Vallis Vale de la Beche unconformity - damage to this SSSI

Message from Alan Holiday, DIGS Group
"I was at Vallis Vale today with a group from Sherborne U3A. As you can see from the photo someone had had a bonfire on the unconformity surface!

I wasn’t in a position to clear up the mess unfortunately.
I was wondering if we might approach this through local school(s) if there is a geology dept or through geography or science  departments and try and get the staff on board to explain why this shouldn’t happen. When I was on the site in the summer doing some conservation work some of the young people were interested in what we were doing but had no idea why it was an important site until I told them. Can we get the young people to ’own’ the site and take care of it or has this already been tried?"

Response from the Somerset Earth Science Centre
"A difficult one. We do discuss the importance of this site with our school visitors. Any signage on this site has been systematically vandalized. At the moment we are working with the Mendip AONB on a lottery bid to get some leaflets/trails done for Vallis. We will hear about whether this is successful this month. Plus we have our regular public events taking people through Vallis to tell them why it is such an important area e.g. the walk at our annual geology festival Mendip Rocks!. So the whole thing is ongoing. However, teenagers will always claim out of the way areas as their own. We periodically sweep the area and clear it up, and I know local people will do the same and lovely geologists like yourself do blitzs on these sites too. We all do our bit."

Please send us your views and suggestions.

Mendip Rocks!

FULL PROGRAMME OF EVENTS

Fossil Foray - Writhlington - October 27th

The Somerset Earth Science Centre is organising a fossil foray at Writhlington Batch for the Mendip Rocks! Festival 2014. This will be in partnership with Radstock Museum. This will be for local families and is often well attended. It will be on Monday 27th October 2-4pm. This is a message to ask if there are any geologists out there that would like to come along and help identify peoples’ finds!
If anyone is interested in volunteering for a fun afternoon, please contact the Centre.

de la Beche unconformity, Vallis Vale, near Frome

Have you ever seen the site looking like this? Alan Holiday has sent the photos after he had done some more final clearance at the site.

Clearance at Tedbury Camp

Alan Holiday sent the photos. He says that the work party had a good session at yesterday. A party of 15 worked on the rock faces as well as the steps leading to the site. We have visited the site in 2009 and 2011 and it seemed to me that this time work was a bit easier because of earlier sessions. The group also benefited from having three brush cutters and a chainsaw which facilitated clearing work. I think this again shows the benefit of having a group of committed individuals who are also interested in what they are doing (making the geology accessible). Some of the walkers going through the site were interested in what we were doing but were completely unaware of the geological significance of the site. There is clearly a need for raising awareness.
The session goes on tomorrow too.

Clearance at Tedbury Camp - 18th - 20th September

The quarry faces and access steps at Tedbury Camp are now quite overgrown, with the quarry floor and SW perimeter also suffering from littering and camp fire debris. The rate of regeneration of silver birch and buddleia is staggering but, as always, it's the littering that's most annoying. Compared to its pristine condition a couple of years ago the situation is rather depressing.
 However, I'm confident that this can be remedied with our planned restoration campaign on Wednesday 18th - Friday 20th September 2013. If you know of any volunteer groups or individuals who may be prepared to roll up their sleeves during that period, I'd be delighted to hear from them. There are sufficient jobs to suit all tastes and energy levels. If you can bring some hand tools, such as a branch lopper, small spade, wire rake, secateurs, pruning saw, trowel or stiff-bristled brush, that would be very helpful. Tools with a bit more muscle - petrol-driven strimmers, hedge trimmers or chain saws - command an extra chocolate biscuit! Gardening gloves, a stout plastic rubbish bag and a bite to eat are essential, as is an ability to drink tea and eat biscuits ...
Some people will come for the three days, others will drop in for a few hours, but any level of support will be much appreciated. Access details are available on the website and day visitors can park at Fordbury Bottom (ST 749 492) and walk to the site.
For camping details or any queries please email.

Clearance at Tedbury Camp (and de la Beche)

Wednesday 18th - Friday 20th September - Tedbury Camp
The focus will be on 'gardening' activities (e.g. felling, lopping, trimming, weeding, strimming) and the less pleasant task of litter picking and disposal. We could also do with a tonne of gravel chippings to top-up the step profiles if any of the local quarries are prepared to deliver it, along with a mini-skip for the rubbish that won't burn.
Please come to help even if it's only for half an hour!

Reminder - 8th September - clearance at de la Beche site at Vallis Vale.
This site is in a sorry state and, considering it's an important SSSI for a fabulous unconformity, the situation is very sad.

Mendip Rocks Festival 2013

Mendip Rocks Festival programme is now available to download from the Somerset Wildlife Trust website.
Lots of exciting events.

Job opportunity - Somerset Earth Science Centre

A new post is being created at the Centre for a full-time assistant. The post is ideal for a graduate with teaching experience who wants to enter the environmental education sector.
Contact the Somerset Earth Science Centre if you are interested.

Mendip Rocks - events

Click here for full programme of festival events 

Sunday 12 August: 10.30 am – 4 pm
Guided walk to De La Beche Site and Tedbury Camp Fossil Collecting

Tuesday 14 August: 2 pm – 4 pm
Ebbor Gorge Guided Walk

Wednesday 15 August: 10 am – 3 pm
Mendip Quarry Geology

Friday 17 August: 2 pm – 5 pm
Geology, landscape and caves of Burrington Combe

Saturday 18 August: 2 pm – 5 pm
Westbury Quarry

Sunday 19 August: 2.30 pm
Asham Woods Walk

Tuesday 21 August: 10 am – 3 pm
Limestone Link

Wednesday 22 August: 10 am – 3 pm
Drystone Walling Training Day

Wednesday 22 August: 2 pm – 5 pm
The Geology and Scenery of Weston-super-Mare

Wednesday 29 August: 10 am – 4 pm
Rocky Roadshow

Mendips AONB - 7th-8th July

Martin Whiteley has kindly offered to lead a weekend Field Trip to the Mendips on behalf of the Geological Society South West Regional Group.
The trip will include: 
7th July - Burrington Combe, Banwell Bone Caves and Western Mendip 8th July - Doulting, Tedbury Camp/Vallis Vale and Eastern Mendip.
To book your place - please contact Ruth Easterbrook (Geological Society representative) by 'phone 01761 462390 or by email.
Costs - There will be a charge of £35 per person, which includes the cost of the minibus, the visit to Banwell Bone Cave (which is a private arrangement and includes lunch) and the field guide prepared by Martin to cover the weekend. Cheques should be made payable to 'Geological Society South West Regional Group' and sent to Ruth Easterbrook, 12 The Old Water Gardens, Blagdon, North Somerset, BS40 7SN. Alternatively if you wish to pay by electronic transfer, please contact Ruth Easterbrook.

Tidy-up at Tedbury Camp

A small group of volunteers did some clearance work at Tedbury Camp yesterday. The before and after photos above show you part of the results on the dip section in the Carboniferous Limestone on the east side. Work continues today. This site is definitely worth a visit.
The best parking spot is at Fordbury Bottom (ST 749.492) near Little Elm, west of Frome. For more details see the website.

Ancestor's Trail - Quantock Hills - 29th May

The second Ancestor's Trail event in the Quantock Hills in Somerset is being organised. Last year's event was part of the International Year of Biodiversity project but also had strong links with the Darwin 200 celebrations and the Darwin Trust. It is based on Darwin's evolutionary tree and was originally inspired by Richard Dawkin's book 'The Ancestor's tale'. The organiser became fascinated by the prospect of establishing a physical representation of our collective 3.7 billion year journey here on earth; a scientific pilgrimage if you will.
This year our Trail takes place on the 29th May and we'd really like to include some sort of Geological perspective, hopefully including fossils. We are looking for volunteers to give some much needed geological expertise along the trail. 
A little more information: Imagine the evolutionary tree of life, with each of its many branches bristling with many thousands of leaves, each representing a single life form. Manipulate this image so that the tree lies flat along the spine of some rolling hills in Somerset, UK; its branches approximately lining up with its many footpaths. Now add 'pilgrims' to many disparate locations representing particular groups of living things and, with a little pre-planned choreography, set them off on a symbolic journey to the 'dawn of life'. As they walk backwards along their branches towards its trunk, they firstly re-unite with close relatives, and then with more distant cousins, eventually coalescing into a merry throng at the origin of life. And where will this origin be? A beach called Kilve, liberally scattered with fossils. Although I have carefully designed the trail to maintain, at all times, its scientific integrity, I am also very keen to explore this huge panorama through the medium of the Arts.
The 2011 trail will therefore include musical contributions along the trail at our biological rendezvous to broaden its appeal.
Contact Bristol Naturalists if you can help.

ECOS Stones, Frome

Completed in 1992, the amphitheatre next to Frome Community College and the Merlin Theatre deserves better recognition. Few people know about the twelve huge monoliths surrounding the site - why are they there - where did they come from - what do they mean? The answers to all these questions can be found on the 'ECOS Stones, Frome' link from the Bath Geological Society website. It is a great pity that this wonderful resource has been so under-used in the last 19 years. There is no information board to explain the project and no leaflets are available. A tremendous amount of time and effort went into this venture and now the stones are looking neglected and weathered. It would be relatively easy to clean them. Please contrast their state today with the photos on the website. Is there anything we can do?
Your comments and suggestions would be appreciated.

Coal Measures and Ammonites - 24th April

Coal Measures and Ammonites - Saturday 24th April
led by Simon Carpenter and Alan Bentley.
The day starts at Radstock Museum where the story of coalmining in Somerset is told. The museum also contains spectacular fossil displays. Following the museum visit, several local geological sites will be visited including disused Lower Lias quarries and an old coal measures tip. Fossil collecting is permitted at some sites so don't forget to bring your hammers and goggles.
Meet at Radstock Museum at 10.30 a.m. GR 689 550 Bring packed lunch or money for cafe stop. There will be a small charge for entry to the museum. Finishes at 4pm.
It is essential to contact the GA office on 020 74349298 to make sure there is space - limit of 20 people.

More photos of the new look Tedbury Camp

Click here to see more photos of the 'new' Tedbury Camp site.

Tedbury Camp site clearance

Tedbury Camp has been transformed thanks to the hard work of a team of people from 24th - 30th September. Once again the geology can be seen and the access is easy. Everything described so accurately on the ESTA website can now be seen!
Click on the following to view more photos:-
West face
NE corner
Carboniferous limestone with chert
Contact at unconformity
Worm borings NE corner
Oysters on erosion surface - NE
Well done everyone!

Clearance work at Tedbury, near Frome

There will be major clearance of this very important site from 24th - 30th September.
Any help will be much appreciated.
Please email if you can help so that the work can be co-ordinated.
Further details about the site can be found by clicking on the following links:
UKRIGS - Earth Science On-Site
Tedbury Camp Quarry: a geological gem in the Mendip Hills

Sea Dragons of Avalon

Do you associate sea dragons with Street in Somerset? It seems you should - click here to view the details. The Sea Dragons of Avalon seminar will be held at the modern Strode Theatre in Street, on the edge of the marshes forming the Somerset Levels, opposite King Arthur’s legendary Isle of Avalon on July 31st 2009. It will offer a fresh look at the Street area, one of the classic source localities for marine reptiles during the 19^th century alongside Lyme Regis. The seminar will be set in the wider context of the latest Triassic and early Jurassic faunal turnovers, and topics will include assessment of the Triassic-Jurassic marine reptile fauna together with contemporary changes in land reptiles, marine fishes and marine invertebrates. This is highly topical in light of interest in the end-Triassic mass extinction and recent resurvey of the Street area by the British Geological Survey. New vertebrate finds, together with posters by workers and institutions in the south-west of England, will be on display and we plan to visit the Alfred Gillett Collection of local fossil reptiles by kind courtesy of the archives of the Alfred Gillett Trust.

Tedbury Camp - latest information

This is to let you know that a new website describing Tedbury Camp, near Frome, is now available. Over the last couple of years this wonderful locality has attracted the documentation it deserves and there are now three major complementary sources of information available for the area.
The new website - 'Tedbury Camp - a geological gem in the Mendip Hills', has been compiled by Dr. Martin Whiteley on behalf of the Earth Science Teachers' Association (ESTA). It is aimed at A Level students, undergraduates and researchers, and includes lots of illustrative material and a detailed map of the quarry. It forms part of the ESTA website.
The two other sources of information are:-
- the UKRIGS Earth Science On-Site education project which is designed to encourage non-specialist science teachers to undertake Earth science fieldwork with pupils from primary to GCSE level,
- British Geological Survey (2008) publication - walkers' guide to the geology and landscape of eastern Mendip. This can be obtained from the BGS at Keyworth, Nottingham for £12 and comprises a 68-page book and a map at 1:25000 scale. Additional information can be found on the BGS website.
In the future, we hope to improve the steep access path to Tedbury Camp, clear some of the overgrown faces and produce a geotrail leaflet that describes this and several other localities in the Mells valley. It will be aimed at casual visitors who may be interested to learn a little more about the rich heritage of this area.