A ‘Local Hero’ event celebrating the Bicentenary of the Geological Society is being staged this weekend. The bicentennial celebrations are set to take place to celebrate the work of world-renowned geologist, Hugh Miller (1802-1856).
The events planned will be held in Hugh Miller's home town of Cromarty on the Black Isle near Inverness over the weekend of Saturday 12 - Sunday 13 April, 2008.
Hugh Miller was a self-taught geologist who wrote about his fossil finds and the history of the earth with eloquence, breadth of imagination and descriptive power. His books, such as The Old Red Sandstone, The Cruise of the Betsey, Footprints of the Creator, Testimony of the Rocks, Scenes and Legends of the North of Scotland, and My Schools and Schoolmasters (autobiography) became bestsellers in many editions.
A selection of talks on Saturday, April 12 will highlight Hugh Miller's historic contributions to geological science, particularly his studies of the fossils he found near his home in Cromarty and on his extensive travels.
Delegates will be able to view exhibits of Hugh Miller's fossil specimens and artefacts from the collections on show in the Hugh Miller Museum and his birthplace cottage. This will be an excellent opportunity to see at first hand material collected by the great man himself and gathered from several other museums for the event.
Field excursions on Sunday, April 13 will visit some of the classic localities associated with Hugh Miller ranging from Old Red Sandstone fish beds to glacial features, as well as places associated with the social heritage of Hugh Miller.
The conference, displays and field excursions will appeal to both amateur and specialist geologists and to anybody interested in our natural history.
He said: "The events being staged in Cromarty will appeal to members of geological societies, field clubs, as well as to local residents from around the Cromarty area. It will be a fascinating weekend for anyone with an interest in geology and natural history of fossils."
"Hugh Miller was a man who was unquestionably one of the great Scots of his age, and his work is still valued today for the insight given into the development of geological ideas in Scotland."
The bicentennial event is being organised in conjunction with The Friends of Hugh Miller and the National Trust for Scotland.
Full details and registration (£25) are available by contacting Martin Gostwick, Secretary of 'The Friends of Hugh Miller' and Curator of the Hugh Miller Museum on: (01381) 600245, or email: href="mailto:mgostwick@nts.org.uk">mgostwick@nts.org.uk</a> or book online at: www.hughmiller.org