Immediately before the start of 1B, students undertake a field trip to Sedbergh (Cumbria) and Wilderhope (Shropshire). This trips builds upon the Arran trip, and students learn a new set of geological techniques as well as honing their existing skills.
Spanning rocks aging from the Precambrian to the Permian, this trip covers a wide swathe rock types and subject areas. Students have the opportunity to develop the skills they began to acquire on the Arran trip, and are also introduced to some more advanced field techniques. Prominent amongst these new skills are the ability to make and interpret geological maps, from the perspective understanding both the history of a region, and also the underlying principles than govern the behaviour of the Earth. Each field day is focussed on a different theme, and in addition to gaining expertice in tectonics, sedimentology, igneous & metamorphic petrology, and palaeontology, students also gain exposure to some of the real-world applications of geological research, such as critical metal mineralisation around igneous plutons.