Promoting interest in the geology of Cambridgeshire, the UK and worldwide
MONTHLY TALKS
We have a programme of 10 Monthly talks running from September to June each year, held on the second Monday of every month. All talks (unless specified otherwise) are at 7.30 pm (doors open 7.00 pm). Everyone welcome, free to CGS members, £3 for non members. These are held at St Andrew’s Centre, Histon.
NEXT TALK
Monday 12th June 2023 (7.00 for) 7.30pm
Describing rock samples
by Dr Mike Tuke
For ‘beginners’ this is a good introduction to the various types of rocks you may find (and some of the fossils they may contain), whilst for those more familiar with geology, it is a chance to gain more in-depth experience. 12 large rock samples will be on display and you will be asked to write a description of each sample. The descriptions can use non geological terms to cover, for instance, the colour, size, shape, texture and any visible features OR the descriptions can use appropriate geology terminology. During the last part of the evening Mike will give a geological description and interpretation of each sample. Bring paper and pencil!
NEXT WALK
Fen Edge Trail Walk: Cambridge
Saturday 17th June 2023 10.30am
For Celebrate the Fens Day
‘through the fen edge town that became one of the world’s most famous cities’
Led by Martin Evans, CGS Fen Edge Trail Team
Approx. 2.5 hours to 1 pm. For Celebrate the Fens Day, this walk starts on the distinctive landscape feature of Castle Hill (a Chalk hill) and finishes at the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences. It gives a landscape heritage and geological perspective to the city: the river’s gravel terraces, the chalk stream-fed river and the ‘fen’ meadows of alluvium and peat. The walk will also draw attention to buildings and places of historical and social interest. Guiding you through what is now a mostly hidden landscape, the walk takes you back in time, giving a glimpse into the city’s past and the natural history of the area, from ‘Ice Ages’ to sub-tropical swamps and fenland rivers. You will discover how its natural character still filters through, seen in the riverside meadows, the numerous water channels, the subtle changes in the height of the land and even in the building stones used in many of its famous buildings.
All welcome. Free as part of Celebrate the Fens Day but needs booking in advance. Easy walking, about 3 miles. For more details see the website www.fenedgetrail.org where you can also download the full Walk Guide. Contact us to book.
Another Walk Guide published on the Fen Edge Trail
‘an iconic fen island – monks, marshes and a model village’
In January 2023 the Walk Guide for the Thorney Fen Edge Trail walk was published. This walk is a good introduction to the geology of the northern part of the Cambridgeshire Fens, including silt from extensive tidal marshes and ancient river beds (roddons), the River Terrace Gravels of the Nene and the complex ’March’ Gravels. The latter created the island itself, raising it above the low fenland; these gravels also form the islands of Whittlesey, March and Chatteris.
All Walk Guides can be downloaded from the Fen Edge Trail website.
The walk has been designed in partnership with Thorney Museum and the Thorney Society. We hope to organise a guided walk on the route later in the year.
4 New Walk Guides published on the Fen Edge Trail
December 2022,has seen the publication of 4 new Walk Guides including two with a difference: we have now expanded into the realms of podcasts and YouTube videos! Thanks to Paul S, Paul M (especially for the video) and Jeff for their work on the first three. Also thanks to Peter from the Word Garden who designed the fourth walk and produced the accompanying history podcast.
Earith: Old Bedford and 100 Foot with the Word Garden
This makes a total of 15 Guides published with at least another 7 due in 2023. An additional 21 are being put together leaving only 6 or so to be started. All Walk Guides can be downloaded from the website and there are also links to the podcast and videos. We hope to have guided walks on these and other Fen Edge Trail walks in 2023.
Previous Events
Field Trip Report – Burwell Local Geological Sites
The society organises occasional field trips to view important geological sites within the county and hopefully further afield in post pandemic times. These trips are primarily for our members.
In early summer 2021 we had a popular visit to the Burwell Local Geological Sites and are scheduling some others to East Pit, Cherry Hinton, a walk along the Fen Edge from Swaffham Bulbeck to Reach, a visit to Nine Wells chalk spring and a tour of the building stones of Cambridge city center. These are primarily for the benefit of members: any member wishing to participate should contact us.
A write up for this trip may be found here.
Newsletters
Our Spring 2023 newsletter is now available to members.
Our previous newsletters are available to everyone (download below). They have plenty of ideas for some virtual geology!
Email updates
Sign up for our email updates to hear about future talks, events and news of our projects.
Contact us
Cambridgeshire Landscapes
Cambridgeshire has a fascinating landscape and an interesting geology. See our Landscapes page for more details and download the excellent leaflet ‘The Mapping of Landscapes, Geology and Soils of Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire’ by Timothy Farewell, Peter Friend, Martin Whiteley and Joanna Zawadzk.
© Cambridgeshire Geological Society