News and Information - Edinburgh Geological Society

Explore Arran’s geology this summer …

16 April 2017/in General Information/by Angus Miller

Glen Sannox, Arran. Photo: Angus Miller

Come and explore some of the best geology in Scotland …. the Lochranza Centre on Arran are organising two public events this summer:

Geology Course 29 July – 1 August 2017
Come and join us to learn more about our amazing landscape and the processes that formed it. The Centre will instruct and guide you over a four day period. Participants can either join us on a daily basis for £50 per day or a residential basis at £75 per day inclusive of tuition and transport.

This course is aimed at anyone interested in learning more about the Geology of Arran. Note most walks will involve a few miles of walking over mostly flat, but uneven terrain. If you are interested sign up soon as you can as we have limited availability!

To make a booking please either telephone or e-mail the Centre on 01770830637 or contact Stuart at stuart@lochranzacentre.co.uk.

Geofest 16-17 September 2017
In conjunction with the National Trust for Scotland and the Arran Hertiage Museum we are proud to be able to offer the second Arran Geofest. This will run over the weekend of the 16 and 17th September and will take the form of several guided walks to different island venues of geological interest followed by an evening talk at various venues around the island. Further details will follow.

www.lochranzacentre.co.uk/events

Summer excursions programme now underway

16 April 2017/in General Information/by Angus Miller

Castle Rock from Salisbury Crags, Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh

The Society’s summer excursion programme is now underway, with a range of excellent excursions exploring the geology of central and southern Scotland. The programme includes Wednesday evening excursions close to Edinburgh, and a range of Saturday day excursions. Please book in advance, since numbers are sometimes limited. It is easy to book, just follow the instructions here.

Wednesday 19 April, 7pm Dalmeny Railway Cutting
The disused railway line between Dalmeny and South Queensferry has cuttings that present good exposures of some of the local geology. The volcanic and sedimentary rocks of this area formed early in the Carboniferous Period. We will view some of these layers and explore their relationships.

Tuesday 2 May, 10am–3pm
National Museums Scotland: Visit to the National Museums Collection Centre at Granton and afternoon excursion to Wardie Shore
The National Museums Collection Centre at Granton houses a huge collection of important mineral and fossil samples. This visit will allow small groups to explore in detail elements of the Palaeobiology and Earth Systems collections. The afternoon excursion will visit Wardie Shore, an important historical location for Carboniferous fossil fish.

Wednesday 3 May, 7pm Crichton Kirk, Castle and quarries
Crichton Castle and Kirk are built of local sandstone, which can still be seen in nearby disused quarries. The sandstone was deposited by rivers in the Carboniferous Period, and contains good examples of cross-bedding. Nearby, on the west bank of the River Tyne, the North
Greens Limestone was quarried and burnt in nearby limekilns.

Clough Medal presented to Dr Phil Stone

23 March 2017/in General Information/by Angus Miller

President Stuart Monro presents the Clough Medal to Phil Stone.

Wednesday 22 March: the Edinburgh Geological Society were delighted to present the Clough Medal for 2016-2017 to Dr Phil Stone, in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the understanding of the geology of the Lower Palaeozoic Southern Uplands Terrane and the Ballantrae Ophiolite Complex and many other achievements.

The Clough Medal is the Society’s premier award, presented annually to a geologist whose original work has materially increased the knowledge of the geology of Scotland and/or the north of England, or who is Scottish by birth or by adoption and residence and has significantly advanced the knowledge of any aspect of geology.

Visit Siccar Point during the Edinburgh International Science Festival

22 March 2017/in General Information/by Angus Miller

The Society is organising trips to Siccar Point during the Edinburgh International Science Festival. These afternoon coach trips from central Edinburgh take place on 9, 12 and 15 April.

Great opportunity to visit Siccar Point with a geologist: follow the journey of James Hutton, the father of modern geology, from the site of his home in central Edinburgh to the wild coastline at Siccar Point. At this beautiful natural site Hutton’s evidence for deep time can be observed and appreciated. It is a short, easy walk to the viewpoint above Siccar Point. Visiting the Point itself involves a potentially difficult descent. Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear.

Book now – www.sciencefestival.co.uk/event-details/siccar-point-the-abyss-of-time

More information about Siccar Point and James Hutton.

Southern Uplands terrane, courtesy Phil Stone

Clough Medal presentation & lecture: Phil Stone, Wednesday 22 March

15 March 2017/in General Information/by Angus Miller

Edinburgh Geological Society is delighted to present the Clough Medal for 2016-2017 to Dr Phil Stone, in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the understanding of the geology of the Lower Palaeozoic Southern Uplands Terrane and the Ballantrae Ophiolite Complex and many other achievements. The Medal will be presented on Wednesday 22 March, followed by Phil’s lecture: Scottish perspectives (old and new) on greywacke, graptolites and Gondwana. All welcome to the final lecture of the session.

Change in lecture programme: Wednesday 8th March

23 February 2017/in General Information/by Angus Miller

Martin Gilliespie, our next lecture speaker, has an unexpected work commitment overseas, so his colleague Paul Everett is stepping in. Looking forward to an interesting lecture, Building stone in Scotland: Glorious past … uncertain future.

Natural stone has been a favoured building material since the early days of human habitation in Scotland, and is still in fashion for modern architecture. The Scottish building stone industry has bequeathed a rich and diverse legacy of stone-built structures that embody the historic fabric of our cities, dwellings, monuments, places of worship and infrastructure.

Geopoetry at StAnza: 1-5 March 2017

20 February 2017/in General Information/by Angus Miller

StAnza, Scotland’s International Poetry Festival, takes place in St Andrews in early March. For Scotland’s Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology 2017, the Festival theme for this year is The Heights of Poetry, celebrating hills and mountains and asking how poetry can create and climb its own high places.

In the Middle Ages, the Pilgrim Way crossed Fife heading for St Andrews Cathedral. Now each year people journey here for poetry. The second theme in 2017 is On the Road, and we’ll be looking at all manner of travel and journeys.

EGS is supporting an event on Saturday 4 March that brings the winners of the recent Hugh Miller Writing Competition to St Andrews to share their poetry, inspired by the writings of Hugh Miller. >> Event information

There is also a fossil drop-in event at the Museum of St Andrews on Satuday 4 March, from 10-12. This event is organised by Geobus, you can find out about Fife’s fossils and get your own fossils identified – www.scottishgeology.com/news-events/

Hugh Miller’s gravestone

12 February 2017/in General Information/by Angus Miller

: Miller Memorials – before. Photo: Andrew McMillan

: Miller Memorials – after. Photo: Andrew McMillan

Lothian and Borders Geoconservation became concerned about Hugh Miller’s gravestone in the Grange Cemetery, which was becoming difficult to read especially in bright sunshine. Andrew McMillan arranged for the gravestone to be cleaned and re-lettered so that the inscription is readable once again. At the same time we gave some attention to the stone for Hugh’s son (also called Hugh) which sits to the left of Hugh Senior’s stone. Although some of the lettering on Hugh Junior’s stone is too small to re-letter, the first two lines were done and the whole stone was cleaned up. You can see the results in the before and after photographs below. We are grateful for generous funding from Edinburgh U3A Geology Group and The Friends of Hugh Miller.

Lochranza Centre and the Arran Geofest

10 February 2017/in General Information/by Angus Miller

Students at Hutton’s Section, Arran. Photo: Stuart Blake

In October 2015, the company that owned the Lochranza Centre decided to close it, saying there was no future in feldwork! Senior staﬀ and the local community have received wide support to create a new Community Interest Company to keep the Centre open and safeguard 14 jobs, 5 of which are held by geology graduates.

The Centre is now thriving, and is open to any groups who want to come and experience at frst hand the geology and beauty of north Arran. We were co-hosts of the frst Arran Geofest in 2016 and are planning the next one in September 2017 – volunteers welcome! We are also working with partners including the Arran Heritage Museum and National Trust of Scotland to move towards UNESCO Global Geopark status in the next few years.

Come and experience Arran’s geological treasures: the dyke swarm of Kildonnan, the Drumadoon sill, the myriapod trail. Contemplate process and time at Hutton’s Unconformity, only a 25 minute walk from the Lochranza Centre where a warm welcome, accommodation, refreshment and tuition await you and your party if needed.

Stuart Blake, Director Lochranza Centre CIC 01770 830637.

Geological Excursion Guide to the Stirling and Perth Area.

Review of Stirling & Perth Excursion Guide

16 January 2017/in General Information, Publications/by Angus Miller

Geological Excursion Guide to the Stirling and Perth Area.

The Society was very pleased to see a great review by Tom Bradwell of one of our recent publications: A Geological Excursion Guide to the Stirling & Perth Area – by Mike Browne and Con Gillen, published in the Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association.

“This is a well composed and thoughtfully illustrated guide from the first page. A valuable opening chapter summarises the geology of the whole area, starting in the Precambrian (Dalradian) and spanning the Devonian, Carboniferous and ending in the Quaternary. With up-to-date references, bespoke maps and useful cross-sections this chapter is an excellent summary of the geological history of central Scotland in 20 pages. Going beyond more than a ‘regulation’ summary, this chapter is an authoritative but succinct review of the stratigraphy of the whole region. As such it represents an excellent synthesis, built around the editors/authors’ considerable experience in this field, worthy of publication alone.

The remainder of the book, exactly 200 pages, contains 18 colour-coded chapters each describing a separate geological excursion. The excursions are carefully chosen to reflect a wide variety of rock types, landscapes and walking abilities. They are geographically well distributed within the area covered by the guide.”

Read more online at Science Direct … http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016787816300943

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