Explore key geological sites along the Yorkshire coast, examining fault and fracture systems, sedimentary successions, and fossil-bearing strata. The excursion provides insights into deformation processes and the geological evolution of the region.
Cost: 45£
Program:
Departing: 12th of April 2027 at 7:30 am
Meeting point: Parkinson Building on Cavendish Road, Uni Leeds
Return directly to the conference venue at 18:00 pm
Important:
- Participants will need to bring their own lunch.
- We reserve the right to alter the trip and note that weather and traffic conditions may force change on the day
Morning: Flamborough Head Fault Zone
On the coast at Flamborough Head, approximately two hours from Leeds, are excellent exposures of faulted Upper Cretaceous Chalk. We will spend around two hours exploring the geometry, kinematics, and evolution of exposed normal faults and associated fracture networks exposed along cliff sections, which allow us to consider the influence of stratigraphy and diagenesis on fault development, and evaluate competing models for chalk deformation within the broader tectonic framework of the southern North Sea Basin. The exceptional quality and continuity of exposure make Flamborough Head an ideal natural laboratory for examining fault zone architecture across a range of scales.
The Flamborough Head Fault Zone hosts an array of we-exposed normal and thrust faults, and associated deformation. Credit: Roberts, N.M., Lee, J.K., Holdsworth, R.E., Jeans, C., Farrant, A.R. and Haslam, R., 2020. Near-surface Palaeocene fluid flow, mineralisation and faulting at Flamborough Head, UK: new field observations and U–Pb calcite dating constraints. Solid Earth, 11(5), pp.1931-1945.
Afternoon: Geology and fossil fieldtrip to Reighton and Speeton
During the second half of the day, we will visit Reighton Sands and Speeton, at the south end of Filey Bay. The cliffs and foreshore here expose an unusual geological succession: fossil-rich, marine Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous mudstones (Kimmeridge Clay and Speeton Clay formations) and red and white chalks of the Upper Cretaceous (Hunstanton and Ferriby Chalk formations), overlain by Devensian glacial deposits. The tectonic history, the mobility of the clay-rich strata, and the coastal dynamics mean that it can be a complex succession to unpick. We will do our best, depending on exposure, but one certain outcome is that we will see some excellent rocks, and find plenty of interesting specimens – Jurassic, Cretaceous and erratic – in the shingle!
Chalk cliffs at Speeton. Credit: British Geological Survey.
Schedule
Departure: 7:30
Flamborough Head: 10:00-12:00
We will spend around two hours exploring the Flamborough Head Fault Zone under the guidance of Dr Eddie Dempsey (Univ. Hull). Exposure is coastal so layers and waterproofs are recommended. We will provide hard hats.
Lunch: 12:00-13:00
Reighton Sands: 13:00-15:00 am
following a short coach jurney and lunch, we will spend two-hours exploring the geology and fossils of Reighton and Speeton, under the guidance of local expert, Dr Liam Herringshaw.
Departure: 15:30
We will leave the field and travel to Woodhouse Grove School, the venue for the conference.
Arrive at the conference venue: 17:30/18:00
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