Always on
This project successfully funded on 30th November 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
Building the James Hutton Deep Time Trail
Cockburnspath, United Kingdom
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Aim
We are raising vital funds for a new Deep Time Trail at Siccar Point to celebrate the life and legacy of James Hutton for his Tercentenary.
Help us celebrate James Hutton's Tercentenary in 2026
Our Hutton Tercentenary Crowdfunder aims raise vital funds to build a new Deep Time Trail at Siccar Point. This globally significant site is where James Hutton verified his Theory of the Earth by predicting an unconformity. The trail will guide visitors to a viewpoint over Siccar Point and explain the significance of the site and of Hutton’s work, giving all visitors a sense of Deep Time.
James Hutton and Siccar Point
2026 will mark the 300th anniversary since James Hutton's birth. As we prepare for a number of activities and events across the country, we embark on a project to help secure his story and discovery of deep time at Siccar Point on the Scottish Borders coast. Hutton was many things - a farmer, a polymath, a hero of the Scottish Enlightenment and founder of modern geology. He helped advance modern agriculture, and was a chemical manufacturer, naturalist and physician.
Siccar Point is one of the most significant locations in the history of geological sciences, as it was here that Hutton predicted, and then found, an unconformity - a geological feature that represents a significant gap in the geological record and illustrates how the Earth's surface is continually recycled and regenerated by natural processes. This ultimately led to the concept of Deep Time and our understanding that the world is circa 4.5 billion years old, not the 6,000 years old widely accepted in the late 18th century.
The world will celebrate the 300th anniversary of James Hutton’s birth in June 2026, along with a number of other tercentenaries associated with the Scottish enlightenment. The Scottish Geology Trust, Edinburgh Geological Society and James Hutton Institute will mark this celebration with the development of a Deep Time Trail at Siccar Point.
Siccar Point has been recognised as an important site, ever since Hutton visited in 1788. It is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and many geologists consider it to be the most important historical geological site in the world. When the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) compiled a list of the first 100 Global Geosites in 2022, Siccar Point was the first site on the list.
But if you were to visit the site today, you might not recognise how significant this place is. The route to the point is not clear, and the only information on site is provided by a basic information board; the international importance of the site, and sense of "deep time" are not well conveyed.
There have been several years of planning around the Hutton Tercentenary and we are now looking for your help and support so that we can build a new immersive and interactive trail, honouring the life and work of James Hutton.
A new Deep Time Trail
This 1.3 km long trail will invite visitors to travel back in time, uncovering the incredible story of Deep Time.
The trail will include:
- Improved parking and roadside access, with a new welcome point to introduce the Deep Time Trail.
- A series of natural pause points which reveal part of the story and relate to the surrounding landscape. Visitors will be enticed to explore more of the story, with information panels and access to further audio content available at each point, by scanning a QR code.
- A new Discovery Hub structure at the viewpoint above Siccar Point will create a sense of arrival as Hutton’s discovery is revealed, offering shelter and somewhere to sit, where visitors can take time to contemplate the rock features through a rich selection of multimedia, including film and animation, as well as panels and a sensory model.
The Countdown Is On
This is a large scale project which has at least 3 Phases. Phase 1 is estimated to cost approximately £150,000. We are aiming to raise at least half of this - £75,000 to ensure that work can start on the trail in early 2026. Anything we raise above this target will maximise the chances of the trail being complete in time for the Tercentenary in June 2026, and will help to kickstart Phases 2 and 3. Please donate to help us reach our goal, ensuring this exciting and remarkable trail launches in time to celebrate Hutton's Tercentenary in June 2026.
- Phase 1 - Create the Deep Time Trail £150k
- Phase 2 - Promotion of new trail & tie into the wider path network £30k
- Phase 3 - Design and construct steps to allow safe access to the unconformity £150k
Crowdfunder Rewards
We hope you'll help support our project by making a donation to our cause. To thank you for your support, we have a number of fantastic rewards available to claim. Please have a look through the different rewards on offer. We are certain there is something for everyone, whether you're a Hutton enthusiast, lover of Scottish heritage and landscapes, or maybe you're looking for a way to celebrate a someone in your life who loves Scotland's geology; check out the full list of rewards for our crowdfunder. We can ship our rewards worldwide, but can't take responsibility for any costs, delays, or processes associated with import or customs. If you are requesting a reward from outside of the UK, please consider an additional donation to help cover the higher shipping costs.
Our rewards include beautiful facsimile copies of the 29 ‘Lost Drawings’; these were drawings, paintings, and engravings by John Clerk of Eldin, which were designed to be included in later volumes of Hutton’s ‘Theory of the Earth’, but remained unpublished. These drawings were rediscovered in 1968 and are a remarkable visual record of Hutton’s theory and his understanding of the geology of Scotland. Many thanks to Sir Robert Clerk for gifting us these prints to use as rewards. Note that measurements listed are approximate.
We have limited edition reproductions of the Hutton Tassie Medal, created by David Williams. Tassie Medals were small glass paste reproductions of engraved gems, cameos, and portrait medallions made by James Tassie (1735–1799), a Scottish gem engraver and modeller. These cameo medallions acted as portraits for intellectuals, scientists, and public figures of the time — essentially a way of celebrating and circulating the image of Enlightenment thinkers before photography. James Hutton’s portrait was modelled by Tassie in 1792.
The medal shows Hutton in profile, in classical style, like a Roman philosopher—fitting for his role in reshaping human understanding of geological time. Hutton’s medal places him in the company of leading Enlightenment figures such as Adam Smith, Joseph Black, and David Hume — demonstrating his recognition among Scotland’s intellectual elite. Many thanks to David Williams for creating and donating these wonderful replicas.
Want to keep warm whilst visiting Siccar Point? We have neckwarmers, featuring a photograph at the site, and we also have exclusive Hutton Hats. These hats were designed to celebrate Hutton's Tercentenary and schemativally represent three of Hutton's key geological sites - Arthur's Seat (Edinburgh), Glent Tilt, and, of course, Siccar Point. They are made from Shetland Wool and take 4 days each to make.
We especially want to thank our most generous funders, and will have a limited number of features throughout the trail where we can acknowledge donors by name, or via a dedication of your choosing (within reason, and by agreement with the Scottish Geology Trust and Edinburgh Geological Society).
With Your Support
This is a monumental project, taken on by charities, volunteers and enthusiasts who want to ensure the legacy of one of the world's greatest thinkers is preserved and made accessible for not just geologists and followers of Hutton, but everyone visiting Scotland.
With your support, we can inspire the next generation of scientists, philosophers, geologists, and farmers by creating an experience that ties our past to our present, bringing to life the discovery of deep time. Help us celebrate the life of James Hutton by igniting passion and invoking curiosity of the next generation of dreamers and world changers.
Partners
The Scottish Geology Trust is a charity with a mission to inspire people everywhere to understand, love and care for Scotland’s geological heritage.
The Edinburgh Geological Society is one of the UK’s foremost geological societies. They organise a full and varied programme of excursions and lectures that bring together everyone from complete beginners to professional geologists interested in exploring the geology of Scotland and beyond.
The James Hutton Institute is a world-leading independent scientific research organisation based in Scotland but working in collaboration across the globe.
Funds & Additional Phases
As mentioned, this crowdfunder will be raising funds for the delivery of Phase 1 of a larger scale project. Any additional funds raised beyond the cost of delivering the Deep Time Trail will go towards the delivery of the following phases. Ultimately, we would like to ensure Siccar Point is more easily accessible to visitors and, if possible, one day build a stairway down to the rock formations themselves. Funds raised from this Crowdfunder Campaign will cover costs of delivering Phase 1 at Siccar Point and a small portion of fees incurred in delivering this campaign. The Scottish Geology Trust is overseeing the management of this crowdfunder campaign and will hold and oversee the distribution of all funds raised.
Risks & Feasibility
There have been several years of planning around the Hutton Tercentenary and developing the Deep Time Trail. Edinburgh Geological Society are coordinating the Deep Time Trail Project, and have commissioned CMC Associates to develop plans and site interpretation of the proposed Deep Time Trail. The local and surrounding communities have been involved and support the development of the trail.
Should we not raise the full amount from this crowdfunder, the trail is modular which means progress can still be made even if we don't hit our target goal of £75,000.
Any Other Questions?
For questions related to the Crowdfunder, message Steph Flude on [email protected]
For questions related to the Deep Time Trail, message Angus Miller on [email protected]
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made