Appreciating, conserving and promoting Somerset's diverse geology

SGG - Visit to Cleeve Abbey and Dunster
2025-10-09 | Devon
As part of the building stones survey, these are the second and third locations that SGG is documenting for English Heritage.

Sidmouth Science Festival
2025-10-11 | Devon
Several events as part of Sidmouth Science Week

GEOFFEST
2025-10-18 10:00 - 15:00 (Europe/London) | United Church, 29 South St, Dorchester, DT1 1BY, United Kingdom
For details see here
SGG will be exhibiting.

Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Field Trip to Ham Hill
2025-11-01 10:00 - 17:00 | Private: Ham Hill, Stoke Sub Hamdon, TA14 6RW, United Kingdom
Details are here

DGAG Building Stone Field Trip - Blandford Forum
2025-11-15 10:45 - 13:45 | ST Peter’s annd St Paul’s Church
This trip will introduce the local geology setting and guide you round the variety of stone used in Blandford’s buildings. There are many fossils visible and we recommend you bring a hand lens. The trip will be a guided walk round the building stone trail (guide booklet available to buy if you wish).
Full details will be issued to those wishing to join this great trip.
Leaders: Kelvin Huff, Sheila Alderman, John Scott
Time: 10:45 am start. 13:45 pm approx. finish
Meet location: St Peter’s and St Paul’s Church at 10:45 am. ST 885 062 ///recent.typical.relegate.
Car Parks: Stour Meadows car park is free (behind Brewery), short walk to meet location above.
Closest Car Park, Marsh and Ham Car Park £2:40 or £3:70 for 3 or 4 hours respectively. Toilets are located here.

Entry Cost: Fieldtrip free to DGAG members. Parking fee options as above.
Booking: email Jonathan Stiby at fieldtrips@dorsetgeologistsassociation.org

The Ussher Society - Geoscience in South-West England 63rd Annual Conference
2026-01-08 - 2026-01-10 | Devon
USSHER 63 Exeter Conference Circular_Jan26

Friday agenda item “Open Workshop Discussion – Geosites in SW England Recording, storing and accessing RIGS/CGS/LGS site Information” will be of interest to SGG (who are attending).

Bath Geological Society - Zoom Meeting on "The Complex Geology of the Somerset Coalfield"
2026-01-08 19:30 - 20:30 | Zoom
Talk by Andy Gordon, SGG, at the request of Bath Geological Society.

Local Geological Site Clearance - Shepton Mallet
2026-02-05 11:00 - 14:00 | Devon
An existing LGS (there are 232 in Somerset) is being cleared for better exposure with assistance by Somerset Council

Prehistoric Planet: February Half Term
2026-02-17 - 2026-02-19 | Museum of Somerset, The Museum of Somerset, Taunton, TA1 4AA, United Kingdom
Step back in time this February half term for fossil handling, visiting dinosaurs, a mammoth trail, storytime, dino discos and prehistoric crafts.

OUGS WESSEX FIELD TRIP to the West Compton/ Shepton Mallet area of Somerset in the vicinity of the Mendip Hills.
2026-02-27 10:30 - 15:00 | Devon
A walk to study the underlying Geology of the area. There is a disused Railway cutting through the Carboniferous Limestone. Each end of the cutting shows the Triassic and Jurassic unconformity against it, a large fault behind displaces them. There is a walk up a thrust faulted hill which gives very good views of the area.
Some of the walk is on private land which our leader has permission to use with the group. Total distance is 1.5 miles mainly level except the gentle slope up the hill
Our leader Stephen Thompson is a volunteer at the Mendip Earth Science Centre and has lived in the area for many years that has given him insight into the local geology. He will show us samples of the different rock types he has found in the area including “potato stones/ Bristol diamonds”.

The post walk report is here.

Muchelney Abbey - Training of Volunteers
2026-04-17 10:00 - 14:00 | Mulcheney Abbey, TA10 0DQ, United Kingdom

Barnstaple u3a Geology Group - Talk on the Complex Geology of the Somerset Coalfield
2026-05-08 14:00 - 15:30 | Fremington Methodist Church, Old School Lane, Fremington, Devon, EX31 3BZ, United Kingdom
Talk being given by Andy Gordon, SGG at the kind invitation of David Dickinson, Barnstaple u3a

Somerset Geology Display at Ham Hill Visitor Centre
2026-05-20 - 2026-06-08 | Private: Ham Hill, Stoke Sub Hamdon, TA14 6RW, United Kingdom
Details to follow

Yeovil Building Stones Tour
2026-08-06 14:00 - 16:30 | St John’s Church, Yeovil, BA20 1HE, United Kingdom
Somerton u3a Geology Group

Barnstaple u3a Geology Group - visit to Radstock Museum and Writhlington SSSI
2026-08-11 10:00 - 17:00 | Radstock museum, ba3 3ep, United Kingdom

Geological Walk: Eastern Mendips near Frome
2026-09-17 | Nunney, Nunney Castle parking at Old Quarry Gardens, Nunney, Somerset, BA11 4NL, United Kingdom
Sept 2026 Nunney and Vallis Vale advert

Mendip Rocks Festival October 2026
2026-10-02 18:30 - 2026-10-24 16:30 | Somerset Earth Science Centre, Moons Hill Quarry, Radstock, ba35ju
Tickets can be booked at https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/mendip-rocks-2026-4839691

Somerset Geology Group - Annual Meeting
2026-10-05 10:00 - 16:00 | Somerset Earth Science Centre, Moons Hill Quarry, Radstock, ba35ju
All are welcome to attend – just email us at somersetgeology@gmail.com to let us know you are coming and if you want to attend the quarry – places on the quarry visit are limited and will be reserved on a first-come first-served basis.
Please bring a packed lunch.
Agenda:
1000 – Arrive and refreshments
1015 – Welcome and programme for day – Garry Dawson
1030 – SESC Activity – Adel Avery
1100 – SGG’s year and future
1115 – Break
1130 – Ham Hill – Geoff Rowland
1215 – Building stone survey, town trails and EH work
1230 – Lunch
1330 – Field Trip – New andesite quarry exposure
1500 – Finish

International Geodiversity Day
2026-10-06 | Devon

Mendip Rocks! Festival - Talk / Field Trip on "Digging Deep: Discovering the Mendip Coalfields"
2026-10-06 11:00 - 14:30 | Somerset Earth Science Centre, Moons Hill Quarry, Radstock, ba35ju
The talk – by Andy Gordon of SGG – will cover an overview of Somerset’s geology, the fossils, history and geology of the Somerset coalfield. The field trip will be an opportunity to look for fossil plants.
Tickets can be booked here
