Elgin Museum

Friday 27th September 2024 at 7 pm

Scotland beneath the surface – exploring the natural and man-made heritage under our feet

A talk by L. Bruce Keith

Bruce Keith with regale us with highlights from his latest book, “Scotland beneath the surface”.  It’s a subterranean odyssey exploring the natural and man-made heritage under our feet, from natural caves to hollow mountains for hydro power generation, from railway tunnels to underground tanks and bunkers and from fossils to the mining of fossil fuels.

Bruce Keith is a retired chartered surveyor and chartered environmentalist. He started his career on several Aberdeenshire estates before joining the Department of Agriculture in Edinburgh. In 1996 he migrated south of the border as Chief Surveyor with English Nature. Bruce retired ten years ago as Head of Property at SSE (Scottish and Southern Energy plc – the Hydro Board) – the largest renewable energy company in the UK and Ireland.

Adult tickets £4, Students £2, Moray Society members free.

All tickets (including free tickets) must be booked in advance via our online ticketing website

BOOK NOW!

Family Drop In Activity

Medieval Stained Glass 

10.30am – 11.30am, Saturday 12th October 2024

Inspired by the 800th anniversary of Elgin Cathedral, join us at this drop in event to learn about the history of stained glass and create your (paper) stained glass window. This is a drop in event, no need to book in advance.

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.