Geologists’ Association Festival of Geology Walks 2026: The Urban Geology of Battersea

8th November 2026

Join the London Geodiversity Partnership for a Sunday morning stroll around Battersea Park as part of the Geologists’ Association’s Festival of Geology 2026. We will explore the history of development of Battersea in the mid-nineteenth century, the result of a major engineering scheme which reclaimed marshland to create the public park. Inspired by the ‘picturesque’ landscape of the Pennine Hills, the Park’s designer John Gibson commissioned extensive ‘rockwork’ in Pulhamite, a synthetic stone. This walk will explain the geological materials, inspiration and construction of Pulhamite and also visit some other aspects of Battersea Park’s urban geology, including the stone used for war memorials and an ancient wall built from ships’ ballast, the latter presenting a wide variety of exotic igneous and metamorphic rocks. The walk is expected to take two hours and will be guided by London Geodiversity Partnership members Ruth Siddall and Di Clements.

Geologists’ Association Festival of Geology

Meet at 10.55, Battersea Park Rosery Gate, Queen’s Circus SW11 4BY (outside the coffee shop). Public Transport is via Battersea Power Station or Buses 44, 137, 211, 452.

Click on the image below to download this flyer as a pdf