Cryogenian Glacial Sedimentation, Garvellach Islands Four Days – 29th June – 2 July 2024 This excursion will visit the Garvellachs, a chain of islands southwest of Oban on Scotland’s west coast, with two full days on the islands and three nights in a field centre on the nearby Isle of Lunga. The Garvellachs present extensive exposures of the Neoproterozoic Garbh Eileach and Port Askaig Formations, recording the onset and evolution of the Sturtian global glaciation. Although glaciations of this age have often been characterised as monolithic “Snowball Earth” events, the ~600 m thick succession on the Garvellachs provides clear evidence of multiple glacial advance-retreat cycles, including tillites, glacitectonites, glaciomarine rain-out deposits, periglacial features, and non-glacial intervals. This is also a world-class location for understanding the origins of associated dolomites including at the transitional base to Cryogenian glaciation. Over the last decade, the Garvellachs have been the subject of a major multidisciplinary study led by Tony Spencer, and the excursion leaders will offer detailed insights into the best the islands have to offer. The excursion involves landings on rocky shorelines. £475.00 per person Led by Doug Benn – University of St. Andrews & Ian Fairchild – University of Birmingham
Further Information:
This trip will depart from Aberdeen bright and early on the 29th June and return to Aberdeen on the 2nd July in people carriers. Once at Cuan, all further travel will be by boat.
The accommodation is on an otherwise uninhabited island, with no shop and no ferry service. All meals will be provided, including materials for making lunches. There are no other options. Participants may wish to bring particular food items of their own. Alcohol will not be provided.
The accommodation is a mix of single occupancy rooms and single-sex, shared dormitories ranging from 2-6 attendees per room and is comfortable but rather basic. There is gas for cooking and lighting, and (usually) electricity for lighting and phone charging. There is no wifi, but usually a decent phone signal. Participants will need to bring sleeping bags, pillow cases, towels and torches. There is a washroom with sinks and two (cramped) showers and, at present, one outdoor toilet. This is located on the shore 200 metres away from the accommodation block, along a wooden walkway and grassy path. Despite the inconvenience, it is a proper sit-down, flush toilet and you can see three Munros from the door.
The single sex dormitories are allocated according to the Sex written on your passport.
If you have any questions or need more information about this, please contact CPD services: cpdservices@abdn.ac.uk
Note
All participants on this trip will need to complete this disclaimer.