology programmes

In case you have not been checking up on TV listings lately - BBC1 at 9pm Tuesday 19th July and Tuesday 26th July
Richard Hammond (Top Gear) is off on a Journey to the Centre of the Planet this week and a Journey to the Bottom of the Ocean next week.

Mendip Rocks

Somerset Wildlife Trust has organised Mendip Rocks, an exciting series of geological events, trips and talks in Somerset over August and September, exploring the diverse geology of Somerset and it's relationships to Somerset's wildlife, habitats and historical buildings. 

New Bath geological map

Did you know that the new BGS 1:50,000 geological map of Bath (sheet 265, Bedrock and Superficial) is due to be published during the summer? The actual date will probably be announced on the website. The website is well worth investigating - lots of good info.

Reminder - South Devon Linear Walk

At the moment, there are not enough people interested in this trip (see previous post) to make it viable. Please note that the final date for the minimum number of enrolments is Sunday 24th July (2 weeks time).
Please let Nick Chidlaw, know if you are interested in attending by that date.
Also note that Nick's trips are always very well planned and very enjoyable!