GEOLOGIE

De geologische informatie wordt te zijner tijd aangeleverd door dr. James Cresswell.

DAGPROGRAMMA

Day one: Monday 22nd May

Arrival

Group Welcome Meeting at Cardiff hotel followed by a group dinner.

Day two: Tuesday 23rd May

Blaenavon World Heritage Site & eastern part of the Brecon Beacons National Park

Cardiff – Blaenavon Ironworks – Big Pit – National Park Visitor Centre – Craig Cerrig-gleisiad – Cardiff

Today’s stops will cover the industrial past of southern Wales, an area rich in coal and iron. The area’s resources meant that it had a big impact worldwide, especially during the 18th & 19th centuries. By the early 19th century, South Wales was the world’s biggest producer of iron and by the early 20th century, 1/3 of the world’s coal was mined in South Wales.

There will also be an overview of the geology of the Brecon Beacons National Park, including the Old Red Sandstone, and a discussion of the glaciation which has shaped the landscape.

Day three: Wednesday 24th May

Fforest Fawr Geopark & western part of the Brecon Beacons National Park

Cardiff – Dinas Rock & Bwa Maen – Pontneddfechan – Dan-yr-Ogof – Carmarthen

Today will focus on the Neath Disturbance – a narrow zone of faults, folds and fractures extending from Hereford to Swansea Bay. We will visit part of this and see a great example of a fold. We will also take a walk at Pontneddfechan with many geological features along the way.

We will also visit the National Show Caves of Wales, with three different caves to visit, including Cathedral Cave with its spectacular waterfall, and the Bone Cave, where 42 human skeletons were discovered.

Day four: Thursday 25th May

Northern part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

Carmarthen – St Davids – Marloes Sands – Carmarthen

We will spend the day in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, firstly visiting St Davids – the smallest city in Britain (population: 1,600). From here, we will walk to the coast to see Cambrian-aged sedimentary rocks and Precambrian rocks. There will also be a chance to learn about the historical figure of St David, who is the patron saint of Wales.

In the afternoon, we will visit Marloes Sands, not only one of Wales’ most beautiful beaches, but also site of Marine Silurian rocks of Llandovery & Wenlock ages changing into fluvial Old Red Sandstone of Ludlow age.

Day five: Friday 26th May

Southern part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

Carmarthen – Freshwater West – Green Bridge of Wales – West Angle Beach – Pembroke Castle – Carmarthen

We start in Freshwater West, which is arguably the finest continually exposed section through Mid-Palaeozoic rocks in southern Britain. We will also see the Green Bridge of Wales, a dramatic natural rock arch and rock pillars formed from Carboniferous Limestone on the south-west coast of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

We will also stop in Pembroke on the way back to the hotel, giving a great view of the town’s famous castle and learning more about Henry Tudor (Henry VII – king of England from 1485-1509), who was born in the castle.

Day six: Saturday 27th May

Historic Stratigraphy

Carmarthen – Llandovery– Dolaucothi – Dinefwr – Carmarthen

The day starts with a discussion of the Llandovery epoch (an internationally recognised epoch of the Silurian) in the town that it its name. After this, we visit Dolaucothi Gold Mine – the only known Roman Gold Mine in the UK.

We will also visit Dinefwr Castle, where there are features of geological interest in the parkland surrounding the castle, as it consists of Ordovician rocks of the Llandeilo series, formed some 470 million years ago. The fossiliferous strata contain trilobites and brachiopods typical of, and special to, the Llandeilo Series. The castle itself dates back to around 1230 and was abandoned in the 16th century.

Day seven: Sunday 28th May

Glamorgan Heritage Coast

Carmarthen – Dunraven – Bendrick Rocks tracks – National Museum – Cardiff

After visiting the sedimentary rocks at Dunraven Bay, the focus turn to the dinosaur trackways on the south coast of Wales. The tracks at Bendrick Rocks are Triassic in age and show a variety of dinosaurs were present here.

We finish the tour in the National Museum of Wales in the heart of Cardiff. There is an excellent geology display and a chance to see the Dracoraptor, an Early Jurassic dinosaur discovered in the Blue Lias Formation at Penarth on the Glamorgan coast in 2014.

Day eight: Monday 29th May

Departure