Jurassic Coast tour: guided fossil hunt & Etches museum visit
Jurassic Coast tour: guided fossil hunt & Etches museum visit
3 Days Starting and ending in Funchal, Portugal
Visiting: Dorset
Tour operator:
Tour code:
T020
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
6 - 12
Age range:
15-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Meat, Vegans, Gluten Free
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Private Available:
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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. 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.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Jurassic Coast Tour - Arrival
Location: Dorset
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Mortons Manor
Guests arrive at their leisure this afternoon to check in and have a chance to relax and enjoy Mortons Manor, Corfe Village. Late afternoon welcome drink in the hotel and introduction to the itinerary from your guide, Jonathan Evans.
Check-in to Mortons Manor, Corfe Castle village, for two nights
Free evening, with options to dine at the hotel or choose one the pubs in the village
Day 2 : Lyme Regis, Fossil-Hunting Activities And Mary Anning Story
Location: Dorset
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Mortons Manor
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
The group departs Mortons Manor after breakfast in a comfortable vehicle suitable for the group size (maximum 12). Today includes an exclusive morning fossil hunt on the beach with Jonathan Evans, geologist and Trustee of Lyme Regis Museum, and discussion with your expert guide on the life of Mary Anning, the extraordinary Victorian fossil collector.
Free time in Lyme Regis for lunch.
Meet up again early afternoon for a guided walk, along the coast to see Mary Anning’s statue and to include the Cobb, the Lyme Regis Harbour Wall and famous setting of the film, The French Lieutenant’s Woman, with Meryl Streep and, more recently, in the Netflix film, Persuasion. Option to visit Lyme Regis museum.
Hotel: Mortons Manor, Corfe Castle village
Free evening
Day 3 : Jurassic Coast Treasures: Corfe Castle, Kingston Church, Etches Collection, Lulworth Cove And Durdle Door
Location: Dorset
Meals Included: Breakfast
Check out of Mortons Manor and take a private guided walk around Corfe Castle and the village with our local expert. Built by William the Conqueror, it was one of the first castles in England to be built from stone. It is positioned to defend one of the only gaps in the steep-sided Purbeck ridge which extends across Dorset.
Next stop is a short journey to visit Kingston Church, nicknamed ‘the Cathedral of Purbeck’, which according to John Betjeman ‘gleams with Purbeck marble’, followed by lunch at an ultra-traditional local pub (pub lunch included) .
After lunch, travel to Lulworth Cove. This wonderful geological masterpiece and striking horseshoe-shaped cove has been carved out of the cliffs. Durdle Door is a natural limestone arch, made of rocks some 140 million years old. Stair Hole is where the rock layers are folded into a remarkable structure called the ‘Lulworth Crumple’. This feature, and many more in the area, is a northern outpost, recording a continental collision of Africa with Europe that formed the Alpine Mountains around 50 million years ago.
We’ll finish off with a visit to the Etches Collection museum, which houses the spectacular fossil skull of a pliosaur, carefully extracted from the cliffs above Kimmeridge Bay in 2023.
The tour ends late afternoon, returning participants to their choice of Mortons Manor or Wareham railway station, by arrangement.
Note: If required for reasons beyond our control, GeoCultura reserves the right to substitute alternative accommodation of equal or higher quality or adapt the itinerary if required.
What's Included
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Accommodation
All accommodation costs for the two nights, assuming double occupancy rooms. There is a supplement for single occupancy of a double room for a surcharge of £236.
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Meals
Two breakfasts and lunch on second day
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Guides
The services of your tour leader, who will be with the group each day
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Transport
Transportation costs from the start to the end of the tour
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Service charge
Service charges for accommodation and any meals included in the tour price
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Entry fees to museums
Entry fee to Corfe Castle and The Etches Collection, local guide fees and activity fees, where arranged as part of the tour
What's Not Included
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Additional Services
Extra or optional activities not described in the tour including personal expenditures, and extras at the hotel.
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Airport Transfers at Destination
Transportation to the start venue or from the end venue of the tour.
However, (at extra cost) we are very happy to arrange transport and pick-up from nearby mainline railway stations or transport from Southampton or London airports.
Please contact us for details -
Insurance
Participants should provide their own travel insurance
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Meals
Dinners not included.
Guests can choose from the hotel restaurant or pubs in the village.
Lunch in Lyme Regis is not included.
Mode of Transport
Transport each day is provided by small comfortable coach, suitable for the number in the group (maximum 12).
Accommodation
Nights 1 and 2: Mortons Manor, Corfe Castle village, Dorset
Mortons Manor is a Grade II listed Elizabethan manor house dating back to 1590 located in the centre of Corfe Castle village. It is now a very comfortable hotel with a sunny terrace and a choice of guest lounges. There is a restaurant serving dinner every evening.
Note: If required for reasons beyond our control, GeoCultura reserves the right to substitute alternative accommodation of equal or higher quality.
Check out our Q&As
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Are all entrance fees included in the price?
Yes, the tour price will include all the entrance fees for the planned visits in the itinerary.
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Can you assist with pre or post tour accommodation?
Yes, we are happy to discuss your arrival and departure needs and arrange accommodation for any additional nights before or after the tour. We can make these bookings for you and add to the final invoice.
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Is there a supplement for solo travellers?
We ensure all solo travellers have a double-bedded room for their own use. The supplement for this tour is available for a surcharge of £236.
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What is the maximum group size?
No more than 10 places on this tour.
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How much walking is involved?
As you will be part of a small group (maximum 10 people) it's easy for us to adapt the itinerary, and any walks, to suit your mobility and fitness level. Sometimes guests choose to opt out of a short walk or only do part of it. If any of the group want a longer walk that can always be arranged.
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Detailed itinerary and joining instructions. We also ask about dietary requirements and any other information which you would like to share to ensure the tour meet your needs.
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How do you choose the accommodation?
In England, where distances between our tour stops are shorter, we choose hotels or Inns in small towns or villages, where it's easy for you to wander out to explore, when you have free time. In remote locations, with limited choice, we check out the options to ensure you won't be disappointed. We look for high standards of cleanliness, a warm welcome and an emphasis on good local food.
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
Please see our terms and conditions. We will always try and offer you an alternative date and tour.
Reviews from travellers on this tour
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Free Date Changes
GeoCultura allows you to make 1 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 60 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
GeoCultura allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform geocultura, 60 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
GeoCultura requires a minimum deposit of 10% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of geocultura charges.
At 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 10% of booking price.
At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 65% of booking price.
At 29 days before tour starts: Forfeit 75% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.