Cornwall/South England (next in 2027)

The scenic southwest coast of England between Cornwall National Landscape, English Riviera and Jurassic Coast is part of the UNESCO Natural World Heritage. It is packed with famous and often historically significant geological outcrops, which invite to study the various aspects of the Variscan Orogeny and the subsequent geological evolution.

In the first week of the excursion, we explore and document typical phenomena and components of an orogeny in Cornwall: the ophiolites of the Lizard Complex, the sedimentation in Paleozoic marginal basins of the Rheic Ocean, ductile and brittle deformation in the form of spectacular folds, strike-slip faults and normal faults, the granitic intrusions of the Cornubian Batholith in different intersections and the primary and secondary deposits contained therein. We spend the second week of the excursion mainly in Devon and Dorset and explore the pre- and post-Variscan basin development typical of Western and Central Europe, from Devonian limestones of the Rheic Ocean to Permo-Triassic arid New Red deposits to the marine layers of the Jurassic and Cretaceous, famous for their fossils and picturesque landscapes. We compare the geological development of southern England with that of other regions of Europe, especially Germany, and discuss the social and economic consequences and potential of the geological processes studied.

- Organisation of fieldwork and teamwork
- Observation, communication, and documentation skills
- Mapping and interpretation of geological outcrops
- Basic and applied knowledge of Structural Geology, Petrology, Sedimentology, Stratigraphy, Paleontology, and Geomorphology
- Enjoying exploration

- Field work, skills in the field
- Presentation of an outcrop according to a topic of your choice
- Field book

field trip skills

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