About this Event
To celebrate the Scottish Geology Festival you can join the Open University Geological Society for a guided walk from Burghead to Hopeman to examine the Triassic and Permian sediments.
Walk details:
Please park in the small car park immediately to the south of Burghead harbour, NJ 11099 69822, by 1000 where we can sort out transport arrangements with a few cars needing to be placed in Hopeman village in readiness for our return, or onward, journey.
The walk will start by looking at exposures of Triassic fluviatile sandstone alongside the harbour and at Rotten Rock, NJ 10787 69085. We will continue along the Moray Coastal Trail looking at exposures either from the path or by taking small detours onto the foreshore. Please note if it is raining these will be slippery surfaces.
At the Burghead Fault Zone, NJ 12348 69214, where the Triassic overlies the aeolian Hopeman sandstones we can examine the exposures on the foreshore and just east of the fault, if desired, descend the cobble storm beach to inspect deformation bands. Just to the east of this location, by the caves at Cummingston stacks, we’ll be able to look at deformation bands, upstanding ribs of silicified sandstones and Permian reptilian footprints.
If it’s a pleasant day this could be a good place for a picnic lunch.
Thereafter we’ll look at a Triassic outlier, carbonate cemented sandstones, soft sediment sedimentation and some spectacular baryte cementation as we approach Hopeman west beach and the harbour car park.
Ice cream or tea/coffee are available in the village
We should be finished by mid-afternoon so if time and weather allow and members are interested we could drive to Lossiemouth and have a quick look at the old Stotfield lead mine and exposures of the Stotfield Cherty Rock or possibly visit a site of mutual interest in the local area, an example being a quick visit to Spynie Quarry (Triassic sandstone).
Insurance and Paperwork
HGS has public liability insurance cover only for field trips and other events. At the start of the excursion you will be asked to sign to confirm that you are aware of this, that you have read the Society’s Safety Rules and the risk assessment below, and that you attend entirely at your own risk. We also ask that you complete the Contact Form and bring a paper copy with you, which will be held by the chairman for the duration of the excursion.
Checklist – what to bring
- Packed lunch and other snacks to eat in the field. Water.
- Layered clothing appropriate for variable weather conditions; waterproof outerwear; hat & gloves, plus sun hat if appropriate; stout boots; walking pole(s) if normally used; whistle; sunscreen.
- Hand lens, binoculars, camera if desired.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Burghead Harbour, Burghead Road, Elgin, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00