West Sussex Geological Society

"the Peak District" Derbyshire May 2024
A 2 day Field Trip in the glorious Derbyshire Peak District, with a 3 night stay in the 'Palace Hotel' in Buxton, taking in the Lower & Upper Carboniferous rocks.
Day 1 was a circular trip from Castleton, through Cavedale, Windy Knoll, passing the landslip at MamTor, into Odin Mine, past Treak Cliff and the Speedwell Vent, and returning to Castleton.
Day 2 was in the Tideswell Dale area, through RavensTor along the Wye Valley, climbing to the Monsal Trail (the old LMS -- London to Manchester Railway), passing the Litton Mill Cutting, down and across the River Wye and up again across the top of the limestone plateau to finally return to Tideswell.

Brecon Beacons May 2023

Rocks -- Waterfalls -- Spectacular Scenery

Isle of Wight October 2022
The WSGS Isle of Wight weekend excursion 22nd - 24th October 2022. Yaverland to Culver Cliff with the foreshore and cliff geology from Wealden to Chalk. Alum Bay, famous for it's coloured sands, but good Palaeogene to Chalk succession. Whitecliff Bay demonstrating a classic site for the succession through the Palaeogene (Tertiary) to the Chalk.

Dorset May 2019
A 2 day visit to south Dorset, taking in Burton Bradstock, "West Bay" at Bridport, Uploaders, Horn Park Quarry and Mapperton. Overnight was in a hotel in Yeovil, then visiting Frogden, then finally to Louse Hill. Mainly in the the Inferior Oorlite of the Middle Jurassic.

Little Bognor Common Quarry at Fittleworth September 2019
An afternoon visit to the quarry, which is now working part-time only. Little Bognor Common quarry is the best site to view the Hythe Formation, which is part of the Lower Greensand Group from the Aptian of the Lower Cretaceous, where Little Bognor Common is the reference section for this formation.

Guernsey 2009
Our annnual extended days field trip to the Channel Isles -- Guernsey in 2009, taking in Guernsey's magnificant coastal exposures. Flying out to Jersey, with a ferry crossing to Guernsey. If you look carefully you can see younger versions of some of our members.

Mare Hill Sand Mine (near Pulborough) July 2025
This was not your normal run-of-the-mill field trip since we spent much of the time "underground". Our Chairman gave the normal initial talk, then it was off to explore, with hard hats being the necessary order of the day. With members from the Worthing Heritage Alliance, the Horsham District Archeological Group and the Chichester District Archeological Society as well as the WSGS, this was a very well attended visit with 30 people in the group. It has to be said though that the visit had a combined Geological and Industrial Heritage basis as the mine when active produced an ideal sand for the iron casting process in the foundry industry.

Felpham Lignite Exposure March 2025
This was a beach visit, timed to be on a falling / low tide to see the exposed lignite bed. That afternoon was clear and sunny but had a bitter piercing south-west wind over the exposed coast. Thanks for a hot cuppa afterwards. Lead by our Chairman, we first walked over the exposed Upper Chalk, very well eroded by biological and wave action, with small Pyrite pieces in places. Walking westwards towards Bognor over the red coloured Reading Formation, with just a thin cover of sand, to the Lignite Bed itself. Unfortunately only 1 'palm tree' stump was visible through the sand - but it is known more exist, though covered by sand at the time of our visit -- and the Lignite itself was exposed striking south-east with a typical visible thickness of 200mm. Within the exposure itself you could see branch / fallen trunk structures. though now all flattened over time. A full report is in "Outcrop" #71 Summer 2025

WSGS Stained Glass Window Unveiled April 2018
This was the unveiling of the Stained Glass Panel, donated by WSGS to Worthing Borough, celebrating 40 years of the WSGS (1977 - 2017), and installed in the pier main display area.

Exhibitions and Shows
Here we are in various shows & exhibitions, over various years, including the Chichester Novium Museum (2024 & 2025), the Sussex Mineral and Fossil Show at Haywards Heath (2024), the Festival of Geology in London (2024) and recently Rustington Museum (2025).

Miscellaneous Field Trips
A collection of miscellaneous field trips over the years, including inside the works at the Hinehead Tunnel, on the A3 in Surrey, the Stoneworks at Chichester, the Chilmark Stone Mine, Duncton Chalk Pit, the Arun Valley and Stanmer Park for Sarsen Stones, the South Downs at Amberley / Bignor & Highdown.

Church Building Stones
Visiting various churches around West Sussex to see how their construction over the past has re-used & re-purposed sonework from previous older buildings and incorporated stonework won in the local area.

Pebbles on the Beach
This is a collection of photos, from the past few years, looking at the shingle along the upper beach area, in Worthing, lead by David Bone (and in 2025 AW & RC). Not only WSGS members are in attendance, but it is advertised so that the general public can participate and get a feel for how our beach is formed.

Members Photos
Here we have a collection of photos from Members. Not actually part of any WSGS activity, but interesting in their own right for Landscapes, Rock Formations, Minerals or Fossils.

Misc WSGS Images
And finally, a collection of Miscellaneous Images for the WSGS.