Tynedale

Geology

Convenor: Adrian 01434 602288
Click Geology to send an email

NEWS

The programme of outdoor meetings/visits is still being finalised with the first session due to take place on Friday 20th April 2024

BRIEF REVUE OF THE PAST YEAR IN THE GROUP: April 2023 – March 2024

Summer season outdoor meetings: April 2023 –September 2023
The outdoor season began in April with a visit to a group member’s home where we were able to see a magnificent collection of rocks, minerals and fossils from around the globe - amassed over a lifetime of enthusiastic prospecting and gathering. A good turnout of a dozen members attended.
In May, the group visited sites on the Northumberland coast and looked at the evidence for relative sea level changes due to post-glacial isostatic adjustment on sites such as the Coquet estuary and the dunes systems at Amble and Druridge bays. The trip was led jointly by one of our own members together with a guest, (Prof. Ian Shennan from Durham) providing his specialist academic research knowledge of the area.
In June, a two day trip to Westmoreland led by one of the Group members took place and involved field visits to a number of prime locations covering geological periods from the Permo-Triassic down to Cambrian. The trip involved a one night stopover at a hotel close to the sites being visited and around a dozen group members attended plus some spouses/partners.
In July, a one day field trip made by eight of the Geology group to see the Permian limestone exposures on the cost between South Shields and Sunderland. The trip was led by Dr. Andy Lane a local professional geologist, retired academic, and author who has an extensive knowledge of the rocks in this area. Then in August a day trip led by one of the Group members looked at the Carboniferous period geology exhibited around Gilsland Spar and Crammell Linn, involving around six of the group membership.
In September, the final outdoor trip of the season took place with a three day/two nights away visit to the Yorkshire dales. The group visited sites including Brimham Rocks, Gordale Scar, Harddraw Force, Malham Cove, Stump Cross Caverns and Thornton Force looking at Silurian and Carboniferous geological exposures and features.

Winter season indoor meetings: October 2023 – March 2024
Monthly meetings were held in the County Hotel (Hexham) on the third Friday of the month – starting at 3pm. (Except for the December meeting that was held in the Bardon Mill Community Centre.) A wide range of talks and presentations were received – all given by the Group’s own members. Topics covered include: Measuring Geological Time, Rock Identification, Glacial Landscapes, The Geologies of Antarctica, Sicily and the Canadian Rockies, Stratigraphy, Studies of desert sand dune formation from Brigadire Bagnold’s work, and the Nature/origin of sand in the geological context. There was an excellent turnout for the six meetings with an average attendance of around 20.

Indoor Meetings 2024-2025
We shall be resuming the indoor sessions on October 18th, 2024 at 3.00pm - 4.30pm in the County Hotel, Hexham

GEOLOGY GROUP GENERAL ARRANGEMENTS

Winter
During the winter we hold indoor meetings from during the afternoon, generally on the third Friday of each month (there are some exceptions, see the event schedule). The winter season runs from October to March. Talks are given by group members on any geological topic of interest to them. We also have specimens of minerals, rocks and fossils brought in by members for discussion or identification.

Summer
During the summer we run a variety of field trips to look at local geology. These are usually also on the third Friday of each month, although the leader for each trip is free to choose a day based on tide conditions, weather etc. Dates will be published in advance. If you are thinking of joining the group and wish to come along with us for one of these field trips, then please call Adrian for the timing and joining instructions. The field trips are listed on the Events section.

The summer season runs from April to September.

The field trips are usually a full day, either lunching at a pub or taking a packed lunch if a suitable pub lunch venue isn't handy. Accessibility descriptions are included in the field trip notes, we generally walk no further than a mile each way from the cars to the geology locations and try to keep to paths, beaches and reasonable underfoot conditions (no mountaineering). Occasionally we will do a longer walk of up to 4 miles.

We occasionally organise overnight trips to allow us to explore the geology of areas further from Hexham. These are very sociable events including an overnight stop in a reasonably priced hotel and dinner.

INTERESTED IN JOINING?
If you are interested in joining, or have any questions please contact Adrian by phone or email (details at top of page). You are welcome to come along to up to two sessions as a taster.

Click on a picture below to see it full-size with more details.

More Group Pages
Art Appreciation 1 Art Appreciation 2 Art Appreciation 3 Bird Watching
Book Group 1 Book Group 3 Book Group 4 Carpet Bowls
Create and Craft Creative Crafts Cryptic Crosswords Cryptic Crosswords Group 2
Dog Walking Easy Going French Environment Group Family History
Family History 2 French Conversation (Group 2) French For Fluent Speakers French Intermediate
Garden Visits Geology German Language Hadrian's Wall Group
History Italian Italian Advanced Conversation Italian beginners conversation
Jazz Appreciation Landscape Latin Learners Latin Lovers
Mah-Jong Modern Greek Music Appreciation Northern Rocks
Out and About Play Reading Poetry Putting the World to Right 1
Putting the world to right 2 Science Scrabble Space Exploration
Spanish Tai Chi Taijiquan The Detectives Book Group
The Page Turners Book Group Topical Discussion Group Walking A Walking with Dogs (T3)
Watercolour Painting Welsh Beginners (S Wales) Welsh Language Wildlife Group
Wine Appreciation Wine Appreciation 2
More Group Pages
Art Appreciation 1 Art Appreciation 2
Art Appreciation 3 Bird Watching
Book Group 1 Book Group 3
Book Group 4 Carpet Bowls
Create and Craft Creative Crafts
Cryptic Crosswords Cryptic Crosswords Group 2
Dog Walking Easy Going French
Environment Group Family History
Family History 2 French Conversation (Group 2)
French For Fluent Speakers French Intermediate
Garden Visits Geology
German Language Hadrian's Wall Group
History Italian
Italian Advanced Conversation Italian beginners conversation
Jazz Appreciation Landscape
Latin Learners Latin Lovers
Mah-Jong Modern Greek
Music Appreciation Northern Rocks
Out and About Play Reading
Poetry Putting the World to Right 1
Putting the world to right 2 Science
Scrabble Space Exploration
Spanish Tai Chi
Taijiquan The Detectives Book Group
The Page Turners Book Group Topical Discussion Group
Walking A Walking with Dogs (T3)
Watercolour Painting Welsh Beginners (S Wales)
Welsh Language Wildlife Group
Wine Appreciation Wine Appreciation 2