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Scottish Geology Festival: An Introduction

Scottish Geology Festival has its roots in the early 90’s as a week-long series of events run during the summer, by Neil Clark of the Hunterian Musuem, to engage the general public in Scotland’s geology. With the help and financial support of Scottish Natural Heritage, the events became the basis of the first truly national ‘Scottish Geology Week’ in 1997. Since then Scottish Geology Week was run biennially and with increasing numbers of events taking place and people taking part in 1999 and 2001, it grew to become a ‘Festival’ in 2003 and in 2005. Since 2006, Scottish Geology Festival has been an annual event, which takes place throughout the whole month of September. ‘Rock On’ is the strap-line used on promotional products for the Festival.

With the established aim of ‘bringing geology to the people of Scotland and further afield’, a typical Scottish Geology Festival, comprises around 100 individual events, and involves several thousand people across the length and breadth of Scotland.

Each event is organised and run by individual enthusiasts, geologists in the industry and various groups, societies and museums, and may take place in any one of a variety of outdoor and indoor locations, such as geological sites, museums, galleries, schools, nature reserves and parks. Intended to be fun, informal and for all ages, events usually include such varied geo-activities as: geological rambles; guided walks; mine and quarry visits; lectures and talks; gold and silver panning; rock 'surgeries'; and building stones walks.

Although the Organising Partnership behind the Festival is keen to further the knowledge of those already interested in geology and the Earth heritage generally, importantly, it's our aspiration to capture the interest and participation of those who have little or no knowledge of the subject.

The Organising Partnership behind the ‘Rock On’ Scottish Geology Festival comprises the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow, the National Museums of Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, the British Geological Survey, the Scottish Earth Science Education Forum, Our Dynamic Earth and the geological societies of Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The Organising Partnership is led in turn by the various Partners. Scottish Natural Heritage has had this role in the past and more recently Glasgow’s Hunterian Museum has had the lead role.

If you wish to host / run an event, you can do so by filling out our Registration form then Submit an Event

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Hamish - the 'Rock On' Scottish Geology Festival mascot

For images taken during Rock On - Scottish Geology Festivals click here