I've been on a couple of field trips now around the UK and would like to think I have gained some geological knowledge and understanding from them. Whilst I don't think I could tell you much about the specific rock formations I have looked at I do think that I've began to develop some basic field skills and learnt a couple hacks to make my life a bit easier. This will of course be put to the test when my friends and I depart on our independent mapping project for 6 weeks in about 2 weeks from now. Venturing into the depths of Galway, Ireland the climate and terrain will be no doubt very similar to what we are used to in the UK (rain, bogs etc) so I would hope I am somewhat prepared. In the meantime however, here are 6 top tips I have for anyone wanting to make their first few field trips a bit more manageable.
1. Buy a weather writer
I know its not the coolest thing in the world and I myself resisted the weather writer for the whole of my first year and half as an Earth Scientist but I promise you it is worth it. Writing in your notebook in the rain is probably one of the most annoying things ever. Not only are you already having to be in the rain but now you are having to decide between soaking through your notebook pages and ruining your existing notes or simply not taking any notes or observations at all and then trying to explain that one to your lecturer later on. A weather writer here solves all your problems. Keeps your notes dry, ideal for carrying random stuff like coloured pencils/compass/handlense/phone and keeps your notes flat in the wind. A 10/10 purchase I highly recommeded.
Some examples of me with weather writer in action in the field
PS. Also investing in a waterproof pen is worth it, writing in pencil in the rain doesn't show up and writing in a pen with ink that will run is not a smart move.
2. Always put a scale in your photographs
This one will probably have been told to you by your lecturers but always, always put a scale in your photographs. Taking a photo of a cool rock is all well and good until you go to try and remember what it was and have no idea what you are looking at. I'm not guaranteeing that using a scale means you'll know what it is when you scroll back through your camera roll a few weeks down the line but at least you'll know the size if you're trying to make a sketch later on.
Ideal scales include pens (roughly 15cm), hammers (roughly 40cm) and friends (humans are roughly 2m in my head unless they are a short one then go with 1.5m).
Some photo examples of using things as scale: hand, notebook, pen
3. Wear clothes with lots of pockets
Pockets are just an essential for a geologist. You will need to carry an annoying amount of stuff with you that you'll want accessible at all times. Trying to keep your phone, handlense, compass-clino, pen, pencil, coloured pencils and notebook in your hands whilst climbing over rocks and up cliffs is not easy. Pockets (or a weather writer acting as a handbag) are ideal so you don't have to keep getting things in and out of your bag at every outcrop.
Of course style in the field is key (refer to Geologists in the field: A style guide) so options include leggings with pockets (maybe my favourite thing in the world!), walking/hiking trousers or even a handy bum bag. Accessibility of pockets is essential otherwise you'll end up with everything in your hands anyway.
4. Bring extra snacks
Looking forward to lunch is sometimes the only thing that gets you through the morning. If your lunch on a particularly cold, miserable day happens to be an egg tika sandwich (this unusual combo has indeed been provided to us as lunch on one of our trips) and an apple then the disapointment when it gets to lunch time is not a nice thing to handle. The situation however is easily rectified by going to tesco before you leave for the field and buying a load of cereal bars/crisps/other funs snacks that you can bring with you every day. Honestly 10/10, having a packet of the yoghurt covered strawberry bites you can buy in the tesco baby food aisle has saved me many a time.
5. Write an Introduction to each day in your field notebook
This was something that I was not doing until we had mini lecture about setting out your field notes on one of the evenings during our latest field trip to Assynt in Northern Scotland. However, this really does change the way you make your notes in the field. At the start of each day write down the date (always useful), the location (again useful for when trying to find stuff), the weather (to explain why the quality of your notes is awful when its raining,), what you are going to do (useful for making you read the field guide and have a bit of a clue what is going on that day) and a little joke/event to remember the day by. Doing this is great for getting into focus at the start of the day but mainly so that when you are looking back through your notes when you've left the field you can better remember what you were talking about.
Here are some examples (granted not great ones) from my Assynt notebook, also including a cheeky daily summary which I recommend doing as well:
Just to add to this, I have had feedback that my handwriting could be neater and my intros could be improved so this is simply an example of an attempt that will hopefully be improved upon on the future!
6. Bring waterproof trousers
I know, waterproof trousers are not exactly a fashion item but they really are a necessity. In our recent trip to Assynt in Scotland I was silly enough to believe that I did in fact not need waterproof trousers. Our first day in the field started off delightfully sunny and the mapping we were doing was going smoothly. Then a storm hit. And not just a little shower but a full on, notebooks getting soaked (hence the need for the weather writer), can't see that far ahead of you, torrential rain. This lasted maybe half an hour or so. Everyone else being the sensible geologists they are got out their waterproofs, including waterproof trousers and got on with it. I got out my waterproof jacket but had decided to not bring my trousers into the field that day. 5 minutes later my leggings were soaked through and I was freezing cold and utterly miserable. Moral of the story, bring your waterproof trousers. It doesn't seem like much but being in damp leggings all day really kills the mood and the fashion sacrifice is definitely worth it. They are also great protectors from the wind and take up zero space in a rucksack so there is really no excuse not to bring them.
My friend and I looking very happy because we are warm in our waterproof trousers even though we are on top of a cold, wet, windy mountain in Scotland.
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