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.
2025 Field Trips Programme
Booking is now open. Scroll down for additional details on each trip.
Wednesday 14th May 2025, 10.30am to approx. 4.00pm
Day visit to Carboniferous rocks around Wirksworth, Derbyshire
Leader: Martin Whiteley
Maximum number of participants - c.20
Tuesday 10th June 2025, 12-15pm to approx. 4.00pm
Day visit to the Geological Walkway and Ediacaran fossil collections, British Geological Survey Keyworth
Leader: Mike Howe
Maximum number of participants - c.20
Thursday 10th July 2025
Day visit to Dove Holes Quarry, Buxton - This trip is now cancelled, with apologies
Please revisit this page for news on a replacement event
OUR NEXT FIELD TRIP
Sunday 3rd August 2025, 10-30am to 3.30pm
Day visit to the so-called 'Barrow Hill Volcano' near Dudley
Leader: Mike Allen
Friday 29th to Sunday 31st August 2025 (details updated 30 April 2025)
Weekend field excursion to Vale of Eden and adjacent areas
Leaders: Noel Worley and Mike Allen
Friday 29th afternoon: Circular Walk to Lacy's Caves and exposures of Penrith Sandstone
Saturday 30th: Penrith Sandstone and Armathwaite-Cleveland Dyke in the morning, and afternoon walk to St Bees Sandstone near Dufton, Penrith Sandstone at George Gill and viewpoint over the Pennine Fault.
Sunday 31st: Visit to Penrith Sandstone, Belah Dolomite and Brockram exposures near Belah Beck and Brough.
Participants will need to make their own travel and accommodation arrangements
Day visit to Carboniferous rocks around Wirksworth, Derbyshire
Leader: Martin Whiteley
Maximum number of participants - c.20
Tuesday 10th June 2025, 12-15pm to approx. 4.00pm
Day visit to the Geological Walkway and Ediacaran fossil collections, British Geological Survey Keyworth
Leader: Mike Howe
Maximum number of participants - c.20
Thursday 10th July 2025
Day visit to Dove Holes Quarry, Buxton - This trip is now cancelled, with apologies
Please revisit this page for news on a replacement event
OUR NEXT FIELD TRIP
Sunday 3rd August 2025, 10-30am to 3.30pm
Day visit to the so-called 'Barrow Hill Volcano' near Dudley
Leader: Mike Allen
Friday 29th to Sunday 31st August 2025 (details updated 30 April 2025)
Weekend field excursion to Vale of Eden and adjacent areas
Leaders: Noel Worley and Mike Allen
Friday 29th afternoon: Circular Walk to Lacy's Caves and exposures of Penrith Sandstone
Saturday 30th: Penrith Sandstone and Armathwaite-Cleveland Dyke in the morning, and afternoon walk to St Bees Sandstone near Dufton, Penrith Sandstone at George Gill and viewpoint over the Pennine Fault.
Sunday 31st: Visit to Penrith Sandstone, Belah Dolomite and Brockram exposures near Belah Beck and Brough.
Participants will need to make their own travel and accommodation arrangements
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 are:
Sunday 22 June 2025. Day trip to Pre–Cambrian outcrops in Bradgate Park, Leicestershire. Leader: John Carney
Thursday 26 June 2025. Evening trip to Etruria Marl at Bradwell West Quarry. Leader: Bernard Besly
Saturday 02 August 2025. Day trip to Stiperstones and Bog Visitor Centre, Shropshire. Leader: Albert Benghiat
For details on how to book, visit the NSGGA Field Excursions Webpage. A pdf file summary of the geology to be visited on each trip can be downloaded HERE
Field Trip Details
Wednesday 14th May 2025, 10.30am to approx. 4.00pm
Day visit to Carboniferous rocks around Wirksworth, Derbyshire
Leader: Martin Whiteley
Day visit to Carboniferous rocks around Wirksworth, Derbyshire
Leader: Martin Whiteley
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Disused quarries in and around the National Stone Centre at Wirksworth provide some of the most interesting exposures of Lower Carboniferous limestone in Derbyshire. Similar rocks can also be seen in the adjacent railway cutting now occupied by the High Peak Trail, whilst a little further to the east some of the overlying rocks make up the enormous gritstone tor known as Black Rock. These slightly younger rocks, in contrast to the limestones, are dominated by shales and sandstones. This field trip, which is a gentle walking tour of 4 to 5km, aims to identify some of the distinctive elements of the Carboniferous succession locally and piece together a narrative that explains how it formed. Maximum number of participants - c.20 |
Tuesday 10th June 2025, 12.00 noon to approx. 4.00pm
Day visit to the Geological Walkway and Ediacaran fossil collections, British Geological Survey Keyworth
Leader: Mike Howe
Day visit to the Geological Walkway and Ediacaran fossil collections, British Geological Survey Keyworth
Leader: Mike Howe
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The main part of the tour (14:00 – 16:00) will be a visit to the BGS Core Store and Collections to view the impressive casts of the famous Ediacaran fossil bedding plane in Bradgate Park and to see some of the casts of new species from the type locality. The visit will also include a guided tour round the main Core Store to see how BGS manages the largest collection of British geoscience material, including samples from over 22,500 boreholes and wells.
The visit to the core store will be preceded by a guided tour of the BGS Geological Walk (13:00 – 14:00), which squeezes three billion years of the Earth’s history into a 130m long stone walkway. Members and guests arriving for the walk may care to arrive early (from 12:00) to enjoy a meal in the BGS staff restaurant. Booking is essential. To issue site passes, BGS must have a full list of visitors by 09:00, Monday 9th June. Full joining instructions shall be provided to participants in advance of the event. |
Sunday 3rd August 2025, 11.00am noon to approx. 3.30pm
Barrow Hill - a geowalk around the Dudley Volcano
Leader: Mike Allen
Joint field trip with the Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group
Barrow Hill - a geowalk around the Dudley Volcano
Leader: Mike Allen
Joint field trip with the Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group
The summit cross on Barrow Hill
Columnar jointing in the Barrow Hill Eastern Quarry
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The Barrow Hill Nature Reserve, north of the A4101, 3 km west of Dudley, offers a glimpse of the Midlands in late Carboniferous times, in an area of with a mixed sequence of sedimentary and volcanic rocks including small intrusive bodies of microgabbro (dolerite), especially that forming the summit of Barrow Hill itself, from which there are good views of surrounding hills if conditions are favourable.
Exposures are, unfortunately, not at their best since conservation work is presently curtailed by spending cutbacks, but they are sufficient to present a record of the geological, prehistorical and industrial history of the area, as we follow trails over Barrow Hill and around the wider vicinity. Approximate walking distance 2-3 miles (3-5 km) mostly on gravel tracks, locally muddy, steep or stepped in places; with ‘off-piste’ options into thickly wooded and overgrown (!) areas on rough and narrow tracks. A short diversion into Tansey Green claypit can be wet and muddy underfoot. |
Friday 29th August to Sunday 31st August 2025 (details updated 30 April 2025)
Weekend field excursion to Vale of Eden and adjacent areas
Leaders: Dr Noel Worley and Mike Allen
Weekend field excursion to Vale of Eden and adjacent areas
Leaders: Dr Noel Worley and Mike Allen
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Participants will be required to make their own travel and accommodation arrangements. A reasonable degree of fitness is required; Friday’s walk is the longest (about 4-5 km.), Belah Beck about 2 km. Others around 1-2 km. Walks are mainly along public footpaths, rough and uneven, some with steps or short steep sections, some may be muddy, especially if wet. Toilet facilities are available at lunch stops on Saturday and Sunday. Further details will be supplied on booking. |
Friday 29th August, 2.00pm - 4.30pm approx. Afternoon return walk from Little Salkeld to Lacy's Caves via Long Meg Mine, to view silicified Penrith Sandstone and evidence of gypsum / anhydrite workings. Saturday 30th August, 10.30am -5.30pm approx. Morning visit to exposures of the Permian Brockram and the Armathwaite-Cleveland Dyke in and around the River Eden. The afternoon will visit exposures of the St. Bees Sandstone near Dufton, followed by a walk to viewpoints across the Pennine Fault and exposures of the Penrith Sandstone at George Gill. Sunday 31st August, 10.00am - 4.30pm approx. The morning walk will visit exposures of the Eden Shales, Belah Dolomite and Penrith Brockram around Belah Beck, and the Penrith Sandstone and glacial drumlins near Brough. The afternoon will visit Stenkrith Park to view the Stenkrith Brockram and St Bees Sandstone. |
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.