This year's field trip will be to Barns Ness, a wonderful fossil locality a short coach journey away from Edinburgh (approx. 45 minutes). Barnes Ness is famous for its Carboniferous limestone outcrops, as well as sandstone, mudstone and coal. There are also plenty of fossils to be discovered, including corals, trace fossils and plant fossis.
There are 40 spaces available on this trip. We will be looking to leave King's Buildings via coach at ~12pm (to be confirmed). The journey is approximately 45 minutes depending on traffic. At the site, we will be dropped off at the carpark, which has toilet facilities.
We will take a short walk up the beach on mostly flat terrain to visit the fossil sites. This is a rocky shore with low cliffs, and there is the risk of tripping, slipping or falling, especially on wet surfaces. Delegates should wear the appropriate fieldwork gear, including waterproof coats and trousers, and strong walking boots. Barnes Ness is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and hammering is forbidden. Loose rocks and fossils will be available to be collected instead.
We aim to leave the site at ~4pm (to be confirmed), and therefore be back at the King’s Buildings by 5pm.