About ten of the group met in Malham, in rain and sun to see limestones, fossils and evidence for the Craven Faults. They walked through fields and gorges (  avoiding steps because of our youngest member's pushchair!  ) in order to look closely at Goredale Scar, Janet's Foss and the outflow at the foot of Malham Cove.

Gordon guided us around this quiet valley, very close to the centre of Halifax, but scarcely changed by recent industry although it was the site of coal and ganister workings. The rocks cover the Lower Coal Measures sequence, so contain several coal seams, plenty of shale and there are Elland Flag quarries on every hill top. On a damp spring evening the lush greenery enfolding stone hamlets and cottages made it difficult to imagine how the valley would have looked when it was much more industrial two hundred years ago. The walk went up past Shibden Hall to look down on Halifax town centre, surrounded by coal shafts and adits, as well as the textile and engineering mills that the economic geology generated. There was hardly a single exposure of solid rock but Gordon demonstrated how to read and enjoy the geological landscape.

Four members of the Group had a wonderful geological holiday in N.E. Scotland at Easter.

To read more about this trip
( in our 'Features' section  )
click here.

The group have booked a residential weekend at Cold Keld, Ravenstonedale, north of Sedbergh in farmhouse accommodation.

The cost is £40 per person for two nights ( bed and breakfast ), two packed lunches and one evening meal. Transport will be shared. Numbers are limited to 12.

The geology is Silurian slates, fossils, limestone pavements and the Dent fault.