Field Visits Programme for 2022
*please read the Advice and Safety notes below
- Booking is essential for all visits
- Due to insurance requirements, only ERMS members may take part in these Field Visits. Fortunately, it is very easy to join ERMS and become a member.
- Please note the clothing and footwear requirements, especially for those visits to working quarries
- Please do not 'turn up' at a field visit in the hope that you can take part. Everyone must book a place beforehand.
- If you subsequently decide not to come, or expect to arrive late, please telephone the number above so that a message may be passed to the leader and participants will not be kept waiting.
Sunday 6th March Maylandsea - London Clay site
Foreshore exposures of London Clay here yield a number of fossils including lobsters, sharks teeth and stem fragments of crinoids. We will look at some fossils that have been found here in previous years (including flint tools and Roman finds) before setting off. Wellington boots and waterproofs are essential for this visit.
Foreshore exposures of London Clay here yield a number of fossils including lobsters, sharks teeth and stem fragments of crinoids. We will look at some fossils that have been found here in previous years (including flint tools and Roman finds) before setting off. Wellington boots and waterproofs are essential for this visit.
Saturday 12th March Bull’s Lodge Quarry, Boreham
Visit to this working quarry (no under 18s permitted). Thick till (boulder clay), deposited by an ice sheet, contains derived fossils and erratics. The underlying Kesgrave Thames gravels contain boulders from North Wales and S.W. England, and Hertfordshire Puddingstone. Helmet, boots and high visibility jacket are all essential.
Visit to this working quarry (no under 18s permitted). Thick till (boulder clay), deposited by an ice sheet, contains derived fossils and erratics. The underlying Kesgrave Thames gravels contain boulders from North Wales and S.W. England, and Hertfordshire Puddingstone. Helmet, boots and high visibility jacket are all essential.
Saturday 9th April Bull’s Lodge Quarry, Boreham
Visit to this working quarry (no under 18s permitted). Thick till (boulder clay), deposited by an ice sheet, contains derived fossils and erratics. This time, we will be examining the 'oversize' mound, which is due to disappear later this year Helmet, boots and high visibility jacket are all essential.
Visit to this working quarry (no under 18s permitted). Thick till (boulder clay), deposited by an ice sheet, contains derived fossils and erratics. This time, we will be examining the 'oversize' mound, which is due to disappear later this year Helmet, boots and high visibility jacket are all essential.
Saturday 21st May North Stifford & Mardyke Valley
A visit to North Stifford Church which has a great variety of interesting rocks in its walls. Followed by a visit to the nearby Mardyke Valley. The trip will be an introduction to the fascinating geology of this part of Essex.
A visit to North Stifford Church which has a great variety of interesting rocks in its walls. Followed by a visit to the nearby Mardyke Valley. The trip will be an introduction to the fascinating geology of this part of Essex.
Sunday 12th June Walton on the Naze
Fine exposures of Red Crag and London Clay where fossils may be found.A garden sieve and a trowel will be useful. Children are particularly welcome.
Fine exposures of Red Crag and London Clay where fossils may be found.A garden sieve and a trowel will be useful. Children are particularly welcome.
Saturday 18th* June Gestingthorpe
A repeat visit to this farm where sink holes keep appearing. There is also a small private geological and archaeological museum which has interesting finds and fossils – glacial erratics and Roman artefacts collected by the farmer.The farm is also the site of a Roman villa. Gestingthorpe village is known for a particularly high concentration of sarsen stones. Bring a packed lunch and waterproofs and footwear suitable for field walking.
(* Not "19th" as previously posted)
A repeat visit to this farm where sink holes keep appearing. There is also a small private geological and archaeological museum which has interesting finds and fossils – glacial erratics and Roman artefacts collected by the farmer.The farm is also the site of a Roman villa. Gestingthorpe village is known for a particularly high concentration of sarsen stones. Bring a packed lunch and waterproofs and footwear suitable for field walking.
(* Not "19th" as previously posted)
Sunday 24th July Chafford and Purfleet
A visit to walk two proposed geological trails, prior to production of trail guides. The trails will cover the remarkable evidence of former routes of the Thames during the Ice Age and the early humans that lived here. This part of Essex has geological sites of this age that are internationally important and the trail will visit several of them. We will also visit the submerged forest on the Thames foreshore at Purfleet.
A visit to walk two proposed geological trails, prior to production of trail guides. The trails will cover the remarkable evidence of former routes of the Thames during the Ice Age and the early humans that lived here. This part of Essex has geological sites of this age that are internationally important and the trail will visit several of them. We will also visit the submerged forest on the Thames foreshore at Purfleet.
Saturday 20th August Coleman’s Quarry
Our third visit to this working quarry (no under 18s permitted). Kesgrave Thames river gravels contain boulders and pebbles from as far as North Wales and S.W. England, and Hertfordshire Puddingstone. Helmet, boots and high visibility jacket are all essential.
Our third visit to this working quarry (no under 18s permitted). Kesgrave Thames river gravels contain boulders and pebbles from as far as North Wales and S.W. England, and Hertfordshire Puddingstone. Helmet, boots and high visibility jacket are all essential.
Sunday 25th September Colchester Town Geology Trail
About 20 years ago Colchester Museums Service produced a trail guide entitled ‘Exploring geology in Colchester’ looking at the surprising variety of exotic stones in the town centre’s shop fronts and kerb stones. The trail is now out of date and we are planning to revise it.The museum has interesting displays of fossils.
About 20 years ago Colchester Museums Service produced a trail guide entitled ‘Exploring geology in Colchester’ looking at the surprising variety of exotic stones in the town centre’s shop fronts and kerb stones. The trail is now out of date and we are planning to revise it.The museum has interesting displays of fossils.
