Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group (WGCG)

Bones and Badlands - Phil Manning
2024-09-19 19:30 - 21:00 (Europe/London) | Warwickshire
Dinosaurs in some cases were awkwardly large. This led to some incredible adaptations to overcome the challenge of vast size but makes them particularly difficult to excavate and study! Some of the largest dinosaurs were the sauropods, growing up to 37 metres in length…if we are to believe some of the skeletons in museums, which are often based on partial/fragmentary remains. This talk will take you on an excavation to the Morrison Formation of Wyoming (USA) that has produced several moderate sized (20+ metres long) sauropod dinosaurs that were excavated over a period of five years.

This lecture will be offered in a hybrid format. Please join us in person if you can, or register to attend virtually via zoom using the link below.

Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZclfuyvpj0rG9bz9c3CdYgbsOYq4nMyjxGr

Professor Phil Manning

Sauropod femur & Professor Phil Manning, Wyoming 2017

Venue:St Francis Of Assisi RC Church, 110 Warwick Rd, Kenilworth CV8 1HLhttps://maps.app.goo.gl/9CGWRNdgFfttDKtd7

Charnwood Forest Field Trip - Nick Chidlaw
2024-09-20 13:00 - 2024-09-22 17:00 | Warwickshire
Note the date: Nick Chidlaw will lead a field weekend around Charnwood commencing Friday September 20 ending Sunday 22 September 2024. Base likely to be in Loughborough.

Details to follow.

Photo by Rob Holloway

Ask a Geologist
2024-10-12 10:30 - 12:30 | Market Hall Museum, Market Hall Museum, Market Pl, Warwick,, CV34 4SA, United Kingdom
Kicking off Earth Science Week we shall be holding a special Ask a Geologist session at Warwick Museum. WCG geological experts will be at hand to discuss geology in our everyday lives, geological careers, and geological science in general. Come along and examin specimens in super detail with our blue tooth microscope. We will have a number of rocks, minerals and fossils on hand to be viewed and discussed, a number of posters, geological references and free brochures of nearby geology trails. For teachers and schools we will have a limited supply of Earth Science Tool Kits available free of charge. This is a drop in event, no need to book ahead.

Dawn of the Modern World: Life, Death and Rain in the late Triassic - Mike Simms
2024-10-17 19:30 - 21:00 | Warwickshire
In November 1987 two young geologists stumbled upon evidence that the prevailing aridityof the Late Triassic was interrupted, for about a million years, by an interval of greatlyincreased rainfall that appeared synchronous with mass extinction and diversificationevents in both marine and terrestrial environments. This key episode in the evolution oftaxa from dinosaurs to dinoflagellates, coccoliths to coral reefs, has been described as theDawn of the Modern World. First published in 1989, the Carnian Pluvial Episode wasvirtually ignored for almost 20 years. Since 2010 there has been a huge upsurge in interestworldwide. Research groups have confirmed much of what was reported, and hypothesized,in that first paper. The CPE is now entering the scientific ‘mainstream’. It featuredprominently in episode 1 of the recent BBC documentary Earth and was the main focus of arecent Japanese documentary.This talk will provide a history of the discovery of the CPE, the evidence for the climatic andbiotic changes discovered back in the late-1980s, and more recent developments in thestudy of the CPE. The speaker is well placed to describe these events. He was one half ofthat geological partnership of 1987, still works with his co-author Alastair Ruffell all theseyears later, and recently published another major paper on the CPE.

This lecture will be offered in a hybrid format. Please join us in person if you can, or register to attend virtually via zoom using the link below.Register in advance for this meeting:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84030428334?pwd=[REDACTED]

Venue:St Francis Of Assisi RC Church, 110 Warwick Rd, Kenilworth CV8 1HLhttps://maps.app.goo.gl/9CGWRNdgFfttDKtd7

Urban Geology tour of Warwick
2024-10-18 10:30 - 12:30 | Market Place, Warwick, Market Place, Warwick, United Kingdom
Dr John Radley will give a guided tour of historic Warwick town centre looking at the building stones used in its construction. Jon will enlighten participants with his historical snippits of information, which have literally “shaken” the town. This is a popular gentle walk commencing from the museum entrance over a distance of about 1.5 miles lasting between 1.5 to 2 hours. In the event of bad weather Jon will give a very illuminating guided tour of the museum geological collection. Not to be missed. Places limited to 16. To secure your place please register by email to warwickshiregcg@gmail.com

AGM
2024-11-21 19:30 - 21:00 | Warwickshire
AGM Evening (Members only)

Agenda and voting• Welcome Chair• Apologies received Chair• Minutes of the 2023 AGM Chair• Chairman’s report (TAR) Chair• Finance report Treasurer• Trustee nominations received Secretary• Members Questions / Suggestions Members / Secretary• Collate Ballot / Results Secretary• Nominations for awards Secretary

Members are reminded to bring their voting slips along if they have not voted by email.

The AGM will be followed by presentations by

• Brian Ellis• Mike Allen (display of specimens)• Ray Pratt

Ask a Geologist
2024-12-07 10:30 - 13:30, 2025-04-05 10:30 - 13:30 | Market Hall Museum, Market Hall Museum, Market Pl, Warwick,, CV34 4SA, United Kingdom
The WGCG shall be holding a special Ask a Geologist session at Market Hall Museum in Warwick. WGCG geological experts will be at hand to discuss geology in our everyday lives, geological careers, and geological science in general. Come along and examine specimens in super detail with our blue tooth microscope. We will have a number of rocks, minerals and fossils on hand to be viewed and discussed, a number of posters, geological references and free brochures of nearby geology trails.

This is a drop in event, no need to book ahead.

Christmas Social
2024-12-12 19:30 - 21:00 | Warwickshire
The next evening meeting of Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group will be the Christmas Social on Thursday 12th December at St Francis’ Church Hall, Warwick Road, Kenilworth at 7.30pm.

There will be a quiz and a short presentation from a local artist. And there will be plenty of time to socialise.

It is hoped that members can share refreshments – if you are able, please bring a plate of food to contribute to the buffet table.

Mulled wine and soft drinks will be provided.

Merry Christmas!

Glaciations of the British Isles - Jim Rose
2025-01-16 19:30 - 21:00 | Warwickshire
Although our understanding of the history of the Last Glaciation in Britain (c. 35,000 to 11,000 years ago) is the best in the world, our understanding of earlier glaciations is far from secure and subject to much disagreement and controversy. Recent publications relating to the glaciation of the West Midlands, using up-to-date methods of dating the glacial and related deposits, have provided much new information, but controversy still remains. This presentation provides an introduction to the science of reconstructing glacial histories, by reference to the work done on the Last Glaciation in Britain and an outline of the evidence for the earlier glaciations. The lecture examines the range of evidence available, including the nature of landscape change associated with each glaciation. It also considers the nature of landscape change and the presence of human activity between the glacial episodes. Particular attention is given to the evidence now available from the West Midlands and especially the area around Warwick.

Jim Rose is Emeritus Professor of Geography at the University of London having been at Birkbeck and Royal Holloway Colleges. He is also a Visiting Research Associate of the British Geological Survey and an Honorary Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge.

Jim Rose demonstrating one of the sites with evidence for multiple glaciations in East Anglia

This lecture will be offered in a hybrid format. Please join us in person if you can, or register to attend virtually via zoom using the link below.

Register in advance to attend virtually: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEpduutqTMvHtJrf-H82eUYzjKlg92ZJ68w

Venue:St Francis Of Assisi RC Church, 110 Warwick Rd, Kenilworth CV8 1HLhttps://maps.app.goo.gl/9CGWRNdgFfttDKtd7

WGCG Workshop - Practical use of geological resources and techniques
2025-02-15 10:00 - 16:00 | Warwickshire
This annual WGCG workshop will include presentations from British Geological Survey (BGS) and WGCG geologists and include training in accessing and understanding geological data as well as recording it.

Note – participants are asked to bring a laptop / tablet / phone so that they can access the BGS website, and also a ruler, pencils and crayons.

Places are limited to 24 participants – first come, first served. If you would like to attend, please complete the below form and return it to, Julie Harrald, as soon as possible.Event Form

Please note that the registration deadline is Saturday 9th February

For more information on this event, please view the flyer by clicking here

Venue:Kenilworth Senior Citizens’ Club, Abbey End, Kenilworth CV8 1QJhttps://maps.app.goo.gl/mwy1WDFQmGJLu4Rs5

Footprints from the past: the nature and value of the UK’s dinosaur track record - Kirsty Edgar
2025-02-20 19:30 - 21:00 | Warwickshire
Dinosaurs were a hugely successful group of vertebrates with a wide array of morphologies and ecologies that dominated terrestrial ecosystems globally during much of the Mesozoic (~228-66 million years ago). Dinosaur tracks (footprints) are a key means of determining the palaeoecology and distribution of dinosaurs through time and highly complementary to the skeletal record. There is a long history of dinosaur tracks being reported and studied in the UK, from the mid-19th century to the present day, reflecting the excellent exposure of Mesozoic rocks through many parts of the UK and a long history of public and scientific interest in fossils.

Dinosaur tracks are also amongst the most popular and recognisable trace fossils encountered in the natural world by the public and are a major draw to some areas of England, Scotland and Wales. Thus, beyond their scientific value, they provide key aesthetic and pedagogic opportunities in the tourism and education sectors. However, the protection, monitoring, communication, and our scientific knowledge of the sites varies considerably.

This talk will review the UK dinosaur track record including recent new discoveries in Oxfordshire, assess the scientific and cultural value of existing in-situ dinosaur track sites in the UK, and identify threats and opportunities at UK sites where future conservation and public engagement actions should be focused.

About the speaker

Kirsty is a Professor of Micropalaeontology in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham, UK. The bulk of her research focusses on the timing, nature and interaction between global climate, biogeochemical cycling and marine life in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. However, more recently, she has also become involved with how to record, communicate and protect the UK’s palaeontological heritage with an initial focus on the UK’s dinosaur record.

Register in advance to attend virtually: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtcO2ppjIpGN0kXNpSU19CxxNc5cAH6L8u

Venue:St Francis Of Assisi RC Church, 110 Warwick Rd, Kenilworth CV8 1HLhttps://maps.app.goo.gl/9CGWRNdgFfttDKtd7

Alpine peaks and salt intrusions - geological windows into deep Earth’s mantle - Jonathan Turner
2025-03-20 19:30 - 21:00 | Warwickshire
The blood-red serpentinites exposed at Kynance Cove in the Lizard of south Cornwall are arguably Britain’s most beautiful rocks and they tell a fascinating geological story. Serpentinite is an unusual rock type that forms where seawater circulates through deep mantle rocks, changing their mineralogy from olivines and pyroxenes to amphiboles such as the curiously named lizardite. But Earth’s mantle lies deep beneath the crust – at least 7km below the surface and, on the continents, at least 35km. So how do mantle rocks such as serpentinite come to be exposed at Earth’s surface? The answers to this question have relevance not only for our general understanding of plate tectonic processes but also for oil and gas exploration in ultra-deep water ocean basins such as Brazil and West Africa. This talk looks at some of the settings where mantle rocks are exposed and will discuss the geological processes that lead to their “exhumation”.

Jonathan Turner is a structural geologist and studied the deep structure of the Pyrenees for his PhD. He spent his career in oil and gas exploration, in academia at Birmingham University, and with Nuclear Waste Services.

https://www.jonathanturner.co.uk

Register in advance to attend virtually: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAuceCgrjwrHdI7EARmlrqPJvwrSJnkDsnX

Venue:St Francis Of Assisi RC Church, 110 Warwick Rd, Kenilworth CV8 1HLhttps://maps.app.goo.gl/9CGWRNdgFfttDKtd7

Field Trip Arden Sandstone - Stuart Burley
2025-04-05 10:30 - 16:00 | Warwickshire
Led by Stuart Burley for BCGS, WGCG members welcome.

Meet in the car park to St. Laurence Church, Rowington, at 10.30am.

Estimated finish time approximately 4pm.

The car park is on the south side of the B4439 (Old Warwick Road) opposite the church of St Laurence, in Rowington, OS Sheet 221 Coventry & Warwick GR 420321 269307. There is no church service on the Sunday morning of our visit so there is parking for around 15 cars.

There are 3 scheduled stops on this trip, which will require driving short distances between the localities, and short walks at each location. Stop 1 is in Rowington and visits St Laurence Church, where the Rev. Brodie is buried and has a stained-glass window dedicated to him, and the BGS reference section of the Arden Sandstone on the Grand Union Canal, recently cleared by WGCG. Stop 2 is at Shrewley, to examine exposures of the Arden Sandstone at both ends of Shrewley Tunnel on the Grand Union Canal, a designated geological SSSI, which was cleared in 2022. Stop 3 is in Henley-in-Arden to climb the ‘Mount’ for the distant views, take in the Norman church of St Nicholas and its building stones, as well as a walk to the recently cleared Arden Sandstone exposure on Blackford Hill.

Stuart will have hand specimens and core samples from the Arden Sandstone, including fossils and sedimentary structures, to help elucidate features seen in the outcrops and church buildings.

There is the option for an additional stop 4 to either Mows Hill Dingle or Inkberrow depending on time/group enthusiasm. Mows Hill Dingle is a 10-minute drive north of Henley-in-Arden, whilst Inkberrow is a 30-minute drive some 15km SW of Henley.

This cultural extravaganza in the former Forest of Arden will explore geological details of the Arden Sandstone, including on-going geoconservation work by WGCG and the historical fossil finds of the Rev. P. Brodie, along with associated culture-history in west-central Warwickshire encompassing Norman churches, the Grand Union canal, the option of a pub lunch, the De Montfort hill fort (Beaudesert or the ‘Mount’) and a visit to the Henley Ice Cream shop. Each of the Arden Sandstone exposures reveal different and distinct facies which will be discussed in the context of the ‘Carnian Pluvial Episode’. Details of the Carnian debate are given in the accompanying article with Geology Today whilst the recent geoconservation work is detailed in the Earth Heritage Magazine article. The associated Henley-in-Arden Heritage trail guide is a useful map whilst details of the excavation on the Mount by Time Team can be watched by clicking here.

Wear warm clothing for the time of the year. Light walking boots or strong shoes are recommended, although there is no difficult terrain. Bring waterproofs and sun cream / sun hat according to the weather forecast for the day.

We will stop at the canal-side Fleur-de-Lys pub in the charming village of Lowsonford for an hour. You can sit in their grounds to eat a packed lunch or purchase a light lunch from the public house. https://www.thefleur.co.uk/. They are famed for their home-made pies.

Shewley Cutting next to the Grand Union Canal looking towards Shrewley Tunnel entrance from the west

The Triassic of Warwickshire - Joe Mazgajcyk & Kieren Quigley
2025-04-10 19:30 - 21:00 | Warwickshire
Kieren and Joe will provide an overview of part of the geological succession of the Triassic geology comprising the Helsby Sandstone Formation (Sherwood Sandstone Group) and the formations of the Mercia Mudstone Group relevant to the Warwickshire region.

During the talk we will set the scene during the Triassic:

Geological age

High level depositional environments

Present day distribution

Provide findings from recent field trips and cover the following information for the different formations:

What does it look like?

Characterisation challenges

Key ground-borne engineering hazards

Joe graduated from University of Portsmouth with Geology BSc (2011) and Engineering Geology MSc (2012) and joined Mott MacDonald soon after in 2012. Joe is a senior geotechnical engineer at Mott MacDonald, where he has gained extensive experience of geotechnical engineering, engineering geology and contaminated land disciplines whilst working on projects such as Midland Metro, A417 ‘missing link’ and most recently, High Speed 2 (HS2) where he has worked on the design stages of the northern section of HS2 since 2018 and now supporting construction in Birmingham. Joe is Fellow of the Geological Society and a Chartered Geologist.

Kieren Quigley has worked for twelve years as an Engineering Geologist at Mott MacDonald primarily on hydropower, nuclear, and rail infrastructure projects with expertise in slope stability and tunnelling. Over the last five years, Kieren has studied the geomechanical properties of the Mercia Mudstone Group and other Triassic geologies for HS2 and as a potential host rock for deep disposal of nuclear waste. These studies included experimental swelling tests undertaken with the British Geological Survey and field trips to Triassic coastal exposures in Devon and Somerset.

Kieren (left) and Joe (right) examining an exposure of the Branscombe mudstone formation on the South Coast of England

Click here for event flyer

Register in advance to attend virtually: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMocumqqzopG9HD3waV-oVESjjW1dFqXQIV

Venue:St Francis Of Assisi RC Church, 110 Warwick Rd, Kenilworth CV8 1HLhttps://maps.app.goo.gl/9CGWRNdgFfttDKtd7

Cotswold Scarp Field Trip (Hawkesbury - Stroud) - Dr Nick Chidlaw
2025-05-17 10:00 - 2025-05-18 17:00 | Warwickshire
In May 2023 (13th and 14th) we ran a Cotswold scarp 2-day field trip comprising 2 linear walks in the southern Cotswolds between the city of Bath and the village of Hawkesbury Upton.

Some attendees on this field trip indicated that they would be interested in a similar event, continuing further N along the scarp, in order to see and recognise the changes that occur in the Jurassic strata, and the associated changes in scenery, compared with the area they had studied between Bath and Hawkesbury. The strata change noticeably. The sedimentary basin these strata were deposited in is the ‘Severn Basin’, a rift basin that subsided from Permian – Late Jurassic times, associted with the opening of the North Atlantic Ocean. There is a basin-wide angular unconformity within the Middle Jurassic strata that occurred at 170 Ma. The strata below the 170 Ma angular unconformity become thicker and units begin to appear that do not occur in the S Cotswolds, as they are traced across a major underlying extensional fault, marking the W margin of the Basin. The strata pass from thinner, somewhat discontinuous rocks deposited on the more tectonically-stable Avon Platform, into the subsiding Severn Basin rift (see attached image below) . Some of these strata also change lithologically, notably the Marlstone Rock Formation. As the strata are traced further into the Severn Basin, towards the town of Stroud, thickness changes continue, particularly in the Early Jurassic rocks, in response to subsidence variations that were occurring as they were deposited, in the underlying, moving block-faulted basement. The strata above the 170 Ma angular unconformity become thinner than they are to the S, since they were deposited where subsidence was lower, being further from the main area of subsidence in the Vale of Pewsey in Wiltshire.

This proposed 2 day trip is independent of the one run in 2023 – enrollees do not need to have attended the earlier one in order to understand what is covered on the one this year.

Similarly to the trip in the Bath – Hawkesbury area, this proposed trip follows the Cotswold scarp taking two selected linear walking routes within the stated geographic extent. It would utilise the Cotswold Way National Trail footpath, adjacent public footpaths and country lanes. Along the route, rock exposures in old quarries, the sides of incised trackways, bases of footpaths and field ‘brash’ will be examined, together with related landforms. The purpose of the field trip is to note changes in the rocks and their landforms along the planned route, and learn how geologists have accounted for them.

Note that the field trip would, as before, focus on the scarp itself, as opposed to using the scarp as a viewpoint from which to study and explain the landforms and their underlying geology to the west. Some reference would be given to this western area, but the main study is of the rocks and landforms underfoot and nearby.

Emphasis is placed on seeing key exposures, so the first day has a short linear walk followed by driving between selected locations during the rest of that day. The second day involves longer linear walks, amounting to c. 5 miles in total. The walking is at a gentle pace with plenty of stops to examine the geology and landforms. Details of meeting points will be provided to those enrolled. As the walks are ‘linear’, they would require volunteers to park at the far end of each day’s walk to bring the field party back to the start point. I would meet such volunteers at this far end before the start of each day’s schedule, and drive them back to the start points. If you are interested and available for this field trip, please let me know when you enrol if you are willing to be a volunteer driver, and how many passengers you would be able to take in your vehicle besides yourself.

If the proposal proves of interest, additional geological walks continuing further north along the scarp will be considered and offered to run in the future.

Proposed Dates

Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th May

Tuition fee would be £60.00 per person.

Times each day would be 10.00 am – 5.00 / 6.00 pm.

Viability Deadline

Sunday 30th March. If the proposal reaches viability (minimum of 10 enrollees) we will be able to continue with arranging the event. If there are not enough enrollees, the event will be cancelled and received fees returned soon after this date to those who have sent them in. If viability is reached, enrolments will be able to continue up to 2 weeks (Saturday 3rd May) before the event runs.

No prior knowledge of geology or the study area would be assumed. Please note that you would need to make your own transport arrangements, and accommodation arrangements if your home location is beyond reasonable commuting distance. Tutor can advise on accommodation information, and assist attendees contacting each other regarding sharing transport and accommodation to save on costs, should they wish to do this.

A detailed illustrated handout would be sent out (PDF or printout) to those enrolled a few weeks before the trip is due to run, so they have full advance details on what we would be visiting and when, and its geological significance.

Note: This field trip is exclusively for WGCG members. If you’re interested in joining, please reach out to Nick Chidlaw directly. You can find his email address in the email sent by Julie Harrald on March 19th.

Cotswold scarp view SW from Coaley Peak towards the dormitory village of Cam (near Dursley). At Cam, the Marlstone Rock Formation shelf on the scarp is c. a mile wide, denoted in this image by housing developments (pinkish colour). This shelf is either absent or weakly developed along the Cotswold scarp between Bath and Hawkesbury, and reflects the thickness of the Marlstone, which is greater within the Severn Basin rift. The Marlstone shelf progressively thins towards the town of Stroud, where subsidence in the Basin was less than at Cam.

Kenilworth Castle quarry - Geoconservation Work
2025-05-17 13:00 - 15:00 | Warwickshire
WGCG plan to carry out some much-needed conservation work at Kenilworth Castle Quarryon the afternoon of Saturday 17th May. We need all the help you can offer – more handsmake for a shorter task. If you can help, please register your interest no later than 8th May. This will help with planning the work, which will be led by our new trustee Jane Allum, who hasprovided detail about the site and work to be done in this flyer.

For more information and how to volunteer please view the flyer by clicking here.

Urban Geo Walk Royal Leamington Spa - Jane Allum and Michaela Bokor
2025-05-25 10:30 - 12:30 | Warwickshire
A WGCG Geo Walk through the town of Royal Leamington Spa that will be lead by former residents Jane Allum and Michaela Bokor who will expertly guide you around the town explaining the origin of the rocks, and what can be interpreted from these urban exposures. The walk will look at a range of the building stones, statues, and decorative stone cladding and the history associated with these.

The tour will end in the delightful setting of Jephson Gardens where a number of monuments constructed of different stone can be appreciated.

Registration is essential for this event, the number of participants will be limited to 20To register, please email: warwickshiregcg@gmail.com

More information can be found on the event flyer please click here to view.

Ask A Geologist - Under Dippy!
2025-05-31 10:30 - 13:30 | Herbert Galleries
The WGCG shall be holding a special Ask a Geologist session under Dippy at the Herbert Galleries, Coventry. WGCG geological experts will be at hand to discuss geology in our everyday lives, geological careers, and geological science in general. Come along and examine specimens in super detail with our blue tooth microscope. We will have a number of rocks, minerals and fossils on hand to be viewed and discussed, a number of posters, geological references and free brochures of nearby geology trails.

This is a drop in event, no need to book ahead.

Venue:Herbert Art Gallery & Museumhttps://maps.app.goo.gl/3w57Gv8vonQH8sxT9

Bradgate Park, Charnwood Field Trip - Dr Nick Chidlaw
2025-06-01 10:00 - 17:00 | Warwickshire
A few miles north west of Leicester the landforms of the east Midlands are conspicuously interrupted by the craggy, locally-wooded hills of Charnwood Forest. Here are found rocks formed from explosive volcanic eruptions about 600 million years ago, together with lavas and igneous intrusions; these comprise the Charnian Supergroup. Most of the rocks are thought to have formed in submarine environments, where turbidite deposition was common, and landslides repeatedly took place. Within the rocks are found remains of world-famous organisms that predate the earliest shelly fossils. Overlying these rocks are others formed in a contrasting shallow marine environment. On this one-day field visit, we look at these rocks in accessible exposures in Bradgate Country Park, on the SE margin of Charnwood.

The trip will be led by Dr Nick Chidlaw. To view trip details and registration information please click here.

There are 15 places available, which will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. There is a charge of £5 per person for this trip, payable by cash or cheque on the day. There is also a charge of about £5 for parking and on a fine weekend, the car parks at Bradgate Park can be busy, so lift sharing would be sensible where possible – please therefore indicate whether you can offer or need a lift when you register.

Bradgate Sliding Stone Slump BrecciaBradgate – view towards Old JohnBradgate – view towards Old John

WGCG Field Trip to Shropshire - Dr Martin Whiteley
2025-06-13 15:00 - 2025-06-15 16:00 | Warwickshire
Residential Field Trip to Field Trip to Church Stretton, Shropshire to be led by Dr Martin Whiteley.

For more information on this event, please view the flyer by clicking here

Places are limited to 15 participants – first come, first served. If you would like to attend, please complete the below form and return it to, Julie Harrald, as soon as possible.

Event Form

Please note that you are asked to book your own accommodation for this trip, so don’t leave that too late in this popular area of the country.

WGCG: Ask a Geologist
2025-07-05 10:30 - 13:30, 2025-08-30 10:30 - 13:30 | Market Hall Museum, Market Hall Museum, Market Pl, Warwick,, CV34 4SA, United Kingdom
The WGCG shall be holding a special Ask a Geologist session at Market Hall Museum in Warwick. WGCG geological experts will be at hand to discuss geology in our everyday lives, geological careers, and geological science in general. Come along and examine specimens in super detail with our blue tooth microscope. We will have a number of rocks, minerals and fossils on hand to be viewed and discussed, a number of posters, geological references and free brochures of nearby geology trails.

This is a drop in event, no need to book ahead.

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Lickey Hills Field Trip - Ray Pratt
2025-07-20 10:00 - 16:00 | Warwickshire
A WGCG visit on the Landscape and Geology of the Likely Hills Country Park, Birmingham to be led by Ray Pratt. This field trip will include a visit to three quarries examine the structural, sedimentological and lithological features of the Ordovician Lickey Quartzite. Unconformities and and folding found with the Palaeozoic Strata found here will also be explained in more detail.

Distance: approx. 2.5 miles. There are a few steep stretches both up and down, with one awkwardshort section to a ‘surprise’ geological feature (optional). Wear strong footwear and suitableclothes. Hard hats recommended for close inspection of rock face (bring your own if possible.Walking poles may be useful. Lunch timing is approximate. The itinerary and schedule may varyslightly according to weather conditions. The plan is to complete the geo walk by 16:00 hrs.

For more details on this field trip please view the flyer by clicking here.

A ‘Geowalk’ around the “Dudley Volcano”- Mike Allen
2025-08-03 11:00 - 15:30 | Warwickshire
A ‘Geowalk’ to be led by Mike Allen at Barrow Hill Nature Reserve, north of the A4101, 3 km west of Dudley. The walk will offer a glimpse of the Midlands in late Carboniferous times, with a mixed sequence of sedimentary and volcanic rocks including small intrusive bodies of microgabbro (dolerite). The walk will include a visit to the summit of Barrow Hill, from which there are good views of surrounding hills if conditions are favorable.

Exposures are, unfortunately, not at their best but are sufficient to present a record of the geological, prehistorical and industrial history of the area, as we follow trails over Barrow Hill and around the wider vicinity.

Approximate walking distance 2-3 miles (3-5 km) mostly on gravel tracks, locally muddy, steep or stepped in places; with ‘off-piste’ options into thickly wooded and overgrown (!) areas on rough and narrow tracks. A short diversion into Tansey Green claypit can be wet and muddy underfoot.

Progress will be at a modest pace, planning to finish around 3.00 – 3.30 p.m.

For more information please click here

The summit cross on Barrow Hill

An ‘honest’ current (April) view of columnar jointing in the Eastern Quarry

Geological field trip to the north Malvern Hills - Adrian Wyatt
2025-08-19 10:00 - 16:30 | Warwickshire
An opportunity to see a selection of unique geological features including examples of a fault, a dyke, a sill and micro folding together with panoramic views (weather permitting).

To view the flyer containing full details of the trip and geological features, please click here. Note that there is a small charge of £3 for this trip and a parking charge on the Malvern Hills.

Itinerary

Assemble at Wyche Cutting car park (09.45 for 10.00hrs start).

Circular walk (approx. 2 km) to various sites (at least 5).

Lunch (picnic or local café); (approx. 12.30-13.30hrs).

Drive to North Quarry (approx. 4km).

Walk (approx. 1 km) to various sites (at least 5).

Drive to church hall (approx. 0.75km).

Discussion, Q & A, (approx. 45 mins).

Close and disperse at 16.30hrs.

The Malvern Hills

Field Trip to Northumberland, N. E. England - Karl Egeland-Erikson
2025-09-12 08:00 - 2025-09-15 17:00 | Warwickshire
Residential Field Trip to Northumberland, N. E. England to be led by Karl Egeland-Erikson. This trip will include exposures at Seahouses (Snook Point ). The Cheviots (Brough Law). Holy Island (Southern coastline). Cocklawburn (Saltpan Rocks to Far Skerr).

For more information please click here

To register for this event please complete the form by clicking here and return by Friday 19th July.

Preserving Earth’s first complex life - Dr Ross Anderson
2025-09-18 19:30 - 21:00 | Warwickshire
Blurb:Fossils have been used to track the history of life on Earth from trilobites, through to dinosaurs, woolly mammoths, and eventually humans. Yet, most fossils only preserve skeletons or shells, the hard parts of organisms. Soft tissues, like skin and internal organs, are rare in the fossil record. So how do we understand the early history of life before skeletons evolved? In this talk, we will see how antibacterial clay-rich rocks hold the key. Their exceptionally preserved fossils illuminate life on Earth before 500 million years ago when multicellular organisms were first evolving.

Bio:Dr Ross Anderson is a palaeontologist studying how multicellular life first evolved on our planet over 500 million years ago. His research uses innovative techniques to examine fossils and their host rocks, focusing on the interactions between microbes and minerals. This research is key to improving our understanding of how ancient fossils are preserved and what they can reveal about the original biology and chemistry of early life.

Ross received a bachelor’s degree (2012) in Earth and Planetary Sciences from Harvard University, before master’s (2014) and doctoral (2017) degrees in Geology and Geophysics from Yale University. At Yale, his doctoral work was funded by a NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship. He was elected a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Life Sciences at All Souls College, University of Oxford in 2017. In 2022, he was awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship at Oxford’s Department of Earth Sciences and began his position as Senior Researcher in Natural History at the University Museum of Natural History in 2024. He continues as a Fifty-Pound Fellow at All Souls College. Ross was a recipient of the President’s Prize of the Palaeontological Association in 2017.

Photo courtesy: Royal Society

Photo courtesy: Robert Gill

To view the event flyer please click here.

Register in advance to attend virtually: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/OgX3WYBuRmuidRpSMn6gWA

Venue:St Francis Of Assisi RC Church, 110 Warwick Rd, Kenilworth CV8 1HLhttps://maps.app.goo.gl/9CGWRNdgFfttDKtd7

Ask a Geologist - Under Dippy!
2025-10-11 10:00 - 16:00 | Warwickshire

AGM followed by a talk on the Warwick Sandstone - Xiang Yan
2025-10-16 19:30 - 21:00 | Warwickshire
The AGM followed by a talk on the Warwick Sandstone, presented by Xiang Yan, a PhD student at Imperial College London.

Reconstructing Triassic landscapes and rivers in the Warwick Sandstone

The Warwick Sandstone, known more generally as the Helsby Sandstone Formation (HSF), was deposited by large rivers and aeolian dunefields approximately 240 million years ago during the mid-Triassic. The HSF is a part of the regionally significant Sherwood Sandstone Group (SSG) in the British Isles, which has been previously explored for hydrocarbons, groundwater and for geothermal energy. More recently, this geologic unit has become a key target for carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a measure to combat climate change. Despite its societal importance, and the release of new geological data, a holistic depositional model for the HSF has not been created in the last 30 years, and substantial uncertainties remain in the paleogeography for this time period.

To this end, we present a new depositional map for the HSF across the British Isles, tracing the fluvial system from its source region in north France, into and beyond the Irish Sea, where it is thought to have terminated. We begin by constructing a new, integrated age model for the lower and Middle Triassic to correlate key rock units across the British Isles. We resolve existing paleogeographic discrepancies using existing sedimentological, provenance and paleocurrent data. We then present sediment thickness maps and volumes for the first time. We further supplement our geological dataset with a synthesis of sediment mineralogy across the British Isles. Using the resources we have created, we then present a unified, updated sediment routing map for this Triassic fluvial system. Finally, we use this information to evaluate the extent and nature of the mountainous source areas for the rivers of the HSF to place the river system in the wider context of northwest Europe.

We then present the results of a new field study in Warwickshire. Despite having excellent exposures, the Warwick Sandstone has received less geological attention than equivalent units in Devon, Cheshire and the Irish Sea, and thus represent a gap in the paleo-river system. From outcrops at Guy’s Cliffe and Woodloes Quarry, we made measurements of dunes, bars and sediment grain size. From these measurements, we derive hydrological characteristics of these palaeo-rivers, including their depth and width, their fluvial style (planform) and their sediment and water discharge. From this data, we are able to visualise the rivers which deposited the Warwick Sandstone and their surroundings.

Outcrop of the Helsby Sandstone Formation at Guy’s Cliffe, Warwick

Venue:St Francis Of Assisi RC Church, 110 Warwick Rd, Kenilworth CV8 1HLhttps://maps.app.goo.gl/9CGWRNdgFfttDKtd7
