Geostudies has been in existence since 1996, and has been delivering classroom and field based geological courses up to the present. In an environment, over the past twenty years, of shrinking academic educational/recreational opportunities for adult students, it has been a vehicle for their delivery, particularly in the Stroud and Gloucester areas. With the recent changes in government funding, popular university extra-mural classes have suffered so there there are even fewer openings for such courses. It is hoped that Geostudies can at least partially satisfy the evident demand.

Geostudies is run by Dave Green, a self-confessed geological enthusiast, who simply likes to pass it on! He has taught Geology at various levels, from O level to undergraduate, since 1974, at various institutions; secondary schools in Gloucester and Ross, Further Education Colleges in Stroud, Swindon, and the Forest of Dean, the WEA, the Open University and, for the last 12 years, the University of Bristol. He is an all-round geologist, but inclines towards agreeing that he is keener on the “hard rock” side of geology (older sediments, igneous and metamorphic rocks, geological structures etc.) but has a more than passable knowledge of soft rocks and their fossils, and is very interested in Quaternary geology and the development of landforms. It would be fair to describe him as “laid back” and patient in his approach, and keen to make sure that students are grasping ideas in a subject that can sometimes be fairly inaccessible, often due to jargon. Above all he is enthusiastic about the subject, something that he hopes will rub off!

Contact Dave Green – 01594 860858. Dave@geostudies.freeserve.co.uk

www.geostudies.co.uk

Geology & Landscape 2010
A weekly field-based introductory course on the geology and landscape of Gloucestershire and surrounding areas.
No previous knowledge of geology is assumed.

Tuesday evenings from 8th June - 20th July 2010

Gloucestershire is one of the most geologically diverse counties in Britain, and as a result displays an incredible
variety of scenery.

The aim of this field-based course is to take you towards an understanding of local scenery. 
We will look at the components - the highly diverse  rocks and their structure - and processes - weathering, slope formation and erosion - which have combined to produce this equally varied landscape, and the materials from which the scenery has been sculpted and the processes that have acted upon them since the area emerged from the sea 65 million years ago (about the same time that the dinosaurs became extinct).

No special equipment is necessary, apart from stout footwear and possibly waterproofs - although we will hopefully have seven balmy summer evenings!
Meetings are held on Tuesdays each week, meeting at 7.00 pm, finishing at 9.00 pm or later (whenever the party feels in need of refreshment !!) at the meeting points given below.

Cost: £50 for 7 week course or £9 per session

For more information:
Tel: 01594 860858
Email: dave@geostudies.freeserve.co.uk

15th June: The Upper Valley of the Bristol Avon
Meet at the lay-by on the southern side of the B4040 (Sherston to Malmesbury road), 300 metres east of
Easton Grey Church (ST884 876)

The River Avon rises on the dip slope of the Cotswolds, and flows SE across the Middle Jurassic Cotswold limestones, and the Cornbrash, onto the Oxford Clay, beyond Malmesbury,  much like the Thames to the north. It then flows south along the soft rocks of the clay vale, through Chippenham and Melksham, before turning west at Trowbridge and Bradford, cutting a deep gorge as it traverses back across the Jurassic Limestones. Why does it follow this strange course – surely not the path of least resistance?

22nd June: The Kymin and Staunton
Meet at the car park for the Kymin (SO 528 123) accessible from the A4019 (Huntley to Monmouth) about
2km from Monmouth

The geology of this area is typical of the Wye Valley, whose meanders have been incised into a plateau consisting of Old Red Sandstone and Carboniferous Limestone, some of whose rock units are weaker than others, producing areas of higher or lower relief on the plateau, and a wider or narrower valley of the Wye or its main tributaries. The meanders themselves, are cut seemingly at random across rocks of varying resistance to erosion – a similar origin to the Bristol Avon? From Kymin we shall drive to Staunton for a short walk across the plateau to illustrate the rocks and the above effects.

29th June:- Waterley Bottom and Breakheart Hill
Meet on the laneside at Smarts Green ST 753 961 (lane from North Nibley to Waterley Bottom)

Waterley Bottom is one of the valleys incised deeply into the Cotswold escarpment, composed of Lower and Middle Jurassic rocks, producing a step like scenery in the almost horizontally bedded rocks, the steps being capped by the more resistant beds, such as the Marlstone, or the Upper Inferior Oolite. We will examine the rocks in the floor of the valley before making the steep ascent (where virtually the full sequence is exposed) to the platform at the top of Breakheart Hill, a visit to the quarry there and descending via Warend Hill to our starting point.

6th July: Huntley Hill to Longhope
Meeting point: the car park of the Farm Park at Little London SO 698 187 (brown sign from A4136).

The ancient Silurian rocks of the May Hill area are noted for their fossil content and variety; they have also been heaved up by movement on the Blaisdon Fault (part of the Malvern “line”) to the east so that they dip down to the west. The more resistant limestones and sandstone produce north-south trending ridges, separated by valleys eroded out of the weaker interbedded shales and mudstones, culminating in the broad vale carved out of the Raglan Mudstone, the base of the Old Red Sandstone. There is much of interest on this linear walk, including at least two newly created/cleared exposures.

13th July: Awre and Gatcombe
Meet at the end of the road at Little Hagloe SO 686 061.

The Malvern fault system, here called the Hagloe Fault, crosses the Severn at this point, bringing older and more resistant Palaeozoic rocks to the west up against younger and weaker Mesozoic rocks to the east, producing a marked feature in the landscape. The fault itself is virtually exposed on the foreshore, bringing Blue Lias (Lower Jurassic) down against Raglan Mudstone (Upper Silurian). We will walk a circular route of approx 1 mile. WELLINGTONS WILL BE VERY USEFUL IN THE SEVERN MUD!!

20th July:  Almondsbury and Cattybrook
Meet at the lane side near the primary school in Almondsbury village  ST  603 840.

Known nowadays as the site of the M4/M5 intersection, the RAC box and Aztec West business park, Almondsbury is in fact a village, with pub, church etc, nestling at the base of the Carboniferous Limestone escarpment, below the A38. There would have been a similar scene (minus roads and all trace of human habitation, but plus hot desert uplands, alluvial fans, salt lakes and quite probably some early dinosaurs!)  200 million years ago at the close of the Triassic period. An important thrust fault has pushed the Lower Carboniferous limestones and sandstones NW across the Coal measures of the Severn Coalfield, along the line of the escarpment, and has severely deformed the latter, which have been worked for brick clays for 150 years. The overlying Mesozoic rocks (Triassic and Jurassic) have almost been eroded off the top, revealing the ancient Triassic land surface.

Unless otherwise stated contact GGT for more details on 01452 864438 or info@glosgeotrust.org.uk.

Undergraduate Courses - Geography 2010 Entry
Honours Degree

The course emphasises the relevance of geography today and for tomorrow’s world. You’ll explore these and other issues in developed and developing world contexts.
Bringing together human and physical geography, the range of innovative modules allows you to specialise as the course progresses.
You’ll work in well-equipped laboratories and participate in fieldtrips to European countries and beyond. Recent trips have included Uganda, the Swiss Alps and Spain as well as numerous local destinations.

The degree gives you the skills and expertise relevant to key employment sectors. Education, geographic information systems, climate research, environmental management and sustainable development, are just some of the areas where graduates are now making major contributions.

The staff are passionate, committed educators and include many national award winners and internationally recognised authors and researchers.

Click on the University logo to visit their website.