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Next Event
The next South West Branch event is the field trip to Torbay Geopark on May 19th |
Welcome to the South West Branch of the Open University Geological Society
The South West region has arguably some of the most diverse assemblages of geological features in the UK. The region is dominated by the granite outcrops of Dartmoor, Bodmin Moor and Lands End, relics of the orogeny of 300 million years ago. The rich mineralisation that came with the granite made this area home to extensive tin, lead, silver and copper mining industries and the relics are still widely distributed.
To the south lie the Lizard Peninsula Ophiolite and the Start complex with their heavily metamorphosed rocks and igneous intrusions.
The central parts of Devon are principally Carboniferous sandstone and mudstone ‘culm’ measures and on the north coasts of Cornwall and Devon the effects of plate movements are displayed in the contortion of these beds, representing some of the finest exposures of chevron folding anywhere in the world.
To the east the geology is principally that of a desert laid down in Permian times with outcrops of red sand dunes and breccias formed of materials weathered of the mountains that once buried Dartmoor. Further east on the Dorset and Somerset borders are rich Triassic and Jurassic fossil beds and Cretaceous chalks.
The South West Branch runs events both at home and abroad, which have included trips to Tenerife, South-East Spain and the Alps. Some of the home and away events are reported on the Branch Trip Résumés page.
Non-members, members of other societies and members of other branches are most welcome at any of the events; details are posted on the
events page or can be found in the Society Newsletter.
Some aspects of South West geology. Click the photos to enlarge:
OUGS Sales on field trips
Michelle Thomas carries a small amount of OUGS Sales stock in the back of her car when at field trips. She has pens, pencils, sharpeners, postcards, hand lens, reference card packs (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary, fossils, grainsize), photoscale cards, geological timescale cards, specimen bags, and lanyards. Also a small selection of the various shirts (Tee, Polo, Sweat) - so that members can look at what is available and know what they would be ordering from OUGS Sales.
Hat-trick of photo competition awards
The South West Branch Organiser, Chris Popham, has won the Popular Vote category of the 2011 OUGS Moyra Eldridge Photo Competition. This is the third year in succession Chris has won one of the categories in this competition, a fine achievement. Chris' winning entry, 'Copper Blue Water', can be seen by clicking the thumbnail below.
All material © South West Branch of Open University Geological Society.
Contact the branch organiser to request permission to use any materials.
