Group Category: Natural History

This group started in April, 2019.

Can you identify rocks? What are fossils? What is Plate Tectonics?
We have fun learning about these topics and many more in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Amongst other things, we have studied Minerals, Igneous Rocks and Sedimentary Environments.

Topics we looked at in 2024 :
Earthquakes
Geology of the Isle of Wight (field trip)
Kimmeridge and Etches Museum
Geology of Chichester Harbour
Fossils
Dinosaurs
Geology of North York Moors
Geology snippets
Mineral extravaganza!
Snowball Earth

2024 Isle of Wight field trip

December 2019 Kimmeridge field trip
On a dry sunny winter's day 14 of us visited the Etches Fossil Collection at Kimmeridge in Dorset. Fossils collected locally over a lifetime by Steve Etches are beautifully preserved here and provide a deeper understanding of the Jurassic environment over 100 million years ago. After lunch in the local restaurant we then tried our own fossil collecting finding plenty of ammonites in the soft clays at Kimmeridge Bay.

September 2019 fossil hunting
We went to Bracklesham Bay where there are deposits that are 45 million years old. We managed, between the showers, to find quite a hoard!

This group started in March, 2009.

Have you ever wondered how the amazing scenery of our country came about?
Can you identify rocks?
What are fossils?
What is Plate Tectonics?
Our geology group has fun learning about these topics and many more, including gem stones, in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere.

2025 Shropshire
Days out along river banks, hills, disused quarries and a disused lead mine

2024 Leicestershire
A day in the amazing Bradgate Park, including the Information Centre video of geology, a visit to the NGS headquarters and Leicester Museum to see the famous Charnia fossil.

2023 Somerset
Minehead to East Quantoxhead. We were fortunate to have a retired geologist take us to the beach at Watchet where we saw an ammonite fossil only exposed a few months before. .

2022 Cornwall
St. Ives, Lands End and the Lizard. Included a visit to a tin mine.

Post-Covid
We enjoyed a day trip to Kimmeridge Museum to see, among other fossils, the skull of the pliosaur removed from the cliff nearby
A day trip to Chichester Harbour with a guide.

The Potting Shed was planted in February 2022.

The Potting Shed is a friendly group who have a common interest in gardening, and are equally welcoming to people who prefer to look rather than do.

We visit NGS gardens and others for seasonal highlights, not travelling too far, and sharing cars where possible. In the summer we visit each other’s gardens – which usually involves coffee and cake. We do an annual plant/seed swap.

April 2022 saw us enjoying some lovely spring sunshine at Tuppenny Barn at Southbourne.

Our inaugural group visit in February, 2022 was to West Dean Gardens near Chichester

This group started in February 2019

The aim of this group is to go out and about together and do some bird watching!
Our average numbers for a meeting is around 20 and we have two bird experts who inform us.
We have an annual AGM in January at the Waterlooville Community Centre in the Asda car park.
Our outside expeditions take place once a month on a Saturday morning and we usually visit a café or pub for coffee at the end of each meeting.
Occasional midweek outings to Pulborough RSPB and other locations are publicised later.
Binoculars are essential and, as we often meet challenging conditions, being prepared for "weather" is important.

Occasional notes and photos of our visits appear below the events list.