This course provides an opportunity for schools with low student numbers to undertake the necessery fieldwork for their qualification.
Blencathra Field Centre is situated 300m up, on the south facing slopes of Blencathra in the Lake District National Park. It sits just one mile outside the Lakeland village of Threlkeld, with panoramic views of the Lake District fells. This impressive setting has a true sense of space, giving the site a unique quality, which many visitors enjoy year after year.
Blencathra is a residential environmental education centre in the heart of the Lake District that runs mainly off renewable energy. The centre’s award-winning eco-friendly accommodation uses electricity which is generated by the Centre’s own hydro scheme and its heating which is powered by
Cumbrian-sourced biomass.
Due to safeguarding reasons we are unable to let adult learners attend these courses. To ensure safety all U18s must be accompanied by a responsible adult on residential courses, eg teacher or parent.
- The cost of this course is VAT exempt, including in-course transport to field sites.
- Lunch on the first day is not included, but is on the final day.
- Staff are charged at half the student rate plus VAT, 1 staff member per school.
- Adults (students who have turned 18 or mature students) can join either Day or Residential Small Groups courses, as long as the Centre has available residential rooming. They cannot share a dormitory room with U18s.
This course will take place on 22/01/2025 – 26/01/2025
- Students £499
- Teacher £249+VAT
Example Timetable
Arrive at the centre for 1pm
Day 1
Borrowdale Volcanics (half day)
Geological investigation: What geological processes are involved in the formation of the Borrowdale Volcanic group?
Students will visit the stunning Borrowdale valley and make basic observations at a range of outcrops.
As students first field excursion the aim is to develop their core notebook keeping, observational and quantitative skills.
Outcrops include two of, Castlehead Dolerite near Keswick, the Seathwaite Slabs (with distinctive ripples and cross bedding), and Derwent water lake shore outcrops, volcaniclastic rocks.
Transport required (These sites are not accessible by coach)
Follow up session
An interactive session using videos, card sorts and hand specimens will explore the geological history of Cumbria to provide an overall framework for the course.
Transport required (These sites are not accessible by coach)
Day 2
Shap: Crystalline and Orogenic Processes
Geological investigation: What igneous processes formed the distinctive texture of the Shap Granite?
Students will visit the working Shap Pink granite quarry, with kind permission of Armstrong Ltd. Students will capture macro-observations of the site with field sketches and photographs; and conduct detailed observations of the mineralogy and texture of the granite. From this the students will be able to make basic conclusions regarding the evolution of an igneous intrusion.
Geological investigation: can we link the folds at Crookdale Crags to the Caledonian Orogeny?
Students will visit a road cutting of folded turbidites from the Windermere Supergroup. Students complete field sketches and collect a large set of dip and strike data that will be used in the GIS follow up session.
There will also be time to visit the Shap Wells unconformity, or Great Asby Scar, an outstanding limestone outcrop near Orton.
Suitable fieldwork for: Eduqas SP8, SP10, SP13, SP14, SP15, SP16 OCR PAG 6.2
Follow up session
-Students will use the Mann Whitney U test to evaluate changes in megacryst abundance from the margin to the centre of the intrusion.
-Students plot their orientation data collected in the field, together with a secondary dataset from the BGS 1:50 map sheet in ArcGIS online to assess if the outcrop fits into the regional pattern of the Windermere Supergroup.
Transport required
Day 3
Contact Metamorphism
Geological investigation: Investigating contact metamorphism
Immediately behind the Blencathra centre is one of the UK’s best examples of a contact metamorphic aureole.
The investigation will be based along a transect from the centre towards the Skiddaw granite. As we walk towards the granite students will observe changes in the mineralogy and texture of the rocks, including andalusite slate and hornfels.
Upon reaching the granite, students will be able to locate the contact outcrop.
There is no transport requirement for this course option.
Suitable fieldwork for: Eduqas SP10, SP12, SP13, SP14, SP15 OCR PAG3.3
Follow up session
Students will use their field observations to draw isolines of metamorphic grade. They can then construct a cross section and use trigonometry to calculate the true orthogonal thickness of the aureole and explain why the aureole trace is so large in proportion to the granite outcrop.
No transport required
Day 4
Sedimentary Processes and Geological Sequences
Geological investigation: palaeoenvironmental change in the Palaeozoic
This itinerary takes in a range of sedimentary rocks towards the Eden valley, including the Devonian Mell Fell Conglomerate, and Penrith Aeolian Sandstone. At the conglomerate we will observe palaeocurrent indicators and measure the orientation of a range of clasts.
We will then travel to a river section near Armathwaite, to study the Brockram Facies section: fluvial red sandstone and flash flood breccio-conglomerates. Students will produce a sedimentary log of the section to make interpretations of depositional processes and palaeoenvironment.
Suitable fieldwork for: Eduqas SP5, SP6, SP13, SP14, SP15, SP16 OCR PAG 6.3
Follow up session
Students will use rose diagrams and Chi2 analysis to investigate if any palaeocurrent can be interpreted from the Mell Fell Conglomerate.
They will then summarise the palaeoenvironmental changes they have interpreted.
Transport Required.
Day 5
Relative Dating (half day)
Geological investigation: reconstruct a geochronology of a complex outcrop at School House Quarry, Mungrisdale
Students will conduct a site investigation of the School House Quarry area to identify what geochronologies are supported by the available field relationships and evidence. Field sketches of cross cutting relationships and orientation data will be used to work out the geological history.
Suitable fieldwork for: Eduqas SP5, SP13, SP14, SP15 OCR PAG6.1
Transport required
Depart midday
Added value of this course
Develop skills
Communication | Resilience | Independent thinking | Leadership
Numeracy | Literacy | Investigative skills | Observation
Enhance Knowledge
- Ask questions.
- Apply knowledge in the real world and make links.
- Make sense of new places and understand our place and role within this.
Enjoy
Have fun | Make friendships | Connect with nature
Why Choose Field Studies Council?
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Expert tuition by fully trained staff
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Stunning locations across the UK
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Outstanding curriculum knowledge
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Rigorous health and safety procedures
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Support before and after your visit
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Free places for visiting staff