Jurassic Coast tour: guided fossil hunt & Etches museum visit

Jurassic Coast tour: guided fossil hunt & Etches museum visit
Alkaen GBP 850,00 £
  • Kesto: 7 Päivät (noin)
  • Tuotekoodi: T020

Highlights

  • 2-night guided small group tour of the Jurassic Coast, England’s only natural UNESCO world heritage site.
  • Explore Dorset’s key landmarks of Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove and your expert guide will explain the fascinating geology of these impressive landforms and rock formations.
  • Visit the Etches Collection in Kimmeridge to see the newly-displayed fossilised giant pliosaur skull, and hear the story of its very local discovery, and its national importance.
  • Learn about the Victorian pioneering fossil-hunter, Mary Anning, and her achievements.
  • Stay two nights at the charming Mortons Manor Hotel in the centre of Corfe village and enjoy visit to the Castle as part of the tour.

Overview

The UNESCO-designated Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site, more popularly known as the Jurassic Coast, displays world-famous rocks, fossils and coastal landforms and provides a unique and spectacular glimpse into a period spanning 185 million years. Over the course of this two-night and two day tour, our expert local guide will help you find fossils and tell you the story of this intriguing coastline, sharing key insights behind its fascinating landscapes, history and geology.

The insider knowledge is provided by our expert guide Jonathan Evans, a geologist who lives locally and is a Trustee of Lyme Regis Museum.

How did the dramatic coast and landscapes evolve? The tour unravels the early history from arid desert landscapes when the dinosaurs appeared (around 240 million years ago) through to shallow tropical seas which saw the rise of titanic marine reptiles, the peak of the dinosaur period and the evolution of ammonites. Dorset remained under warm sub-tropical seas while chalk was produced, and finally the tour reveals the changes and erosion of 10,000 years, following the last ice age.

An exclusive Lyme Regis walk will highlight Mary Anning (1799-1847), whose fossil finds intrigued the Establishment scientists and formed the basis for our understanding of dinosaur evolution.

In addition, you will have a chance to go fossil hunting at a location selected by our expert, where you can be the first to release fossils from millions of years of burial! This tour also includes a visit to the Etches Collection museum, to see its newly-displayed giant pliosaur skull, which featured on a BBC David Attenborough documentary.

Above all, this is a landscape that leaves a lasting impression.


Start / finish

The tour begins and ends at Mortons Manor, Corfe Castle village, Dorset, England.


Activity Level

Leisurely, suitable for occasional walkers (view our activity level definitions). The tour involves walks of up to 3 km (1.5 miles) and takes in coastal sections with rocky foreshores, and often many steps to reach the beach.


Transport

Participants will travel by small coach which has air conditioning, suitable for the number in the group.


Weather

Spring and Autumn weather on the Jurassic Coast is mild; Summer can be warm. Rain is always possible, and guests should be prepared with waterproof clothing.


Accommodation

We will stay at Mortons Manor, a Grade II listed Elizabethan Manor House in the centre of Corfe Castle village that is now a very comfortable hotel.

Testimonials 

My 12 year old son and I had the most amazing 3 days on the Jurassic Coastline. Staying at Morton’s Manor in Corfe was a wonderful experience – friendly staff, amazing food and views of the stunning Corfe Castle! We then got to visit Lyme Regis with our friendly and experienced guide, Jonathan, and learnt so much about the area and history, with the bonus of finding fossils millions of years old! One happy son indeed!

We had a wonderful walk and finished with visiting the must-see museum in Lyme Regis. We also got to see Lulworth Cove which was fascinating and absolutely worth a visit. I can highly recommend GeoCultura Tours who have given us a wonderful and informative insight into geology.

Fossil Treasures of England’s Jurassic Coast | Katherine M, July 2023

My GeoCultura tour was amazing. I have been on dozens of tours, but never one so geared to my love of geology. And this was one of the few that promised much and actually delivered on those promises. Not only did I have a great time exploring the geology of the Jurassic Coast, but I learned so much about the history of this fascinating area as well.

Jonathan, our guide, was very knowledgeable about the geology of the Jurassic Coast region, but more importantly made it accessible to me, who’s only had one class in geology. And the fossil hunting on the beach was like the best Easter Egg Hunt I’ve ever been on! I found three pyrite ammonites! Added to this fun was great tours of the historical sites nearby because as they say, the geology of an area is and wonderful meals of locally sourced food. A truly wonderful three-day sustainable tour that taught me how geology shapes history.

Fossil Treasures of England’s Jurassic Coast | Jenny S, March 2023

I thought the week was excellent; very interesting and with good variation in the days activities and not overdosing on any one activity.  I liked the flexibility shown by taking in Kingston Lacey which nicely completed the Corfe Castle and Lady Bankes story. The information and guiding was excellent – at a good level for everyone with supplemental detail where requested – by lunchtime of the first day it felt like an outing of friends and that’s pretty special!