Wednesday, 20 May 2015
Congratulations to geologists at Wells Cathedral School
Sunday, 17 May 2015
11th & 12th July - Two independent field courses - South Malverns & Jurassic of Cotswolds
Dr. Nick Chidlaw is organising the following two courses; they are independent of each other: both courses can be attended, or either course, according to your particular interest / availability.
Each course has a fee of £25.00 per person.
Contact Nick if you are interested in either or both.
THE SOUTH MALVERNS AND ADJACENT AREAS: a circular geological walk
Saturday 11th July 10.00 am – 5.00 pm.
The dramatic ridge of the Malvern Hills has attracted the curiosity of geologists and naturalists, and drawn walkers for generations. This field day will take you on a gently-paced, circular walk across part of the high south Malverns, and the lower ‘hogs back’ and scarp country to the west, Frequent stops will allow landforms, both near and distant, and their underlying geology to be explained, and rock exposures examined en route. A variety of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks will be studied of Late Precambrian and Silurian age, revealing a legacy from two major episodes of plate tectonic collision and intervening tropical coral-rich seas. The walk is approximately 4 miles long, and no prior knowledge of geology or the area is assumed.
Gullet Quarry and Swinyard Hill just beyond
JURASSIC CONTRASTS OF THE COTSWOLDS: muddy rift basin seas and clear limestone shoals
Sunday 12th July 10.00 am – 5.00 pm
During the Jurassic period (c. 200 – 145 million years ago), the North Atlantic Ocean basin was only just beginning to open between what is now the United States and NW Africa, and had not yet done so from Newfoundland and Iberia northwards. This latter area, which included the British Isles, was characterised by unstable crustal tension within which the remainder of the ocean basin would eventually open. This unstable crust, overlain by shelf seas and islands, comprised a mosaic of rift basins, each with their own history of subsidence and eventual stabilisation. The area of crust that became the British Isles at this time lay about 40 degrees N and had a humid, sub-tropical climate. The Cotswolds are located in one of these formerly-active rift basins, and are characterised by strata that indicate repeated rifting and infilling by mostly muddy sediments in the Early Jurassic, and much greater crustal stabilisation, when mostly clear very shallow waters and the deposition of limestones prevailed, in the Middle Jurassic. No prior knowledge of geology or the area is assumed.
Leckhampton Hill Quarries
For each course, a handout outlining the day’s programme, including location sketch maps, optional reading list, geological history, and graphic / written logs detailing the rocks to be studied, will be forwarded in advance of the course to those enrolled.
Please note that for each course you will need to:
- Arrange your own transport
- Bring your own packed lunch, and any refreshments (e.g. flask of coffee, fruit juice, mineral water etc.)
- Wear strong footwear with good tread and ankle support, and have waterproof clothing with you in case weather is poor.
- Wear a hard hat (we will often be close to overhead quarry/cliff faces) – if you do not possess one of these, let me know in advance and I will provide you with one for the day.
You would be insured against accident for the duration of each course.
Each course has a fee of £25.00 per person.
Contact Nick if you are interested in either or both.
THE SOUTH MALVERNS AND ADJACENT AREAS: a circular geological walk
Saturday 11th July 10.00 am – 5.00 pm.
The dramatic ridge of the Malvern Hills has attracted the curiosity of geologists and naturalists, and drawn walkers for generations. This field day will take you on a gently-paced, circular walk across part of the high south Malverns, and the lower ‘hogs back’ and scarp country to the west, Frequent stops will allow landforms, both near and distant, and their underlying geology to be explained, and rock exposures examined en route. A variety of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks will be studied of Late Precambrian and Silurian age, revealing a legacy from two major episodes of plate tectonic collision and intervening tropical coral-rich seas. The walk is approximately 4 miles long, and no prior knowledge of geology or the area is assumed.
JURASSIC CONTRASTS OF THE COTSWOLDS: muddy rift basin seas and clear limestone shoals
Sunday 12th July 10.00 am – 5.00 pm
During the Jurassic period (c. 200 – 145 million years ago), the North Atlantic Ocean basin was only just beginning to open between what is now the United States and NW Africa, and had not yet done so from Newfoundland and Iberia northwards. This latter area, which included the British Isles, was characterised by unstable crustal tension within which the remainder of the ocean basin would eventually open. This unstable crust, overlain by shelf seas and islands, comprised a mosaic of rift basins, each with their own history of subsidence and eventual stabilisation. The area of crust that became the British Isles at this time lay about 40 degrees N and had a humid, sub-tropical climate. The Cotswolds are located in one of these formerly-active rift basins, and are characterised by strata that indicate repeated rifting and infilling by mostly muddy sediments in the Early Jurassic, and much greater crustal stabilisation, when mostly clear very shallow waters and the deposition of limestones prevailed, in the Middle Jurassic. No prior knowledge of geology or the area is assumed.
Tuffley Brickpit
For each course, a handout outlining the day’s programme, including location sketch maps, optional reading list, geological history, and graphic / written logs detailing the rocks to be studied, will be forwarded in advance of the course to those enrolled.
Please note that for each course you will need to:
- Arrange your own transport
- Bring your own packed lunch, and any refreshments (e.g. flask of coffee, fruit juice, mineral water etc.)
- Wear strong footwear with good tread and ankle support, and have waterproof clothing with you in case weather is poor.
- Wear a hard hat (we will often be close to overhead quarry/cliff faces) – if you do not possess one of these, let me know in advance and I will provide you with one for the day.
You would be insured against accident for the duration of each course.
Friday, 8 May 2015
June - William Smith lecture and field trip / July - field trip
June 4th
William Smith's earliest career to 1810 (and thus his time in the Bath area)
Professor Hugh Torrens, Keele University
Further details on Bath GS website
Saturday 13th June
William Smith day: from Tucking Mill along the Somerset Coal Canal
Dr. David Workman, Bath Geological Society
We will walk down to Tucking Mill and follow the canal from there to the Combe Hay lock flight and then back up the hill to Southstoke
Meet at 10.30 a.m. at Holy Trinity Church, Combe Down. Accessible by bus and there is street parking in the area. We shall finish the walk at Southstoke where some cars will be parked. Strong footwear and packed lunch will be needed.
Contact the field secretary for more information
4th July - Geology of the Black Mountain, western Brecon Beacons
Bath Geological Society is planning to book a coach for this exciting field trip to be led by one of our favourite leaders -
Dr. Geraint Owen from Swansea University
The coach will start in Box at 8.00 a.m. and then pick up in Bath and Bristol en route. The cost will be £25.
Please email the field secretary to book your place as soon as possible - only a few seats left.
William Smith's earliest career to 1810 (and thus his time in the Bath area)
Professor Hugh Torrens, Keele University
Further details on Bath GS website
Saturday 13th June
William Smith day: from Tucking Mill along the Somerset Coal Canal
Dr. David Workman, Bath Geological Society
We will walk down to Tucking Mill and follow the canal from there to the Combe Hay lock flight and then back up the hill to Southstoke
Meet at 10.30 a.m. at Holy Trinity Church, Combe Down. Accessible by bus and there is street parking in the area. We shall finish the walk at Southstoke where some cars will be parked. Strong footwear and packed lunch will be needed.
Contact the field secretary for more information
4th July - Geology of the Black Mountain, western Brecon Beacons
Bath Geological Society is planning to book a coach for this exciting field trip to be led by one of our favourite leaders -
Dr. Geraint Owen from Swansea University
The coach will start in Box at 8.00 a.m. and then pick up in Bath and Bristol en route. The cost will be £25.
Please email the field secretary to book your place as soon as possible - only a few seats left.
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