GeoWeek seeks to introduce as many members of the public to geoscience as possible. GeoScience UK website lists all the events across the UK and some self guided trails. Here in Cumbria we have more than 30 events, 10 organised by CGC, others through the museum network and organisations in Cumbria. See our Projects webpage for 2019 Geoweek.

The Dock Museum, Barrow in Furness.

Thursday 12th May 2022 1.30-3pm

Normal opening: Wed. to Sun. from 11-4pm.

A talk on the rocks in and around Barrow. No prior knowledge needed. Fully wheelchair accessible. Meet in the Research Pod in the Museum.   Public toilets available in the museum.

A Westmorland Geological Society and Cumbria Geoconservation event.

Cost: Free. Bookings:

Kendal Museum geological collections.

Normal Opening Hours Thursday- Saturday

A permanent collection of fascinating rocks, minerals and fossils. Online resources allow you to view photographs of rocks & minerals.

Organised by Kendal Museum

No need to book.

Cost: Normal entry charges

Tullie House Museum, Carlisle.

Normal opening: Mon to Sat 10-4pm.

A special exhibition "Mining for Minerals" exhibiting some rare and wonderful minerals from some of the lesser-known mines across the region. Highlighting what and why the minerals were mined, with recent and historic photographs of the mines in their heyday

Geology Rocks, 2pm-4pm

First Thursday of every month

Organised by Tullie House Museum.

Cost: Normal entry charges.

Introduction to Geology.

Friday 13th May 2022,

9:30am - 12:30pm

Meet: Orton Market Hall

Come along to find out about the rocks beneath your feet. A talk in the Market Hall.

Organised by: Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership and Cumbria Geoconservation.

Cost: Free.

Booking:  via the Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership website.

Explore Brown Howe Quarry and discover some of the Lake District’s firey past (Coniston)

Tuesday 10th May 2022, 2 - 3.30 pm

Meet in the quarry, up a short steep track just south of the Brown Howe Car Park, on the opposite side of the road (SD 289 909)

An old quarry with two interesting rock types. Flat walking inside the quarry.  No public toilets.

Organised by Cumbria Geoconservation.

Cost: Free. Bookings:

Rocks and Fossils in Trowbarrow Quarry.

Family geology and geocache walk.

Sunday 8th May 2022,

2.00 - 3.30pm

The walk is suitable for all the family, and will last about 90 minutes. We'll see some amazing rocks and fossils and think about how different the climate was here around 300 million years ago. You'll also get an opportunity to try out geocaching, a world-wide outdoor treasure-hunting activity, using a phone GPS to find boxes hidden in the quarry. Sorry no dogs.

Organised by: Cumbria GeoConservation and Westmorland Geological Society

Cost Free: Bookings:

Great Asby Scar - Limestone Pavements, Fossils & Thunderstones.

Saturday 7th May 2022. 10-3pm.

Meet: Market Square, Orton (NY 623083)

A guided circular walk from Orton up the bridleway onto Orton Scar, past Beacon Hill and along to Knott, before descending to Gamelands Stone Circle and back across fields to Orton. The walk will be an introduction to the limestone geology of the area, including its scars and pavements, but will also look at the impact of glaciation, the use of stone as a building material and other heritage features.

Waterproofs and sturdy footwear recommended.  Moderate to rough, some stiles/gates, boggy areas, steep ground and limestone pavement which will be slippery if wet. It can also be quite exposed along the higher ground with little shelter from the wind.

Bring your own pack lunch.  Public toilets in Orton. Please note, dogs are not permitted on this walk.

Cost: Free. Bookings: via the Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership website

Geological Walks around Orton.

Friday 13th May 2022, 1-4pm

A choice of two walks. Join an afternoon walk to either around the village looking at the building stone, or up onto the open fell to The Knott.

Organised by Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership.

Cost: Free

Booking and details on where to meet will be via Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership website

Making Sense of our Landscape:  A talk and walk in the Coppermines Valley, Coniston. 

Sunday 15th May 2022, 10.00 - 12.30pm.

Meet: Entrance of Ruskin Museum, Coniston, LA21 8DU. (SD 3018 9771)

The event will begin in Ruskin Museum with a short talk to learn about the rocks that formed the Coniston Fells.  This will be followed by a stile-free walk into the Coppermines Valley as far as the youth hostel to learn about mining and quarrying history of the valley.  The walk will be on rough tracks with an elevation gain of 130m. Good walking shoes are recommended.  Toilets are available in the museum.

Event organised by Cumbria Amenity Trust Mining History Society and by Cumbria GeoConservation  

Cost: Free. Bookings:

The Skiddaw Aureole: Blease Fell & Sinnen Gill.

Saturday 7th May 2020,  10.00am (half or full day)

Meet: Blease Rd Car Park, Threlkeld; NY302257 (Just beyond Blencathra Field Centre)

This guided geowalk along the Lonscale Fell is to the Skiddaw Granite aureole to see the metamorphic changes caused by the intrusion of Skiddaw Granite pluton.

Boots, mountain walking kit essential. Bring coffee & biscuits (or lunch if you want to walk further up eg to Skiddaw House) No toilets.

Organised by Cumbria Geoconservation

Cost: Free. Bookings:

A Geological Walk around Keswick.

Wednesday 11th May 2022. 10-12noon.

Meet: Outside Theatre by the Lake.

Walk from Crow Park to Lake Shore and Castlehead. The walk will finish outside the Moot Hall. Please wear walking shoes/trainers amd bring walking poles if used for optional steep 150m ascent of Castlehead. Public toilets available near the Theatre and Moot Hall. Sorry no dogs.

Organised by: Cumbria Geoconservation

Cost: Free. Bookings:

Geowalk around the Eycott Hill Wildlife Trust Reserve.

Tuesday 10th May 2022 10-4pm

Meet: Eycott Hill Reserve car park just beyond Berrier, Penrith CA11 0XD Grid reference NY 394 301

Walking on rough terrain. Better to wear wellingtons if it has been wet, plus usual hillwalking kit. No public toilets.

Eycott is the type locality for the Eycott Volcanic Group and the Reserve has a series of about 20 lava flows that have been tilted and form a classic 'trap' landscape. The car park is on the overlying carboniferous limestone but going towards Eycott Hill itself we will see many outcrops of andesite. The first (lowest) lava band has large phenocrysts. Reserve web page.

Organised by: Cumbria Geoconservation and Cumbria Wildlife Trust

Cost: Free. Bookings:

Gelt Woods – A braided river in the Triassic desert.

Wednesday 11th May 2022, 10-12noon

Meet: River Gelt Car Park,

NY 519 591

A 2 mile walk on forest paths, some moderately steep ups and downs. Excursion expected to take 2 hours. No toilets at start.

Organised by Cumbria Geoconservation

Cost: Free. Bookings:

Coombe Crags – Tropical seas and river deltas of the Carboniferous.

Sunday 15th May 2022, 10 - 2pm

Meet: Banks Car Park, NY 574 647

A 4 mile walk on field and forest paths, some steep ups and downs, requiring reasonable agility. Small risk of vertigo. Excursion expected to take 3-4 hours. Packed lunch recommended. No toilets at start.

Organised by: Cumbria Geoconservation

Cost: Free. Bookings:

River Lune Ramble - a geological walk journeying back in time exploring the rocks and fossils along the River Lune at Kirkby Lonsdale.

Saturday 7th May 2022, 10-12noon

Meet: the Devil’s Bridge, Kirkby Lonsdale SD 6156 7823.

Overall walking distance is 1.1 km.  We will be exploring the rocks below the Devil’s Bridge and then walking along the footpath to Ruskin’s View, dipping down to the river along the way to examine the rocks.  Care will be required while on the rocky outcrops as these can be slippery. Sturdy footwear is recommended.  Towards the end of the walk, we will be going up the steep Radical Steps, finishing at Ruskin’s View.  The excursion is expected to take around 1.5 to 2 hours. Public toilets at the Devil’s Bridge.

Organised by: Cumbria Geoconservation

Cost: Free. Bookings:

The Building Stones of Kendal. Self Guided walk.

Start at any point in Kendal Town Centre.

Leaflet available from Kendal Museum.

A short tour (about 3 km) round the buildings and central streets of Kendal. That highlights the use of local and imported stone in buildings and shop fascia. Some basic principles of geology will be revealed though no prior knowledge is assumed. Approximate time 2 hours

Igneous Intrusions into the Skiddaw Group.

Thursday 12th May, 10am

Half or full day

Meet: At the start of the public footpaths beginning just east of St Margaret’s Church (NY190302) where there is limited roadside parking.

In the morning we will walk for about 2 hrs up to an elevation of about 350m to see a series of rare igneous rocks on Sale Fell known as minettes (dark coloured igneous rocks composed mainly of biotite and alkaline feldspars).  Following a lunch stop in Embleton (possibly at the Wheatsheaf Inn), we will walk up a rough track (90 to 100m height gain) to Embleton Quarry and spend about 1.5 hours examining a diorite sill.  Boots and usual hill-walking kit (waterproofs, warm clothes) essential.  Toilets only available at the Wheatsheaf Inn.

Organised by: Cumbria Geoconservation

Cost: Free. Bookings:

Westmorland Dales: Three new Geotrails.

Self Guided walks.

Check out these Geotrails and more on our Geotrails and Views web page, where leaflets can be downloaded.

GeoWeek in Cumbria is supported by the following organisations: