Rock On – Scottish Geology Festival 2003

13 – 28 September

(HEADLINE: SHOULD INCLUDE LOCAL REFERENCE)

Stirlingshire Locals Rock Around The Landscape

Date

(PHOTO OPPORTUNITY – time and place, more details at bottom of page)

(WHAT IS GOING ON AND WHERE IS IT HAPPENING?)

Stirlingshire residents will be climbing ancient volcanoes and investigating lava flows this week, as part of a guided walk organised by the Central Scotland Geology Club. Local people will be invited to study the rock formations formed hundreds of millions of years ago as a result of volcanic eruptions. The part that glaciers played on moulding the present day land surface will also be looked at.

(WHY IS IT BEING HELD? WHO IS INVOLVED? WHEN IS IT HAPPENING?)

The event, which takes place on 13 September and is organised by Central Scotland Geology Group, is part of Scottish Geology Festival, which runs between 13 – 28 September.

(MORE QUALIFYING DETAILS)

Professor Magnus McTavish, a retired geologist from St Andrews University, will take visitors on a guided walk up Fairy hill, which was formed 370 million years ago as a result of a volcanic activity. At the top he will explain the varied features of the landscape, which include valleys carved out by glaciers.

(THE QUOTE:)

Professor McTavish said:

"Stirlingshire’s gently undulating landscape belies a dramatic history of fire and ice. These days Fairy Hill is popular for local walkers and family outings but few people realise that the reason for its characteristic shape and diverse woodland is due to the eruption of a volcano millions of years ago. A huge glacier once ground its way through nearby Middle Glen."

Rock On Scottish Geology Festival 2003, consists of fifteen days of events held around Scotland, from Shetland to the Borders. Rock On’, Scottish Geology Festival is a biennial event, aimed at bringing geology to the people of Scotland. Its organisation is a partnership effort, involving those in Scotland in the field of communicating geology to the public: in particular, National Museums of Scotland, Hunterian Museum, British Geological Survey, Dynamic Earth, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Scottish Earth Science Education Forum and both the Open University and Glasgow geological societies.

This is the fourth time the festival has been held and more information on what’s happening around the country can be found on the scottishgeology.com, the gateway to scottish geology on the Web.

Colin MacFadyen, geologist at Scottish Natural Heritage said:

"Rock On - Scottish Geology Festival 2003 is a chance for everyone to find out something about the turbulent history of the ground beneath their feet. Scotland’s unique rock formations and landscapes have made it one of most important centres of geological study and innovation in the world and are a key part of our natural heritage. There is an exciting range of events going on around the country which we hope will encourage people to learn something about the geological histrory of the country, of times when dinosaurs roamed the landscape of Skye, when the Moray Firth was a dusty desert, when Fife and Ayrshire were swamps like the Florida Everglades and when ice sheets and glaciers helped carve out and shape the landscape of today."

For more information contact: Local contact

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Notes to editors

1. About organisations involved in SGF in your area.
2. About organisations in SGF.

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