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ROCKWATCH EVENTS
Spring/Summer 2013

These are the main ROCKWATCH
EVENTS coming up in the months ahead.
All
Rockwatch events are absolutely FREE to Rockwatch members so why
not take advantage and join today!
Select
one of the following links to find out more about our events.
Rockwatch
Events Listing
Sat
13 April - Family
Day at Taunton Castle
Sat
20 April - Rock Circus, Wiltshire
4-5
May - Lyme Regis Fossil Festival
Sat
18 May - Jurassic Fossil Collecting, Weymouth
Sun
2 June - Fossil Collecting Shorncote Quarry, Glouc
Sun
9 June - Tegg’s Nose Rocks! Geology Trail, Macclesfield
22-23
June - South Wales Fossil Hunting Weekend
Sat
6 July - Fossil Collecting Lea Quarry, Shropshire
Sun
21 July - Fossil Hunting Coln Gravel Quarry, Glouc
Mon
29 July – Fri 2 Aug - 11th Annual Rockwatch Residential Fieldtrip,
Devon
Tues
6 August
- Rockwatch
at Ware Museum
Thurs
15 Aug - Somerset Earth Science Centre
Other
events for members to enjoy
Geologists'
Association Lectures, London
17
May - Museums at Night at Lyme Regis Museum
Sun
21 July - A building stones
walk around Canterbury
Aug
- Mendips Rock Festival, Somerset
Summer
- Hull Geological Society Walks
Summer
- Manchester Geological Association
Summer
- Sidcup Lapidary and Mineral Society trips to the Isle of Sheppy
Summer
- Anglesey Young Geologist's Club
Summer
- Geology
Walks at West Runton, Nr Cromer, Norfolk

Rockwatch
Events
Family
Day at The Museum of Somerset
Taunton Castle, Castle Green, Taunton, TA1 4AA
Saturday 13 April 10.00 – 4.00
A Rockwatch first! Susan Brown will be visiting the recently refurbished
Taunton Museum which tells the county's story from prehistoric times
to the present day using real objects together with evocative films,
sounds and images. Join her for a day of geological family fun!
Make a Jurassic diorama, cast plaster fossils. Guided tours of the
geology gallery, bring your mystery rocks and fossils to be identified.
FREE EVENT. No need to book. Suitable for all ages, but children
must be accompanied.
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Box
Rocks Circus, Box, Wiltshire SN13 8NT
Saturday 20 April 11.00 – 4.30
Join Susan Brown and Elizabeth Devon to explore this exciting new
venture in the village of Box, Wiltshire (www.boxrockcircus.org.uk).
The
Pavillion has been booked for late morning activities in case of
inclement weather! Bring a picnic lunch. In the afternoon you’ll
go to Brown's Folly, an SSSI for the Middle Jurassic. It’s
an area of old adit mines where you can study the local geology
and explore lots of Jurassic rocks! Further details at http://www.bathgeolsoc.org.uk/brownsfolly/
No
age limit for morning activity but no under 7s in the afternoon.
Limited to 20 children plus parents. Reserve your place through
the Rockwatch office. £5 booking fee per family.
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'Coastal
Treasures 'Lyme Regis Fossil Festival 4 - 5 May
Rockwatch will once again be at this Festival of Geology with activities
to show the treasures of this Jurassic coastline. Come and join
us at Lyme for an action packed weekend. Walks and talks throughout
the two days, bookable at the Festival. We hope to see lots of you
there! No charge or booking necessary!
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Jurassic
Fossil Collecting on the Fleet Shore near Weymouth
Saturday 18 May 11.00 - 3.00
Exposure of the beach at low tide exposes a stunning array of Jurassic
fossils. Start at Tidmoor Point. Join us to explore two or three
separate locations along this fossiliferous stretch of the foreshore.
Wellies preferred. Numbers limited so book early. £5.00 booking
fee per family. Booking essential through the Rockwatch Office.
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Fossil
Collecting Field Trip to Shorncote Quarry, Gloucestershire
Sunday 2 June 10.30 – 3.00
Hunt for Jurassic and Ice-Age fossils in Shorncote Quarry located
near Cirencester, Gloucestershire. Age 7 and above. £5.00
booking fee per family. Booking essential through the Rockwatch
Office.
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Sunday
9 June 11.00 – 2.00
Tegg’s Nose Rocks!
A guided family walk to launch the brand new 'Tegg’s Nose
Rocks!' Geology Trail. Join Country Park Ranger Martin James
and Susan Brown of Rockwatch and the Geologists'
Association for a guided family walk.
Walk
the trail and see if you can spot evidence of recent Ice Ages or
ripples from a river flowing some 325 million years ago! It's easy
walking, with lots of interesting geology to explore. Please bring
a notepad & pencil with you and a packed lunch. Suitable for
anyone over the age of 7. Free event, but booking essential.
NO DOGS.
Meeting
point: Tegg’s Nose Visitor Centre, Buxton Old Road, Macclesfield,
SK11 0AP (SJ950733)
To book: http://teggsnoserocks.eventbrite.co.uk
or ring 01625 374833.
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South
Wales Fossil Hunting Weekend (Cardiff Area)
Saturday 22 – Sunday 23 June
Join Susan Brown and Steve Howe to explore the geology of South
Wales. You’ll be looking at the geology of either side of
the Vale of Glamorgan where the Triassic rocks differ from one side
to the other. The rocks are very fossiliferous with interesting
trace fossils to be found. You’ll also explore the geology
along the coast between Ogmore-by-Sea and Pant y Slade and visiting
Lavernock Point and St Mary’s Well Bay. Fossils abound, including
fish teeth and vertebra and, if you are lucky, Ichthyosaur and Plesiosaur
vertebrae. If there’s time you’ll visit the site of
the dinosaur footprints at Bendricks Rocks! Booking essential with
the Rockwatch office. £5 per family.
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Fossil
Collecting in Lea Quarry, Much Wenlock, Shropshire
Saturday 6 July 10.30 – 3.00
An exciting new fossil collecting location for Rockwatch! Join Susan
Brown and Eddie Bailey in the Lea Quarry which works the Silurian
Much Wenlock Formation. The benches and tips contain typical reef
associations ie abundant small brachiopod fossils (especially Atrypa
reticularis, but 4-5 other species too), abundant corals (Favosites,
halysites, heliolites etc). Gastropods and parts of crinoids have
also been found here. Booking essential with the Rockwatch office.
£5 per family.
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Fossil
Hunting Field trip to the Coln Gravel Quarry, Gloucestershire
Sunday 21 July 10.00 – 3.00
Come along to a working quarry and hunt for Jurassic and Ice-Age
fossils with Susan Brown and Neville Hollingworth. Last year finds
included ammonites, brachiopods, corals, calcite crystals and a
superb mammoth tooth! Suitable for all ages. £5.00 booking
fee per family. Booking essential through the Rockwatch Office.
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11th
Annual Rockwatch Residential Fieldtrip to the Jurassic World Heritage
coast of Dorset and East Devon
Monday 29 July – Friday 2 August
Further exploration of the Jurassic Coast and nearby quarries with
Rockwatch’s Susan Brown, Richard Edmonds of the World Heritage
Coast, Alan Holiday and Barry Cullimore of Leason House. Stay at
Leason House Field Studies Centre with its excellent facilities.
Cost: Adults £255, first child £170, subsequent children
£115 – covers all costs during stay including local
transport. Numbers limited for this popular event – a truly
memorable experience. Only over 7s. Book through the Rockwatch Office.
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Rockwatch
at Ware Museum, Priory Lodge, High Street, Ware SG12 9AL
Tuesday 6 August
A day of fossil filled fun! Join Susan Brown and the staff of Ware
Museum for a day of hands-on rock, fossil and mineral related activites.
Suitable for all ages. No need to book. Just turn up and join in!
More details and location on www.waremuseum.org.uk.
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Fossil
collecting and a day of activities at the Somerset Earth Science
Centre, Stoke St Michael, Somerset BA3 5JU
Thursday 15 August 10.30 – 4.00
Part of ‘Mendips Rocks’ Festival!
Spend a day of geological exploration with Susan Brown, Gill Odolphie
and Elizabeth Devon discovering what it was like when rocks in this
area were formed. And see what fossils you can find in a local quarry.
Remember to bring a hand lens as well as a packed lunch! Numbers
strictly limited to 15 children and 15 parent/guardian so book early.
£5 fee per family. Book with Rockwatch at rockwatchatga@btinternet.com.
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Other
events for Rockwatch Members to enjoy
Geologists'
Association Lectures
Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0DU
(opposite Fortnum and Mason).
For
adults, but may be of interest to older Rockwatchers. Doors open
5.30pm, lectures promptly at 6.00pm. Free with Mem. Card.
Fri
5 April: How holostratigraphy helped to make a success
of a North Sea oilfield project by Dr Haydon Bailey
Fri 3 May: A walk on the Chalk Side: an exploration
of the mysteries of the European Chalk by Professor Rory Mortimore
Fri 7 June: Insights on the subsurface geology
of Southern England using seismic data by Leanne Hughes.
Further
information: 020 74349298 or geol.assoc@btinternet.com.
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‘Museums
at Night’
presents an exclusive preview of ‘The Beast in the Cellar’
Friday
17 May 2013 7pm
Tickets
£5 / children free
Limited
tickets available in advance from Lyme Regis Museum
www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk
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A
building stones walk around Canterbury on Sunday 21 July
with the Kent Geological Group, Leader: Geoff Downer
Investigate Canterbury’s past with a geological walk looking
at the stones used in the building of this historic city. After
lunch, a visit to the Cathedral may be planned. If you are interested
please contact Amanda Miller, Field Meeting Secretary on 07930 841146
or email: acmiller31@btinternet.com
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Mendips
Rocks Festival! Rocking for the whole of August. Somerset Earth
Science Centre, Moons Hill Quarry, Mendip Road, Stoke St Michael,
Somerset BA3 5JU.
Travel
back through time to explore 420 million years of geological history
revealing many different rocks that make up the Mendip Hills. During
August there’s guided walks, family activity days, quarry
tours, talks, and practical conservation activities. August 1: The
Rocky Roadshow - drop in family activity workshops and walks in
the Gorge.
-
Sunday 11 August - Vallis Vale’s hidden
geological gems
- Saturday
17 August - Wild Westbury Quarry tour of former limestone
quarry
- Thursday
22 August – Fascinating Fairy Caves virtual tour
of magical caves
- Thurs
29 August – Mendip Quarries see two quarries within
4 miles of each other
For
full programme and information: www.somersetwildlife.org/mendiprocks
Or 01749 840156 or ruth@earthsciencecentre.org.uk
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Hull
Geological Society
Saturday 27 April: Launch of Yorkshire Geology Month at
Caphouse Colliery with lectures, walks and underground tours.
Sunday 19 May: (field meeting) Urban Geology Walk
led by Mike Horne
Sat 24 August: Roadshow at Hornsea Museum Open
to the public 11 am until 3 pm. Displays of rocks and fossils. Fossil
dentification, collecting and curating advice. Disabled access.
Families welcome. Admission free, but may be a charge for Museum.
To register for trips: Tel 01482 346784 or secretary@hullgeolsoc.org.uk.
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Fieldtrips
with the Manchester Geological Association
-
Sun 7 April: Venue: Pott Shrigley with Paul Aplin. Examine
the Lower Coal Measures, evidence of former coal mining and the
relation between geology and scenery.
- Sat
11 May: Venue: Ribble Valley Geotrail with Peter del
Strother and Jennifer Rhodes. Visit Dinckley Gorge, an Upper Carboniferous
locality on the River Ribble, in the morning and Brockholes, a
glacial and geomorphological locality, in the afternoon. Brockholes
is a Lancashire Wildlife Trust site (great for birds, wild flowers
and insects).
- Sat
18 May: The Namurian of Dinckley Gorge (River Ribble,
near Ribchester) and the Quaternary of Brockholes (LWWT reserve
adjacent to M6 junction for Preston) Leader: Peter del Strother
and Jennifer Rhodes
- Sun
16 June: Limestones of the southern margin of the Derbyshire
Platform This field trip will examine the Lower Carboniferous
(Dinantian) limestone of the southern margin of the Derbyshire
Platform. The trip will focus upon the area around Matlock and
Wirksworth and will provide the opportunity to review the facies
encountered along the margin of the Derbyshire Platform with the
Widmerpool Gulf, to the south. The outcrops can be easily accessed
from well-made footpaths, although some walking (approx 2km) is
required at one locality.
- Sun
7 July: Lymm Dam and Helsby Hill Quarry. This will be
a follow up to last year's Triassic Cheshire Overview talk looking
at some of the structural, stratigraphical and glacial features
of the Cheshire Basin
- Provisonal
Sat 10 August: Fred Broadhurst Memorial Field Trip with
Leader: Jane Michael. Not finalised but probably based round Walk
9 Earl Sterndale - Parkhouse Hill - Chrome Hill. This is a steep
walk requiring some effort to get to the top.
You
must book for these fieldtrips and to do that please contact Jane
Michael on 07917 434598 or outdoors@mangeolassoc.org.uk.
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Sidcup
Lapidary and Mineral Society runs local trips to the Isle
of Sheppy, Tankerton, Beltinge, Folkestone and Samphire Hoe. They
arrange these according to the tides so for dates contact Nicola
Claxton on 01322 227057.
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Anglesey
Young Geologist's Club
Activities and projects for children aged 4 to 11 - making
model dinosaurs, fossils, volcanoes.
Events:
2 - 4 pm. Indoor meetings at the GeoMon Watch House Centre, Amlwch
Port, Amlwch, Anglesey LL68 9LL. To book/enquiries contact: Jackie
Farrall jackie.geomon@gmail.com
or 01227 475
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Geology
Walks at West Runton, Nr Cromer, Norfolk
Geology Walks led by Martin Warren. Time: 1.30 – 4.00pm leaving
from the car park at West Runton Beach. Small charge to park. Walks
not far, but the beach is very rocky. Children 8+ £3.00 Adults
£4.50 and may be purchased on the day.
More
information/to book:
Tel: 01263 513992, 07887 389804
Email: martin.warren@talktalk.net
www.northfolk.org.uk
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