Organised Field Trips

Meeting time: 6.30 pm
Meeting place: Take the A6 from Derby towards Duffield and before you reach Duffield centre, take the first turning right (? signposted Little Eaton). This is before you enter the main part of Duffield. Cross the River Derwent, bear right and reach a right-hand turn with a pub on your right. Park in the pub car park at Grid reference: SK 3506 4292.

We will examine outcrops of two of the main "grits" of the Millstone Grit group in Derbyshire. Firstly we will look at the Ashover Grit, the lowest sandstone in the sequence. The "Main Bed" which we will examine is a coarse, arkosic or feldspathic sandstone. Two major facies have been recognised in a unit which displays an upward coarsening sequence with many sedimentary structures. At the second locality, the Rough Rock, the uppermost sandstone of the Millstone Grit is exposed and we will be able to compare the structures and lithology with that of the Ashover Grit. Both sandstones were deposited in a deltaic environment.

Meeting time: 6.00 pm
Meeting place: Meet in Ashover Parish Hall car park (SK 351 633).

The walk will investigate the carried Carboniferous rocks of the Ashover area, varying from the volcanics and limestones of the Dinantian to the Namurian shales and sandstones. Much emphasis will be directed towards the hydrothermal mineralisation as Ashover was an important lead mining and then fluorite working location. All mineral working in the area has now ceased, but there is still a great deal of evidence of this activity to be seen. A traverse across the anticlinal structure of this area will allow an appreciation of the structure, rock types, mineral deposits and the history of the mining.

Meeting time: 10.30 am (Finish about 3.30 pm)
Meeting place: Elton Church - Grid reference: SK 22610. From Matlock take the A6 north and turn off left at Darley Bridge to join the B5057 and continue through Winster to Elton.

The purpose of the excursion is to relate the lithology of the Carboniferous rocks to landforms at the limestone-gritstone junction. We will also look at building stones, mining remnants and archaeological sites. The route will cover about three to four miles of undulating country.

Please bring a packed lunch and suitable clothing for walking in the dales.

Meet on the Saturday morning at the Jackfield Memorial Bridge, Coalport side. G.R. SJ694026 at 10.15 am.

In the morning we will take the Ironbridge gorge Landslip Geotrail walk before meeting Andrew Jenkinson at lunchtime.

In the afternoon Andrew will lead us along the famous outcrop of the highly fossiliferous Silurian Wenlock Limestone of Wenlock Edge with superb scarp and vale scenery.

On Sunday Andrew has planned a trip into the Brown Clee area with fine outcrops of Old Red Sandstone, Devonian Strata, overlain by Carboniferous sedimentary rocks and igneous intrusions. This weekend excursion will allow us to visit an area of first class scenery which is closely related to the underlying geology and to study the strata and fossils of some of the Palaeozoic sequence for which the Shropshire area is famous.

Following the very interesting lecture on multiphase flow in volcanoes, Professor Barry Azzopardi has offered us a demonstration of the man made volcano he has in his laboratory. As yet we do not have a date for this visit, but if you are interested please indicate on the booking form with a contact telephone or e-mail and Ian Sutton will let you know immediately arrangements are made.