Kensworth was another of those trips to a location owned by Rugby Cement Works. The trip was well attended by 18 members, who were at first given an induction film show on safety procedures before being allowed to probe the geology of the quarry. Again, hard hats, goggles and boots were the order of the day!

(Members should be aware that this is standard practice, I've had to wear a hard hat and goggles with the OU at a seaside location. We were surround be people in swimming costumes and eating ice-cream. One little boy told me, that what our tutor was talking about was all written on a board at the top of the cliff. I slipped away and bought two vanilla and lemon sorbet cornets. After quickly reading all about the cliff section, I returned at the finish of the talk, and stood there asking awkward questions while scoffing my ice, much to everyone's amusement! The little lad asked me what we were all doing. I said, checking out the place for dumping nuclear waste. Anyhow back to the day in question!)

Quite a few quality fossil sponges and echinoids were found by members, which made up for all the safety precautions. Our thanks to the quarry owners for all the trouble they went to in allowing us access to the site. It would have been very easy for them not to allow entry on the grounds of safety. However, they obviously realize the importance of teaching geology to the future generations, rather than just exploit the environment for a short term gain.

The trip to Stewartby in the afternoon was not as successful as the mornings excursion. The ichthyosaur zone in the Lower Oxford Clay was not exposed, according to the field trip leader David Turner. However, our members still found plenty to keep them amused and came away with a variety of other fauna. (And still no one brought along there finds for others to see on club night.) David intends to write a short note about this field trip. The above notes will remain until the official record becomes available. (RC 19/07/01)

Previous Trips: Roxwell & Barrington
                       The Naze Walton