Tuesday 25 September 2012

October 6th - Geology around Chew Valley and Broadfield Down

A Geostudies Saturday field dayschool
Saturday 6th October 2012, 10.00 am – 5.00 pm
Geology around Chew Valley and Broadfield Down
The area lies between the northern face of the Mendips and Broadfield Down, the site of Bristol Airport, and is the location for two of Bristol’s water reservoirs; Chew Valley Lake and Blagdon Lake, which use the impermeable Triassic Mercia Mudstone as their foundation.
We will aim to study the geology and landscape of this
attractive area, within a metaphorical stone’s throw of Bristol and Keynsham; together with an examination of the changing environments recorded by the sequence of rocks laid down over almost 200 million years.
To Enrol contact Dave Green or go to the Geostudies website
As usual, Dave will inform participants signed up to the course a week in advance of the date, as to the meeting point for the start of the course.

Saturday 22 September 2012

26th September - The Cabinet Maker's Daughter

The Cabinet Maker's Daughter is a play about Mary Anning, an early 19th Century Fossil collector in Lyme Regis. Created by local theatre company As One Productions from Dorset, it recently performed at the Jurassic Coast Earth Festival.
Wednesday 26 September, 8pm
The Brewhouse, Taunton
Age: 10+
Running time: 2 hrs
Full £9  60+ £9 Conc. £7

Mary Anning weekend




Mary Anning weekend 
Lyme Regis Museum
September 29th and 30th
10.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m.
See the website for further details.

Mountains in the Sea


WEGA's first talk of the new season is 'Mountains in the Sea' to be given by Prof. Tony Watts, Professor of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Oxford. 
Tuesday 9th October, 19.30 
Wills Memorial Building, Bristol
Prof. Watts' recent work attracted much media attention late last year, with pictures showing volcanic seamounts being subducted into an oceanic trench in the Pacific Ocean.
Everyone is welcome.

Saturday 15 September 2012

October 7th - Kirtlington Quarry

Sunday 7th October - 10am - 1pm
Bio and geo-conservation Open Day  

organised by Oxfordshire Geology Trust (OGT) & Kirtlington Wildlife and Conservation Society (KWACS)







This disused quarry is a regionally important SSSI geological locality that exposes a sequence through the Great Oolite Series (Middle Jurassic) deposited between 167 to 164 million years ago, during the Bathonian to lower-most Callovian times – when this part of Oxfordshire was covered with warm, tropical seas.
Members of both OGT and KWACS will be available to discuss the local geology, flora and fauna of the site.
Geological tours of the Quarry: 10.30, 12.00
Light refreshments will be available

Friday 7 September 2012

Banwell Bone Caves - 8th and 9th September


Banwell Bone Caves are open this Saturday and Sunday from 10.30 - 4.30. Admission is free but donations towards further restoration can be made in the various collection boxes.

Isle of Purbeck - 28th - 30th September

Isle of Purbeck
Leader: Prof John C.W. Cope (National Museum of Wales)
Stay in Wareham or surrounding villages
Meet Sat 10am at viewpoint at SY905816
Need hard hat but not hi vis
Packed/pub lunch both days 

This meeting is arranged to coincide with the publication of Prof Cope’s revised GA Dorset guide. It will begin with an introductory talk, probably in Wareham Public Library, on the Friday evening. Saturday and Sunday will be spent in the field examining the succession in the Isle of Purbeck, which ranges in age from the Upper Jurassic, through the Cretaceous and into the Palaeocene;  many of the rocks are fossiliferous.  The principal structure of the area is a major monoclinal fold which has caused local overturning of the succession. The area is also famous for magnificent coastal scenery and its evolution, whilst economically Purbeck is important as the site of the largest onshore oilfield in western Europe. The new guide should be available before the trip.
Please note that the trip will be quite strenuous physically. There are steep climbs from sea-level to some 130 m (425 ft), together with steep descents that are likely to be muddy.  Beaches are often rough and traverses will involve boulder-hopping, seaweed covered rocks and soft shingle.  Boots with good ankle support are strongly recommended. Good waterproof clothing may well be needed as the coast is exposed to Atlantic weather. We hope to be in the vicinity of at least one hostelry each day for lunch.
Contact the GA for further information.

Siccar Point - bad development

Help to save Siccar Point and Hutton's famous unconformity.
Read more.


Monday 3 September 2012

Lifelong Learning 4 day course

Field Geology from the Malvern Hills to the Cotswolds
Tutor: Dr Nick Chidlaw
Two weekends in October: 6th, 7th and 13th, 14th
10.00 am – 5.00 pm each day


This highly scenic area spans the boundary between older folded rocks seen in much of Wales, and younger flatter rocks in southern England. Our study includes those from Precambrian to Jurassic age: metamorphics on the craggy Malverns, red desert strata in a cliff on the River Severn, and shelly oolitic limestone limestones (some formerly containing dinosaur bones) in Cotswold quarries.
No prior knowledge of geology or the locations is assumed. Attendees arrange their own transport and lunches. Meeting locations to be provided to those enrolled.
The course is organized through Cardiff University. It carries assessment, which is very difficult to fail!; attendees usually find assessment on these courses useful for consolidating what they have learned.
Tuition fee is £122.00 (Concessionary fee available £98.00).
Enrolments can be made by ‘phoning 029 2087 0000 or see website. For more information on course content and specific field locations, contact tutor.