Events Calendar
Moray Walking Festival: Geology Walk in Quarry Wood
The Victorian Elgin geological controversy, a 100 million year mystery!
Sunday 15th June 2025, 1300 – 1700
Meet at Quarry Wood Leggat Car Park, IV30 8XT
Join Elgin Museum Geology Group Volunteer Dave Longstaff on a 2.5 – 3.5 hour walk in Quarry Wood. We’ll visit some abandoned sandstone quarries looking at the geology and discussing some controversies which confounded Victorian geologists 150 years ago.
Meeting at the car park at Leggat Quarry, we’ll walk to Rosebrae and Cutties Hillock Quarries. This will involve a round walk of about 3 km which includes a gentle 0.5 km uphill walk to almost the top of Quarry Wood but following good paths.
In Cutties Hillock Quarry around 150 years ago fossil reptiles were found only a few feet above rock layers where fossil fish scales occurred, were the rocks of the same age? This was a question which interested many Victorian geologists and drew scientists from all over the U.K to Quarry Wood. A clue can be found in Rosebrae Quarry where a gap in the geological record can be examined, a 100 million year geological time gap, a cranny where your finger can span 100 million years!
Near to Cutties Hillock Quarry we can also see evidence from the last ice-age, grooves in small exposures of rocks created by the last ice sheets to cover Moray, glacial striae to those who remember school geography lessons!
NOTES:
- Please wear appropriate footwear for walking on rough tracks / trails: stout boots are recommended, walking pole(s) if normally used
- Bracken growing in woodland areas so ticks may pose a risk, please dress appropriately: Layered clothing appropriate for variable weather conditions, waterproof outerwear, hat & gloves (or sun hat if appropriate)
- You may wish to bring: water, hand lens, binoculars, camera, whistle, sunscreen
- No dogs allowed
- Car parking charges apply: https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/quarry-wood
Visit the Moray Walking Festival website to book your tickets.