The NSI arranges occasional field trips for members. The following links are to reports on the outcome of field trips.

• Caithness Field Trip: 23rd to 25th May 2003
• Swinton Quarry Field Trip: 30th August 2003
• Stone decay and repair in Edinburgh: 12th May 2004. A joint trip with the Edinburgh Geological Society. An evening walk led by Dr Ewan Hyslop (British Geological Survey) looked at examples featured in the new Historic Scotland Research Report ‘The Performance of Replacement Sandstone in the New Town of Edinburgh’
• Culzean Castle Field Trip: 29th May 2004
• Cullaloe Sandstone Quarry, Fife: 24th July 2004. A joint trip with Edinburgh Geological Society. Visit to the recently re-opened historic quarry which once supplied high quality sandstone to Edinburgh. Having received planning permission in March 2004, the quarry faces have now been cleared revealing impressive beds of high quality freestone.
• Slate Islands Field Trip: 7-8th August 2004
• Visit to Watson Stonecraft: 29th April 2005. Look at how stone is processed from rough quarry blocks to finished masonry, ranging from modern state-of-the-art automated machinery to the traditional skilled handicraft of the stone mason. The visit will include "hands-on" masonry, giving participants the chance to experience working of stone. Meet at Watson’s yard near West Calder in West Lothian at 10am.
• Weekend visit to Belfast: 11-12th June 2005. Led by Prof. Bernard Smith of Queens University and Dr. Joanne Curran of Stone Conservation Services. The visit will examine examples of stone decay and repair in buildings in Belfast, including visiting a historic quarry, and discuss new initiatives for stone conservation & repair in Northern Ireland.

Last year excursions proved popular, informative and fun, so we hope as many people as possible can attend these events. We are also keen to hear ideas for future visits, particularly outside Scotland. Can you show us round your quarry, building project or place of work? For further details of the above excursions or if you have any suggestions please contact Ewan Hyslop (e.hyslop@bgs.ac.uk or 0131 667 1000).

Future NSI Excursions

Watch this space!