Saturday 14 February 2026 (Field Meeting): Smestow Valley and Erratics at Wightwick Manor and the Mount Hotel. Leaders for Smestow Valley: Smestow Valley Country Park Wardens and Friends of Smestow Valley. Leaders for Wightwick Manor and the Mount Hotel: Julie Schroder and Andy Harrison. Meet at Smestow Valley Local Nature Reserve, Meadow View Terrace, Wolverhampton WV6 8NX (Grid ref: SO 891 999), 09.45 for a 10.00 start. The morning will involve a geology and biodiversity walk and a chance to get to know the 'Friends of Smestow Local Nature Reserve' whilst discussing future opportunities at the site. Wear suitable outdoor clothing for the weather conditions. We will aim to finish this session around 12.30. Either bring a packed lunch or you can purchase lunch locally.

The afternoon session starts at 1.30 in the car park at Wightwick Manor, Wightwick Bank, Wolverhampton, WV6 8EE, Grid Ref: SO 868982. (NB: The post code is misleading: the grid ref shows the car entrance from the Bridgnorth Road, A454. See the map below). Meet by the ticket office in the car park where we will be admitted (without charge) as a group. Please be there on time! We will visit the recently cleaned array of glacial erratic boulders, and other glacial erratics around the property, and learn something of their geological and social history. Drive on to the Mount Hotel, Mount Rd, Tettenhall Wood, Wolverhampton WV6 8HL Grid ref: SO 874989 (see map below). Meet in the hotel car park at 2.45 – 3.00 (depending on exit time from Wightwick Manor). Here we have permission to visit the recently 're-discovered' erratics from Charles Benjamin Mander's late 19th century 'bouldery' (never yet visited by BCGS!) and learn about their connection with the Wightwick Manor erratics. Finish 3.30 – 4.00.
Click here for a Google map for Smestow Valley LNR.
Click here for a Google map for Wightwick Manor.
Click here for a Google map for Mount Hotel.