Geological Society of Glasgow

Garabal Hill-Glen Fyne Igneous Complex
2016-06-18 08:00 - 18:00 (Europe/London)
Leaders: Dr Chris Burton & Dr Jim MacDonald
This complex, close to the head of Loch Lomond, together with the Arrochar Igneous Complex forms part of a group of post-orogenic intrusions known as the South Grampians Suite, which were intruded into the Southern Highland Group during the mid-Silurian (ca 425 Ma). The rocks of the complex are dominantly dioritic and high in potassium, but with an extraordinary petrological range from ultrabasic picrites to acid granodiorites, this wide range being the result of magmas derived, unusually, from not one but several parental lithologies, including both crustal and mantle types.
The excursion will be confined to the area immediately to the east of the Garabal Fault, between Lochan Beinn Damhain and Garabal Hill itself. Here picrites, gabbros, hornblendites and a range of pyroxene-rich diorites and granodiorites and the relationships between them can be seen, all under the thermally-metamorphosed roof of the intrusion.
NB: The area is accessed from the A82 near Beinglas Farm along a relatively easy but fairly long ATV track followed by a short hill-traverse. The distance from the A82 is ca 4.6 km (2.85 miles). There will be some rough terrain on Garabal Hill itself. Given the distances, the excursion will be a long one and will require an 8 am start.
Leaving Gregory Building at 8:00, travelling by coach
£15 deposit. This is set at a level to recover the anticipated costs of the trip. In addition, please be aware that any balance of costs will be recovered by a small surcharge on the day of the excursion.

Fossil Hunters: Unearthing the Mystery of Life on Land (exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland)
2016-06-18 10:00 - 17:00, 2016-06-19 10:00 - 17:00, 2016-06-20 10:00 - 17:00, 2016-06-21 10:00 - 17:00, 2016-06-22 10:00 - 17:00, 2016-06-23 10:00 - 17:00, 2016-06-24 10:00 - 17:00, 2016-06-25 10:00 - 17:00 and 20 more dates | National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF, United Kingdom
This is an exhibition about recently located Scottish fossils and the people who found them.
In 2008, the late Stan Wood uncovered fossils in SE Scotland revealing important information about the development of land vertebrate life. The exhibition features finds, including some very recent ones, which provide an insight into an ancient ecosystem and help tell the story of the ‘move’ made by vertebrates from water onto land 360-345 million years ago, starting to close the enigmatic gap in the fossil record known as Romer’s Gap.
Find out more about the exhibition here, and about Romer’s Gap here.
Entry is free.

Berwickshire Coastal Path
2016-06-25 09:00 - 19:00
Joint Excursion with the Edinburgh Geological Society
Leader: Dr Angus Miller
We will visit Cove Harbour to view Carboniferous sedimentary rocks, then return to the cliff top to follow the Berwickshire Coastal Path around to Pease Bay (lunch stop, view Devonian sedimentary rocks). We will then continue along the coastal path to Siccar Point. You can view Siccar Point safely from the viewpoint above, or, if conditions permit, descend a steep grassy slope that may be slippery. Siccar Point itself is rocky and potentially slippery underfoot. Participants should only descend to Siccar Point if they are physically fit, properly equipped with walking boots and the conditions are suitable: grass not too wet, not too windy. We will then return the short distance to the Siccar Point car park for coach pickup around 4pm. The excursion will be followed by high tea, in company with our Edinburgh colleagues, and we will aim to return to Glasgow by around 19:00.
£20 deposit. This is set at a level to recover the anticipated costs of the trip. In addition, please be aware that any balance of costs will be recovered by a small surcharge on the day of the excursion. There will also be an additional charge for the high tea.
