Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Join @ScottishGeologist for a fascinating geology walk through Rouken Glen Park, one of the finest places in the Glasgow area to explore the rocks of the Carboniferous Period. Hidden amongst waterfalls, woodland and rivers lies an internationally important geological site where tropical rivers, shallow seas, coal-forming swamps and Ice Age glaciers have all left their mark.
This relaxed guided walk follows the beautiful Auldhouse Burn, where natural river erosion has exposed layers of rock that reveal over 325 million years of Scotland's geological history. Much of the gorge forms a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of the exceptional Carboniferous exposures.
🪨 The Orchard Beds
Explore the famous Orchard Beds, one of the best exposures of the Upper Limestone Formation in western Scotland.
Discover alternating beds of sandstone, mudstone, limestone and seat earths, each recording changing environments as sea levels repeatedly rose and fell.
Learn how these rock layers preserve evidence of ancient rivers, coastal lagoons, tropical forests and shallow marine environments.
🌴 Journey to Tropical Scotland
Travel back over 325 million years to a time when Scotland lay close to the equator.
Discover how Rouken Glen was once covered by lush tropical forests, winding river channels and warm shallow seas.
Learn why repeated changes in climate and sea level created the alternating sequence of sandstones, limestones and mudstones visible throughout the gorge.
🌊 The Giffnock Sandstone
Examine the impressive exposures of Giffnock Sandstone, one of Scotland's most famous building stones.
Learn how this coarse sandstone was deposited within large braided river channels before becoming one of the principal stones used to build Victorian Glasgow.
Discover why its strength, colour and durability made it so highly valued by nineteenth-century architects.
🦴 Fossils of an Ancient Sea
Discover marine fossils preserved within the limestone beds, including shells, corals and crinoid fragments.
Learn how geologists use fossils to reconstruct ancient environments and determine the age of the rocks.
Understand how Scotland repeatedly changed from tropical forests to shallow tropical seas during the Carboniferous.
🧊 The Legacy of the Ice Age
See evidence left behind by the last glaciers that covered central Scotland around 12,000 years ago.
Examine beautifully preserved glacial striations scratched into the sandstone by moving ice.
Discover glacial erratics transported many kilometres before being abandoned as the ice melted.
Learn how glaciers helped sculpt the dramatic gorge and waterfalls seen today.
🌊 Waterfalls & River Erosion
Follow the Auldhouse Burn as it cuts through the Carboniferous rocks.
Discover how waterfalls develop where resistant sandstone overlies softer mudstones.
Observe modern erosion in action and learn how rivers expose geological sections that would otherwise remain hidden.
👣 Become a Field Geologist
Throughout the tour you'll learn practical geological skills, including:
Identifying sandstone, mudstone and limestone.
Recognising sedimentary structures.
Identifying glacial features.
Reading ancient environments from rock layers.
Understanding how geologists reconstruct Earth's history from field observations.
This tour is perfect for:
Families and beginners
Geology enthusiasts
Students studying Earth Sciences
Walkers and photographers
Anyone interested in Glasgow's hidden geological history
No previous geology knowledge is required—just comfortable walking shoes and a curiosity about the world beneath your feet.
📍 Location: Rouken Glen Park, East Renfrewshire
🗓️ Date: Sunday 10th January 2027 12:00-14:00
⏰ Duration: 2–3 hours
🎟️ Price: £20 pp
🥾 Terrain: Woodland paths, riverside trails, steps and some uneven ground
Led by @ScottishGeologist, this tour uncovers one of the best-kept geological secrets near Glasgow. While most visitors come for the waterfalls and woodland walks, you'll discover an internationally important geological site that records ancient tropical rivers, fossil seas, Ice Age glaciers and the building stones that helped create Victorian Glasgow.
Join @ScottishGeologist for a fascinating geology walk through Rouken Glen Park, one of the finest places in the Glasgow area to explore the rocks of the Carboniferous Period. Hidden amongst waterfalls, woodland and rivers lies an internationally important geological site where tropical rivers, shallow seas, coal-forming swamps and Ice Age glaciers have all left their mark.
This relaxed guided walk follows the beautiful Auldhouse Burn, where natural river erosion has exposed layers of rock that reveal over 325 million years of Scotland's geological history. Much of the gorge forms a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of the exceptional Carboniferous exposures.
🪨 The Orchard Beds
Explore the famous Orchard Beds, one of the best exposures of the Upper Limestone Formation in western Scotland.
Discover alternating beds of sandstone, mudstone, limestone and seat earths, each recording changing environments as sea levels repeatedly rose and fell.
Learn how these rock layers preserve evidence of ancient rivers, coastal lagoons, tropical forests and shallow marine environments.
🌴 Journey to Tropical Scotland
Travel back over 325 million years to a time when Scotland lay close to the equator.
Discover how Rouken Glen was once covered by lush tropical forests, winding river channels and warm shallow seas.
Learn why repeated changes in climate and sea level created the alternating sequence of sandstones, limestones and mudstones visible throughout the gorge.
🌊 The Giffnock Sandstone
Examine the impressive exposures of Giffnock Sandstone, one of Scotland's most famous building stones.
Learn how this coarse sandstone was deposited within large braided river channels before becoming one of the principal stones used to build Victorian Glasgow.
Discover why its strength, colour and durability made it so highly valued by nineteenth-century architects.
🦴 Fossils of an Ancient Sea
Discover marine fossils preserved within the limestone beds, including shells, corals and crinoid fragments.
Learn how geologists use fossils to reconstruct ancient environments and determine the age of the rocks.
Understand how Scotland repeatedly changed from tropical forests to shallow tropical seas during the Carboniferous.
🧊 The Legacy of the Ice Age
See evidence left behind by the last glaciers that covered central Scotland around 12,000 years ago.
Examine beautifully preserved glacial striations scratched into the sandstone by moving ice.
Discover glacial erratics transported many kilometres before being abandoned as the ice melted.
Learn how glaciers helped sculpt the dramatic gorge and waterfalls seen today.
🌊 Waterfalls & River Erosion
Follow the Auldhouse Burn as it cuts through the Carboniferous rocks.
Discover how waterfalls develop where resistant sandstone overlies softer mudstones.
Observe modern erosion in action and learn how rivers expose geological sections that would otherwise remain hidden.
👣 Become a Field Geologist
Throughout the tour you'll learn practical geological skills, including:
Identifying sandstone, mudstone and limestone.
Recognising sedimentary structures.
Identifying glacial features.
Reading ancient environments from rock layers.
Understanding how geologists reconstruct Earth's history from field observations.
This tour is perfect for:
Families and beginners
Geology enthusiasts
Students studying Earth Sciences
Walkers and photographers
Anyone interested in Glasgow's hidden geological history
No previous geology knowledge is required—just comfortable walking shoes and a curiosity about the world beneath your feet.
📍 Location: Rouken Glen Park, East Renfrewshire
🗓️ Date: Sunday 10th January 2027 12:00-14:00
⏰ Duration: 2–3 hours
🎟️ Price: £20 pp
🥾 Terrain: Woodland paths, riverside trails, steps and some uneven ground
Led by @ScottishGeologist, this tour uncovers one of the best-kept geological secrets near Glasgow. While most visitors come for the waterfalls and woodland walks, you'll discover an internationally important geological site that records ancient tropical rivers, fossil seas, Ice Age glaciers and the building stones that helped create Victorian Glasgow.
