Field Trip: St Audrie’s Bay, North Somerset (in place of the trip to Lavernock on 27th April)
Leader:
Entry Fee
Members: Free
Visitors: £3.00
Date and Time
12:00
Location
Meet at Home Farm Holiday Centre, West Quantoxhead, Taunton, TA4 4DP
Field Trip Description
To see the Upper Triassic through Lower Jurassic succession with changing environments from desert playa and alkaline lake through brackish water lagoons to shallow and then deeper-marine limestones and mudrocks. The Rhaetic succession (Lilstock Fm) also records deformed and disturbed bedding which may have resulted from a meteorite impact (2000 km west) and associated tsunami or intense seismic activity. There are faults and fractures too, relating to movement of salt at depth and/ or extensional and compressional tectonics during the later Mesozoic - Tertiary as a result of changes in regional stress patterns, opening of the Atlantic and Wessex Basin extension. Fossils are abundant in the Rhaetic and Liassic sediments, notably ammonites and bivalves, and trace fossils are well developed.
Walking along beach and foreshore rock exposures; stout boots and care needed.
In view of the tides, we will be meeting at NOON at the Home Farm Holiday Centre (parking, café and facilities available). Post-code TA4 4DP, West Quantoxhead.
This trip is a walk along the beach west of the steps down to St Audrie’s Bay from Home Farm Holiday Centre, towards the west and beyond the conspicuous cliff waterfall, and after, if time permits, back to the east to the headland of Blue Ben. The higher part of the beach is pebbly, so watch your footing; do not get close to the cliffs. With care, there are no great risks. Sensible shoes/ boots and clothes. The tide is falling.
Important Notice: Bath Geological Society Insurance
Each person attending a field meeting does so on the understanding that he/she attends at his/her own risk. The Bath Geological Society has Public Liability Insurance Cover for field and indoor meetings, but Personal Accident Cover and Personal Liability Cover remain the responsibility and personal choice of the participant.
There may be an element of appropriate cover included in house insurance or in travel insurance: although Bath Geological Society activities are not particularly dangerous members are advised to check whether exclusions apply to activities in which they plan to participate in case they wish to arrange further cover. An annual travel insurance may be the best solution for any member who regularly attends field events: this again is a matter of choice.
Please note however that all members participating in overseas events will be required to have travel insurance for the duration of the event: this is so that participants are covered for Medical, Repatriation and Personal Liability expenses. The Personal Accident element remains the personal choice of the member and again members are advised to check exclusions so that they can make an informed decision about the cover they want.