Meeting Details
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Time | 2.00 pm on the last Friday of the month |
| Duration | 1 1/2 to 2 hours |
| Location | Castle Street Centre |
| Coordinator | John Burrows |
What we do
Our meetings consist of talks by a guest speaker or group member, group study activities, or visits to places of scientific interest. Each meeting is planned to completely cover a specific subject. Subsequent meetings may cover a related subject but not rely on the matter of a previous meeting. In this way anyone who misses a meeting will not be at a loss.
A geological field trip
Our policy is that talks and studies do not require specialised knowledge. If some members wish to go more deeply into a topic then we would arrange to meet outside the programmed meetings. Mathematical topics are not covered unless the members wish for a change. We welcome tackling any subject a member would like to raise and like to think our interests range widely.
Past subjects have been '600 million Years of Cumbrian Geology' by Mike Dewey one of our Group members, 'New Light on Light' by Professor John Inglesfield and a group study on 'Future Energy Sources'. Questions are encouraged as we go along to increase understanding.
Visits, outings and social events may be at times outside the normal schedule of meetings.
We have also visited the Lambrigg wind farm, the Windermere sewage works and the Windermere aquarium.
New members would be very welcome.
Reports
January 2010
The subjects for future talks are:
- 29 January: Carbon Dioxide in Context – Dr Colin Reynolds
- 26 February: Science of Intelligence – Unanswered Questions? – John Kincey
- 26 March: The Coniston Copper Ore Field and Mining in the Lake District – Mark Simpson
- 30 April: Carbon Capture and Storage after the Copenhagen Conference – Vernon David
Please note the subject for the April meeting has been changed from that stated in the Christmas Newsletter.
John Burrows
November 2009
Please note that our meetings will start at 2:00 pm from January 2010 by popular request.
I have booked 20 places for lunch at Kendal College on Tuesday 19 January at 11:45 for 12:00 hours. Spouses, partners and friends are welcome. I will require a £5 deposit (non-returnable) with your booking. The theme is Great British menu of Meat dishes and will cost £12.
I missed our first meeting of the year in September when I was told Vernon David gave a very interesting talk on Global Water Supplies. Though the Earth is known as the blue planet Vernon’s handout shows only 2.5% of the Earth’s water is fresh and 69% of that is bound up in glaciers. Though they are already fighting over water in some parts of the world we seem alright in Cumbria but might have to take steps to keep it from the southerners.
Our October talk was about a water turbine electricity generation project in the local Kentmere valley by Iain Johnston. It was an excellent presentation including pleasant photos of all along the river Kent. The drive to get planning permission in the National Park and funding by a voluntary body of people was amazing. The scheme will produce 350 kilowatts of electricity for about 75% of the year. All seems set for them to start construction next spring. The profits will be for the benefit of parishioners and possibly research into natural problems.
I wish to resign as coordinator in April after 9 years. I am heavily involved with running the ski, croquet and chess clubs and expect more family commitments. Please think about volunteering I will help and give talks if you wish.
John Burrows
June 2009
Interest and good support for the group has continued but if you have any ideas or changes or can give a talk please contact myself or Mike Dewey.
The dates and subjects for our next session stating in Autumn 2009 are:
25 September: Global Resources of Fresh Water, Vernon David
30 October: Turning Rain into Energy, Iain Johnston and Simon Breaks
27 November: To be arranged
December: No meeting.
At our first meetings I will see if there is support for a lunch in early January again.
Talks are lined up on the Coniston copper mines by Mark Simpson and Mars by Mike Dewey. Michael Middleton is toying with the idea of an historical talk, which is something we have never done. George Coulthard has sent me several Web sources and the recent U3A Resources magazine has some, which I am following up.
Mike Dewey is a tremendous support to our Group and responsible for all the final events in our last session. In March Mike gave a most interesting talk on Cumbrian Iron, which afterwards we realised would have been of interest to other groups. Any ideas on how we can ‘get together more’ ? He covered the geological origins of iron ore, which is a matter for debate apparently, and sites of the old mines and furnaces. I missed his talk on the Solar System in April but greatly enjoyed the Whitbarrow field trip on 10th June with 14 members (see the picture above). We saw all the 6 limestone types and underlying rocks and now know the origins of the stream at Beck Head.
John Burrows
March 2008
There have been 19 to 24 members at our meetings including an enjoyable lunch at Kendal College in January.
Mike Dewey and I very much wish to cover your interests and are happy to make changes if you have any proposals. So let us know what you want. It might even be the way we present the talks.
There are too many talks to report on since the Christmas Newsletter but all were excellent, thought provoking and quite topical. Vernon David spoke on Carbon Capture and Storage, Michael Middleton on The Goldilocks Enigma, Ian Hodkinson on Adaptation of Invertebrates in the Arctic and we had slides and a Group discussion on Solar Energy.
Future meetings are still on Fridays at the Castle Street Centre, Kendal starting at 2:30 pm except for the Wednesday walk in June as follows:
- 27 March: Cumbrian Iron, Mike Dewey
- 24 April: The Solar System, Mike Dewey
- 10 June: Whitbarrow Geological Walk, Mike and Gill Dewey.
For the walk meet at Ravens Lodge farm car-park (Grid Ref: SD 461 853) at 10:30 to 10:45 am. Directions are:-Turn right off the A590 to Barrow about 300 m past the Gilpin Bridge turning (A5074). After 200 m fork right to Ravens Lodge. There is parking for about 15 cars just beyond the Lodge.
After this we break for the summer and then start at the end of September with the following meetings arranged:
- 25 September 2009: Global Resources Fresh Water, Vernon David
- 30 October: TBA
- 27 November: TBA
- December: No meeting
Talks are lined up on the Coniston copper mines by Mark Simpson, Mars by Mike Dewey, a hydro-electric scheme in Kentmere and one on river systems.
John Burrows