Yorkshire Geology Day 2025
Geology Rocks!
National Coal Mining Museum for England, Wakefield
26th April 2025 10:00 - 17:00 BST
Image from JMA Photography
Kicking off Yorkshire Geology month in style!
Activities, stalls, guided tours, talks and more, we’ve got a day planned for all the family!
For Yorkshire Geology Day the YGS and many other geological societies team up with the National Coal Mining Museum for England to celebrate the region’s geology.
MORNING SESSION (10am – 1.30pm)
UNDERGROUND WALKS INTO THE DRIFT MINE - 10.30am and 1pm - Please book IN ADVANCE via the NCMME Reception Desk (01924 848806) and specify “Geology Tour” when booking. Numbers are restricted to 12. This walk includes a long and steep walk down the drift accompanied by a geologist so will be longer than the usual museum underground tours. On arrival, check in at Reception.
SURFACE WALKS - 10.30, 12noon and 2pm. Accompanied walk (about 1 hour) from the Museum cafeteria doors (Yellow Star) to the Hope Pit rock exposure to see a seat earth, coal seam and marine band. Maximum group size 20. Conference Centre (Yellow Star 8 on map):
YGS Hub: find out what’s on and where. General enquiries and Identification desk - bring your rock, mineral and fossil specimens to be identified by experts. Yorkshire Geological Society shop for books and field guides.
Local Groups and Societies
Practical demonstrations and hands-on activities aimed at the younger audience. Geological exhibits and poster displays - rocks, fossils, minerals, company exhibits and sales of geological leaflets and guide books. Learning fun for the younger visitor.
OUTSIDE in the Pit Yard (11am-4pm)
Makers Shed – Drop in and make your own fossils
The Story Shell – Bradford Libraries – Storytime and Stay and Play activities for under 5’s
Rock cutting and polishing (Yellow Star) – bring a sample and see what secrets it may reveal.
THE LEARNING HUB (Yellow Star 4)
The Rock Showman – Rollup, rollup for exciting demonstrations and learning activities
Rock and Coal Show – An interactive science show that explains how old coal is and how it got
deep underground.
AFTERNOON SESSION: Learning Space (yellow Star 4)
Part 1 – “Digging Deeper”
13.15 – 13.45
The geology of Caphouse Colliery with a display of plant fossils and coal balls presented by Dr. John Knight (YGS Vice-president) and a demonstration by Trevor Chalkley (NCMME) of a model showing coal mine development in relation to coal seams and structure.
Part 2 - ‘The Rocks that built Yorkshire’
Short talks on materials used in the county’s roads, buildings etc.
14.00 – 14.10 Introduction and Yorkshire Geological Society Business. Colin Waters, President of YGS
14.10 – 14.30 Overview – Stephen Parry (BGS)
14.30 – 14.50 Building stones of north east Yorkshire – Dan Normandale
14.50 – 15.10 York’s Building Stones – Liam Herringshaw
15.10 – 15.40 Refreshment Break
15.40 – 16.10 Chalk (it’s ‘ard up north) – Paul Hildreth
16.10 – 16.40 Sheffield’s building stones – Peter Kennett
16.40 – 16.50 Vote of thanks and close