u3a

Skiddaw

Geology

Status:Active, open to new members
Convenor:
Dr Daniel Clark-Lowes
Group email: Geology group
When: Monthly on Wednesdays
2nd Wednesday 10 am
Venue: Threlkeld Village Hall

Meetings

The Group meets once a month, usually on the second Wednesday of the month. Between November and March, indoor morning sessions are held at Threlkeld Village Hall. All day field trips are arranged between March and October.

The programme

The rocks and scenery of Cumbria and Westmorland reveal almost 500 million years of Earth history during which the region was blasted by huge volcanic eruptions and covered by shallow tropical seas, deserts and thick ice sheets. To whet your appetite view the presentation on Geology in and around Keswick

The course gives a practical introduction to minerals, rocks, fossils, geological maps and geological processes that have shaped the Lake District. We will consider, in simple terms, the debates that exercise the scientific community researching the geology of Cumbria and Westmorland. The indoor sessions will focus on geological maps and consider the history of geology and mapping in the region. In addition aspects of global geology will be introduced including the major surface features of the Earth, continental drift, plate tectonics and key events in the geological history of the UK and Cumbria.

Geological walks

This part of the programme illustrates and reinforces concepts introduced during the indoor sessions and provides insights into the geological history of Cumbria. We will visit various locations around Cumbria generally starting at 10.00am and finishing in the late afternoon. Walks will generally be up to 6 miles in length and a few involve ascents of up to 500 metres. Others involve driving to a number of locations where there will be short walks. Lunch is taken in the field although on some walks cafes and pubs may be visited. New members can be accommodated after the beginning of the course and will be ‘brought up to date’ by the convenor.

For further information contact the convener.