In Scotland, we were received by a team from the British Geological Survey, who also trained us on site. The BGS team consisted of geologists Tim, Katie, and Teddy, all part of the Devonian mapping team. The focus of the training was on Devonian sandstones and their mapping, which is particularly relevant as the Estonian Geological Survey plans to map our own Devonian formations. Over four days, we moved between different sandstone outcrops and unmapped areas, learning in the field and getting hands-on experience.

Uncharacteristically for Scotland, the sun was shining the whole time—we didn’t see a drop of rain, and most of us Estonians ended up sunburned. One completely new aspect for me was dealing with tides, which don’t affect fieldwork back home in the Baltic. To access some outcrops, we had to plan our days around low tide.

We received many practical tips for describing and interpreting outcrops, and were so inspired that we immediately made plans to explore sandstones in South Estonia this summer. On the final day, we introduced the BGS experts to the specific features of our local sandstones, showed them drill core photos, and discussed what we should focus on when mapping in Estonia.

Of course, we also took in the stunning Scottish scenery—old castles, fishing villages, and towns shaped by the rise and fall of coal mining. By the end of the training, I realized I had learned more about sedimentology, Devonian sandstones, and field description techniques in four days than I ever expected.