On the last week of September 2026 a group from the Reading Geology Society (RGS) visited Jersey to study our unique geology.
Their RGS itinerary of field visits was arranged by Paul Chambers (Head of the Jersey Island Geopark) with inputs from Geology Section members Mike Andrews and Colin Cheney.
The group visited sites around the Island, many of which are designated Sites of Special Interest, where the various rock types are particularly well exposed; for example L’Etacq and La Pulec (Jersey Shale Formation), Mont Hueiin quarry (the contact between the Jesey Shale Formation and the North West Granite), Bonne Nuit/Giffard Bays (St John and Bouley Rhyolite Formations), La Solitude and St Catherine’s Bay (Rozel Conglomerate Formation) and La Rocque and Green Island (South East Granite and Diorite). Special visits to the Ecrehous by RIB, the War Tunnels, Ronez quarry and Hougue Bie were also arranged by Paul Chambers.
Mike Andrews guided the RGS group at most of the sites, with Paul Chambers guiding at the rest. Dr. David Went, who was on the island at the time of the visit, assisted the guides by providing his considerable expertise on local geology (particularly on the Roxel Conglomerate Formation) to the group. Nicky Mansell and Colin Cheney also assisted the guides by providing information on specific areas of expertise. In addition, Dr Went provided an evening presentation in the Members Room, on the depositional relationships between the Rozel Conglomerate Formation and deposits of similar age on Alderney and the Normandy peninsula, for the RGS group and members of the Geology Section.
Feedback from members of the RGS indicate that they had thoroughly enjoyed their geological excursion to Jersey, not least thanks to the expertise of their guides, a well-planned itinerary and the unique geology.
Author – Colin Cheney – Chair of Geology – geology@societe.je
