Bob Appleyard is keen for us to visit the sedimentary rocks on the Northumberland coast south of Berwick.     His Open University course has involved research on this topic and he would like to take us to see this interesting area.     We have planned a weekend in October, staying at the Castle Hotel, Berwick.     The date is not fixed because we need to ensure that we chose a weekend with the lowest possible tides.     We will know the date by the time of the next meeting at the end of April.

The cost of the accommodation for two nights will be £70, without transport and food.     The drive to Berwick takes about 3.5 hours, though longer during a rush hour, and it is hoped that anyone who wants to drive will take passengers.     If you want a lift, then please let Alison know to try to arrange this.     As the Castle Hotel is 100m from the railway station, some people might want to go to Berwick by train.     The journey on the East Coast line takes about 3 hours, with a change at York.     The earlier the booking is made, the cheaper it will be.    Once in Berwick, lifts by car to the sites will be available.

The Castle Hotel is only a few minutes walk from the centre of Berwick where there are places to eat and buy food for lunches.     The hotel itself has a restaurant, open at 18:00 each evening.

If you would like to come, please give Alison a deposit of £35 (cheque made out to Huddersfield Geology Group) to secure the accommodation at the Castle Hotel, at the latest at the field trip to Tideswell on Sunday 8th June.     There may be space in the hotel after that, but clearly, the earlier we book the more likely we are to secure good accommodation.

Bob has added a few notes about the geology.

The exposure at Scremerston is a rocky foreshore accessible at mid to low tide.    The geology is of tilted sediments showing repeated cycles of deposition, each defined by a limestone base.     These sediments were deposited in the Northumbrian basin during the Dinantian period (early Carboniferous), 354Ma to 327Ma ago.     The sediments reveal evidence of deposition over thousands of years influenced by waves, tides and storms.     There are abundant fossils, especially in the Limestone beds.     Coal seams also provide clues as to the conditions and climate at the time.     The sediments are spectacular in places, showing evidence of rapid changes of sediment supply.     It is an ideal environment in which to study the long term and repeated influence of sea level changes on the formation of sediments.

If Scremerston supports the study of long term sedimentary environments, Howick Haven provides evidence of very short term sedimentary conditions and environments.     The exposure from the Namurian period (Late Carboniferous) is safely above the high water mark and shows evidence of wave and current action in a mainly low energy depositional environment.     Close by is the rocky bay known as Rumbling Kern.     Deposits here show evidence of a higher energy environment.     There is also a rare type of coal deposit known as Cannel Coal, again providing evidence for the conditions and climate at the time.

Some of us have been very involved in the activities of the West Yorkshire Geology Trust in the last six months and details of our activities are available on the website West Yorkshire Geology Trust.     We are involved in local plans to develop geological resources for Otley Chevin, Penistone Hill near Haworth, Rombald's Moor near Ikley and Upton Cutting near Wakefield.     We also have plans for the interpretation of Castle Hill as part of its redevelopment and for Folly Dolly Falls and Beaumont Park, Huddersfield.

The Geodiversity Action Plan is available now and there are copies for those who are interested.     Please pass your copy on to someone else who might like to get involved.     If you want to become a member and receive a newsletter regularly with details of activities, please fill in a membership form and give it to Alison.

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