Field Studies Council A Level Geology at Blencathra (Small Group Course)

This residential small-group course gives schools with low student numbers an opportunity to prepare and plan for A Level Geology. It is designed to bring together individual students, home-educated students, and small cohorts so they can access expert field teaching without needing a large group size.

Over the course of five days, students investigate a range of classic geological settings around the Blencathra area and the Lake District. Activities include observing volcanic rocks in Borrowdale, studying granite and structural geology at Shap, exploring contact metamorphism near the centre, and examining sedimentary sequences and palaeoenvironmental change in the Eden Valley.

Students also complete follow-up work using field sketches, logs, maps, graphs and simple statistical analysis to strengthen their core A Level skills. The course includes accommodation, meals, transport to field sites, teaching, and equipment, making it a fully supported residential experience for geology students.