EMGS provides a diverse summer programme of geological field trips, ranging from short walks in our local region to extended two-day excursions to renowned British geological sites. These trips cater to both amateur and professional geologists alike. Our finalized annual programme is typically announced in February and detailed below. If you have recommendations for future EMGS field trip destinations or leaders, please Contact Us.
2026 Field Trips Programme
Sunday 29th March 2026 POSTPONED - this trip was re-scheduled to Sunday April 12th 2026 for original registered participants only
Day excursion to Monsal Trail, Derbyshire
Leader: Dr Peter Gutteridge
Day excursion to Monsal Trail, Derbyshire
Leader: Dr Peter Gutteridge
Sunday 26th April 2026 POSTPONED
Day excursion to Lathkill Dale, Derbyshire (joint trip organised by the North Staffordshire Group of the Geologists' Association)
Leader: Dr Vanessa Banks
Unfortunately it was necessary to postpone this field trip. We hope to re-arrange on a later date in the summer, please keep visiting this page for updates.
Day excursion to Lathkill Dale, Derbyshire (joint trip organised by the North Staffordshire Group of the Geologists' Association)
Leader: Dr Vanessa Banks
Unfortunately it was necessary to postpone this field trip. We hope to re-arrange on a later date in the summer, please keep visiting this page for updates.
OUR NEXT FIELD TRIP
Wednesday 3rd June 2026
Evening field trip to exposures of the Mercia Mudstone in the Trent Trench, Radcliffe on Trent
Leader: Dr Andy Howard
Book a place on this field trip
Wednesday 3rd June 2026
Evening field trip to exposures of the Mercia Mudstone in the Trent Trench, Radcliffe on Trent
Leader: Dr Andy Howard
Book a place on this field trip
Saturday 25th July 2026
Day Excursion to Jurassic rocks and landscapes in the Stamford area
Leader: Mark Barron
Day Excursion to Jurassic rocks and landscapes in the Stamford area
Leader: Mark Barron
August 2026 Date to be confirmed
The Frodingham Ironstone at Dragonby Mine, near Scunthorpe
Leader: Nick Hardie
The Frodingham Ironstone at Dragonby Mine, near Scunthorpe
Leader: Nick Hardie
Friday 11th to Sunday 13th September 2026
Weekend excursion to Pre-Cambrian, Triassic and Jurassic rocks and landscapes of the Malverns, River Severn cliffs and Cleeve Hill (joint trip with the Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group)
Leader: Dr Nick Chidlaw
Book a place on this field trip
Weekend excursion to Pre-Cambrian, Triassic and Jurassic rocks and landscapes of the Malverns, River Severn cliffs and Cleeve Hill (joint trip with the Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group)
Leader: Dr Nick Chidlaw
Book a place on this field trip
WGCG Field Trips
EMGS members have been invited by the Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group (WGCG) to join their weekend field trip to Shropshire on 12th-14th June 2026, to be led by Dr Martin Whiteley. The field trip will be preceded on 14 May by an online (via Zoom) lecture by Dr Whiteley giving an introduction to the geology of Shropshire and a preview of the localities to be visited on the trip.
For further details and booking/registration instructions for these events please see the following links to the WGCG website (please note that their registration deadline of 1 May for the field trip has been extended):
Register for the online lecture on the Geology of Shropshire 14 May
WGCG Weekend field trip to Shropshire 12th-14th June
For further details and booking/registration instructions for these events please see the following links to the WGCG website (please note that their registration deadline of 1 May for the field trip has been extended):
Register for the online lecture on the Geology of Shropshire 14 May
WGCG Weekend field trip to Shropshire 12th-14th June
NSGGA Field Trips
The North Staffordshire Group of the Geologists' Association are kindly offering EMGS Members the opportunity to attend their summer field trips, subject to availability of places. The trips and dates for 2026 will be advised soon.
For details on NGGSA field trips and information on how to book, visit the NSGGA Field Excursions Webpage.
Field Trip Details
Sunday 26th April 2026, 10.00am to approx. 4.30pm POSTPONED
Day excursion to Lathkill Dale, Derbyshire (joint trip with the North Staffordshire Group of the Geologists' Association)
Leader: Dr Vanessa Banks
Day excursion to Lathkill Dale, Derbyshire (joint trip with the North Staffordshire Group of the Geologists' Association)
Leader: Dr Vanessa Banks
Tufa bed in the River Lathkill. Image: Dave Dunford
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Summary
The excursion will start at Alport bridge (River Lathkill, near Youlgreave). After looking at the Alport tufa, we will follow the valley upstream to Over Haddon, exploring the interplay between bedrock and superficial geology, mining and hydrogeology. After a lunch stop in Over Haddon, we will return to Alport, initially along the top of the valley, and consider the role of hydrogeology in landscape incision. The trip will follow public footpaths. There are parking, toilet, and public house facilities in Over Haddon and Youlgreave; there is limited parking at Alport. Unfortunately it was necessary to postpone this field trip. We hope to re-arrange on a later date in the summer, please keep visiting this page for updates. |
Wednesday 3rd June 2026, 7.00pm to 9.00pm approx
Evening field trip to exposures of the Mercia Mudstone in the Trent Trench, Radcliffe on Trent
Leaders: Dr Andy Howard
Evening field trip to exposures of the Mercia Mudstone in the Trent Trench, Radcliffe on Trent
Leaders: Dr Andy Howard
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Summary
This evening walk will visit exposures of the Triassic Mercia Mudstone that form the red cliffs of Radcliffe. These continental, red gypsiferous mudstones - deposited in a range of aeolian, lacustrine and alluvial settings - will be compared with modern analogues. Quaternary evolution of the River Trent and the impact of geology on local history will also be discussed. Most of the walking will be along paved or tarmac paths and steps, the remainder on well-trodden unmade paths along the banks of the Trent. Total walking distance 4km, 40 metres of ascent/descent. Estimated duration 2 hours. Book a place on this field trip |
Friday 11th to Sunday 13th September 2026
Weekend excursion to Pre-Cambrian, Triassic and Jurassic rocks and landscapes of the Malverns, River Severn cliffs and Cleeve Hill (joint trip with the Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group)
Leader: Dr Nick Chidlaw
Book a place on this field trip
Weekend excursion to Pre-Cambrian, Triassic and Jurassic rocks and landscapes of the Malverns, River Severn cliffs and Cleeve Hill (joint trip with the Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group)
Leader: Dr Nick Chidlaw
Book a place on this field trip
Friday 11th September (afternoon)
Circular walk via Gullet Quarry, along crest of Swinyard Hill, to Hangman’s Hill to see aspects of the late Pre-Cambrian Malverns Complex and Warren House Volcanics, and contrasting views of the Welsh Borderland, Severn Valley and Cotswold landscapes and their geology. Total walking distance 4km
Circular walk via Gullet Quarry, along crest of Swinyard Hill, to Hangman’s Hill to see aspects of the late Pre-Cambrian Malverns Complex and Warren House Volcanics, and contrasting views of the Welsh Borderland, Severn Valley and Cotswold landscapes and their geology. Total walking distance 4km
Saturday 12th September (full day)
Major global events across the Triassic-Jurassic boundary, triggered by the break-up of Pangaea and the opening of the Central Atlantic Ocean, are exemplified in two classic exposures on the banks of the River Severn. Westbury Garden Cliff (morning) exposes the upwards transition from continental aeolian and alluvial mudstones of the Mercia Mudstone into marine and lagoonal shales and limestones deposited by the Late Triassic Rhaetian transgression. Hock Cliff (afternoon) displays interbedded, marine mudstone and limestone of the Early Jurassic Blue Lias Formation, showing cyclic variations in sea level, climate and sea floor oxygen levels. Total walking distance 3km.
Major global events across the Triassic-Jurassic boundary, triggered by the break-up of Pangaea and the opening of the Central Atlantic Ocean, are exemplified in two classic exposures on the banks of the River Severn. Westbury Garden Cliff (morning) exposes the upwards transition from continental aeolian and alluvial mudstones of the Mercia Mudstone into marine and lagoonal shales and limestones deposited by the Late Triassic Rhaetian transgression. Hock Cliff (afternoon) displays interbedded, marine mudstone and limestone of the Early Jurassic Blue Lias Formation, showing cyclic variations in sea level, climate and sea floor oxygen levels. Total walking distance 3km.
Sunday 13th September (full day, finish by 3.30pm)
Traverse of Cleeve Hill to examine Mid-Jurassic ooidal limestones of the Inferior Oolite Group. Cleeve Hill is the highest point in the Cotswolds and offers stunning views of the Vale of Severn and Malverns to the west. As well as the Jurassic environments and faunas preserved in the limestone, the area offers fascinating examples of slope instability caused by cambering and landsliding, in many cases controlled by bedrock faults. Total walking distance 3km.
Traverse of Cleeve Hill to examine Mid-Jurassic ooidal limestones of the Inferior Oolite Group. Cleeve Hill is the highest point in the Cotswolds and offers stunning views of the Vale of Severn and Malverns to the west. As well as the Jurassic environments and faunas preserved in the limestone, the area offers fascinating examples of slope instability caused by cambering and landsliding, in many cases controlled by bedrock faults. Total walking distance 3km.
Participants should be suitably prepared for unpredictable weather and sufficiently fit and mobile for the walking involved, mostly on un-made tracks and footpaths. In wet conditions the Severn river cliff exposures can be very muddy. The Malverns terrain includes some steep sections. Further details and advice on travel, logistics and safety shall be provided on booking.
General information for field trip participants
Booking is required for all EMGS Field Trips. Following booking you will be provided with full joining instructions (meeting time, place, transport, parking, lunch etc.), safety information and any accessibility recommendations. Participants are advised that the Society has only public liability insurance and that personal accident insurance is a matter for individuals to arrange as they consider necessary. The field trip organiser will advise on any recommended protective clothing and footwear. Hard hats and high visibility vests may be obligatory for some trips, especially in visits to quarries or coastal cliffs. Participants without suitable protective clothing may be refused access to certain sites! Hard hats and hi-viz vests can be ordered from online retailers such as Amazon, Screwfix or Safetec Direct, and may also be stocked at DIY superstores such as B&Q or Wickes.
Non-EMGS members are welcomed on EMGS Field Trips but will be required to pay a nominal temporary membership fee of £2.00 on the day for insurance purposes. All participants will be required to sign an attendance form at the start of the trip and supply a telephone number of a family member or friend to be contacted in the event of an emergency.
Non-EMGS members are welcomed on EMGS Field Trips but will be required to pay a nominal temporary membership fee of £2.00 on the day for insurance purposes. All participants will be required to sign an attendance form at the start of the trip and supply a telephone number of a family member or friend to be contacted in the event of an emergency.