Geowalks Blog 2008

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Saturday 17 May 2008 - new Geowalks holidays for 2008

May and June are the prime time to get out and about and see Scotland's rocks, and I've got a packed few weeks planned ... getting out before the midgies and the crowds, and enjoying Scotland's best weather (most of the time).

The first holiday of the year took us along the Fife Coastal Path, and we were rewarded with fine rocks and great company for six days walking from Aberdour to St Andrews. New friends were made as we strolled, ambled and occasionally marched along fifty miles of coastal path and beach. It was fantastic to see all of the coast in one go, and to be able to appreciate the contrasts going from urban areas to the deserted coastline south of St Andrews, through volcanic vents, varied sedimentary layers and folded strata.

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Friday 30 May 2008 - Torridon Mountains

Returning to one of my favourite areas of Scotland, where I spent several weeks as an undergraduate student, and in my opinion the most scenic and interesting part of the Moine Thrust Zone. We had five days based at the Torridon Youth Hostel, exploring the slopes of Beinn Eighe and the land between Torridon and Lochcarron. This is rough ground, but we proved to be up to the challenge and were able to appreciate the mountain-scale movements along minor thrusts beneath the main Moine Thrust, which have repeated and buckled many of the underlying layers. Superb geology!

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Wednesday 18 June 2008 - Shetland

It's been a while since I last visited Shetland and I was delighted to have the opportunity to link up with Allen Fraser of Shetland Geotours to organise a couple of holidays. What fantastic rocks, and we were well looked-after and entertained by Allen, who really gives a flavour for Shetland that goes beyond the rocks and landscapes.

Shetland is often described as having the rocks of the Highlands of Scotland crammed into a small area. But it is actually more than that, with a stunning diversity of rock types, which give a different feel to each of the Shetland islands. If you love rocks and minerals, you must visit Shetland! I'm surprised that more geo-tourists don't, and Allen and the Shetland Geopark team are at the centre of efforts to promote Shetland's geology and explain it to visitors and locals.

Highlights for me of these two holidays were walks across the bleak landscape of the Keen of Hamar on Unst, where the serpentine-rich rocks and exposed location have produced very little soil and a unique flora, introduced to us by Rory the local ranger. This is part of Shetland's ophiolite, a section of ocean floor crust pushed up onto the continental crust. I also enjoyed the cliffs of Northmavine, in the northwest of Shetland mainland - the storm we experienced there are nothing compared to the normal winter storms that are pulling apart the ancient volcanic rock at the Grind o' da Navir.

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Monday 23 June 2008 - New job

I've taken on a new position with the Scottish Earth Science Education Forum (SESEF), developing resources to encourage schools and community groups to get outdoors and explore the geology of Scotland and discover the links between the bed rock, landscapes, economic resources, land use and the naturual and human heritage of their local areas. We'll be concentrating first in two areas - Grampain and Fife/Lothians, but there is potential to expand to other areas. The project is based at the Grant Institute of Edinburgh University. But don't worry, it's only for one day a week so there's still plenty of time for Geowalks!

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