https://www.bathgeoenvironmental.co.uk/

Bath Geo-Environmental, Bath (2026)

17/06/2026

🎉 Bath Geo-Environmental turns TWO🎉
Over the last year alone, Bath Geo-Environmental has taken me across the UK, working with fantastic clients on ground investigations, geo-environmental assessments, technical reporting and site supervision.
And then something happened that I never expected.
This spring, I temporarily stepped away from my usual projects to join a geological mapping and geoheritage project in Senegal.
Surrounded by ancient rocks, extraordinary landscapes and incredible people, I found myself reflecting on how far this little company has taken me.
What started with redundancy and uncertainty became an opportunity to build something of my own.
Not just a business, but a lifestyle. A career that allows me to keep learning, exploring and contributing to projects that genuinely excite me.
There have been challenges along the way, of course. Entrepreneurship rarely follows a straight line. But every project, every client, every networking event, every report and every conversation has helped shape Bath Geo-Environmental into what it is today.
Thank you to everyone who has trusted me with your projects, recommended my services, shared advice, offered support or simply cheered me on from the sidelines.
And thank you to Senegal for reminding me why I became a geologist in the first place. ❤️
Here's to Year Three. 🚀🌍

15/06/2026

In-situ testing is essential for effective drainage design, particularly when performing Soakaway Testing under BRE 365 standards to determine soil infiltration rates. 🌍💧

What is the BRE 365 Soakaway Test?

The BRE 365 Soakaway Test (percolation test) measures how quickly water is absorbed by soil at a site. It’s crucial for assessing whether a soakaway, a natural drainage system, can manage surface water runoff.

💦🌱Purpose of the Test
✅ Assess Soil Suitability: Ensures soil is suitable for a soakaway.
🌧️ Prevent Flooding: Confirms the ability to manage surface water, preventing flooding or waterlogging.
🛠️ Drainage Design: Provides key data for designing sustainable drainage systems.

Process
1️⃣ Excavation: A trial pit is dug to simulate the soakaway.
2️⃣ Water Filling & Measurement: Water is added, and infiltration rates are measured. 3️⃣ Repeat Testing: Ensures consistent results.
4️⃣ Data Analysis: Determines infiltration rates for accurate soakaway design.

📊 Results and Importance
The results guide the design of a drainage system that effectively handles surface water runoff, preventing future flooding and ensuring sustainability.

🏡💧🌍 if you have any questions, feel free to reach out!

📧 [email protected]

14/06/2026

🌍 What a Geologist does on a weekend – Edition 63: From Senegal to Andalucía
After two months in Senegal, my first stop before returning to the UK and getting back to supporting my clients was a visit home to Spain. 🇪🇸❤️
This weekend I had the opportunity to visit the Castle of Fatetar in Espera, a beautiful white village in the province of Cádiz, Andalucía.
Perched on top of a rocky hill, the castle occupies a strategic position that has been used for centuries by different cultures, from the Islamic period through to the Christian reconquest. From the top, the views across the rolling Andalusian countryside are spectacular.
But as geologists, we always end up looking beneath the history.
The castle stands on resistant limestone and dolostone rocks that form part of the geology of the Subbetic Zone of the Betic Cordillera. These rocks were deposited in ancient marine environments millions of years ago, long before the castle, the village or even humanity existed.
The same geology that provided a natural defensive position also supplied much of the building stone used in the historic structures that still dominate the skyline today.
Walking through the village, it is impossible not to notice how geology influences the architecture, from the stonework of the castle and church to the local building materials used throughout the town.
Of course, no visit home would be complete without enjoying Andalusian gastronomy, catching up with family and friends, and remembering how fortunate I am to have homes, memories and people I care about in different corners of the world.
After Africa, it was nice to spend a weekend reconnecting with my roots before heading back to the UK for the next projects.
Because whether you are mapping ancient rocks in Senegal or exploring a castle in Andalucía, geology always has a story to tell. 🪨❤️

12/06/2026

🌍 Geology Throwback – Edition 15 | Knossos Palace, Crete 🇬🇷
Stone, civilisation & geological foundations

🪨 Geology & building materials The Palace of Knossos was built using a combination of local limestone, gypsum and sandstone.

⚪ Limestone – widely available and used for structural elements
🧊 Gypsum – softer, easily carved, giving the palace its distinctive light colour
🟤 Sandstone – used in foundations and supporting structures

These materials were sourced from nearby quarries, showing a strong link between local geology and construction.

🏗️ Geological influence on construction The palace sits on a tectonically active island, meaning builders had to consider earthquake resilience. Flexible materials and timber elements were incorporated to absorb seismic activity — an early example of earthquake-aware engineering.

📜 History Built around 2000 BC by the Minoan civilisation, Knossos is considered one of the earliest advanced urban centres in Europe. Its architecture reflects both natural resources and geological constraints, shaping how this ancient society developed.

⚡ Why is it important? Knossos demonstrates how geology directly influenced materials, design and durability in early civilisations.

✨ Where geology meets one of Europe’s oldest cultural landscapes.

❓ How do you think local geology influences ancient construction techniques?

🏛️🌍

08/06/2026

🌟 The Art of Logging: Translating Ground Information into Engineering Insight 📜🌍

At the core of any geotechnical or geo-environmental project is accurate and well-structured logging—a skill I have honed over many years working as an , , and !

🔎 Following British Standard BS 5930, I’ve developed expertise in:
🔹 Describing soils and rocks systematically based on primary and secondary constituents.
🔹 Defining key engineering properties—strength, plasticity, structure, and weathering grades.
🔹 Ensuring consistency between field observations and laboratory results for robust geotechnical interpretation.
🔹 Preparing borehole, trial pit, and core logs with precise stratigraphy details.

But technical accuracy is important for…
✔ Clear and standardized logs, which are essential for effective communication between engineers, contractors, and designers.
✔ Accurate interpretation, as cross-referencing site logs with lab data refines the understanding of ground conditions.
✔ Collaboration with drillers and field teams, ensuring logs reflect real-world site conditions accurately.

Logging isn’t just about recording data—it’s about telling the true story of the ground. 🏗🌱

If you’d like to discuss best practices in logging or geotechnical data interpretation, feel free to reach out!

📧 [email protected]

07/06/2026

🌍 What a Geologist does on a weekend – Edition 62: Leaving Senegal

As my time in Senegal comes to an end, I could talk about the incredible geology of Dindefelo 🇸🇳⛰️. I could talk about ancient rocks between 2,300 - 1,200m, remarkably well preserved and extraordinary sedimentary structures and evidence of some of the earliest forms of life on Earth, bacterial mats.

Being part of a Geoheritage and Geopark project has undoubtedly been one of the highlights of my professional career. 🪨🌍
The path has not always been easy but people make it easier.

From my coordinator Dr Muriel Basile, whose dedication has helped this project grow over many years, to the local community members who welcomed me with open arms and to my Senegalese family❤️

I will never forget how my father prepared omelette breakfasts, how he brought me in hospital when I was ill, and the evenings after dinner learning Pulaar and talking about life.

I will never forget my mother. The first time she gave me a hug and a kiss. How she made my bed next to hers outdoors during the hot nights. How she woke me during violent storms to bring me safely inside and stay close to her and my little sister. And I will never forget what happened when it was time to leave she told me: "You are leaving, but you will always be my daughter." Then she gave me a silver bracelet that had belonged to her mother and her grandmother before her.

To all my brothers and sisters in Dindefelo, thank you for the laughter, the dancing, the conversations and the memories. You will never be forgotten.

This experience has reminded me that international cooperation is not only about projects, reports, maps or research. It is about people, relationships and understanding one another across cultures.
I did not intend for this post to be so emotional, but I believe this community, this project and my Senegalese family deserve this recognition.

I hope I will have the opportunity to return in the future and continue contributing until then as my father says "Rosa c'est la vie. The important part is the people"

Until next time, Senegal. 🇸🇳❤️ Jarama buy

03/06/2026

🗺️⛰️ What Does a Geologist Do When Mapping an Area? ⛰️🗺️
People often imagine geology as simply “looking at rocks”, but geological mapping and cartography involve much more than that. Before even stepping into the field, there is a huge amount of preparation behind every geological map.
A geologist first studies: 📚 Existing geological information and previous research 🛰️ Aerial photographs and satellite imagery 🧭 Geomorphology and landscape features 🪨 Rock samples and hand specimen identification 📍 Access routes, logistics and safety considerations
In remote or difficult areas, working with local guides is essential — not only for safety, but also for understanding the territory, the environment and the local knowledge connected to the landscape.
Here in the Réserve Naturelle Communautaire de Dindefelo (Senegal), some mornings start very early climbing up towards the plateau before the heat becomes too intense. Along the route, we cross different weathering horizons including: 🟠 Saprolites 🔴 Laterites 🟤 Pisolites
before reaching villages such as Affia and continuing towards the waterfalls and outcrops for field observations.
One of the formations currently being mapped is the Dindefelo Formation, mainly composed of: 🪨 Fine red sandstones 🟣 Thin purple slate/mudstone layers
In the field, the work consists of: 📏 Measuring geological sections 🧭 Recording orientations and structures ✏️ Describing lithology and sedimentary features 🗺️ Correlating observations across the landscape
All these observations are later integrated to help reconstruct the geological history of the area and produce geological cartography.
Sometimes a geological map starts with simply walking for hours, observing carefully and asking questions about why the landscape looks the way it does. 🌍
🪨🌍

01/06/2026

🌟 Reflecting on my journey as an engineer, I began my career in the laboratory — which laid the foundation for my technical expertise! 🧪🔬

During those early years, I gained invaluable experience in:
🔹 Sampling, preparation, and testing of soils, rocks, and materials in the lab, following British Standards (BS).
🔹 Conducting tests like Plastic Limits, Liquid Limits, Wet & Dry Sieve, Particle Density, Triaxials, Vicakits, Flow Channels, Bud Balance, Bleed Tests… you name it!

🧱 These hands-on experiences taught me not only the technical aspects but also the importance of:
✔ Accurate data collection to avoid NCR (Non-Conformance Reports).
✔ Training and mentoring others in these methodologies.
✔ Better soil description techniques based on primary and secondary constituents.
✔ Amending field logs to align with lab results.
✔ Scheduling chemical and geotechnical samples and comparing them against field data for solid geotechnical interpretation.

What many don’t see? The coordination between departments and subcontractors to meet tight deadlines, ensuring everything runs smoothly.

This early stage shaped my understanding of the complexities of geotechnical work, and I’m proud of the foundation it gave me to contribute effectively to larger projects.

🔧🌍If you’re ever in need of advice or want to chat more about this journey, feel free to reach out! Let’s keep building the future — safely and effectively.

🏗📧 Contact: [email protected]

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