Dorset Geologist’s Association Group (DGAG) will host a Field Trip on the Saturday 2 May 2026 to Charmouth, Dorset
Title: Charmouth Fieldtrip – Geology and Fossils of the Jurassic Coast at Charmouth
Leader: Pauline Dagnall
Time: 10:30 am start – low tide 13:15 – finish time approximate
Meet Location: Outside Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, near steps and café picnic tables at 10:30 am. OS map reference SY 366 930.
What3words: ///crunchy.strikers.converter
Postcode DT6 6LR
Nearest toilets: Public toilets in a separate building at the rear of the Centre.
Car Parks: Parking fees apply. It’s best to bring cash.
There is a small tarmac pay and display car park directly in front of the Heritage Coast Centre, charging £1.50 per hour. There are also two privately owned car parks which are open during peak periods and are a short walk from the beach area charging £3-6.
Entry Cost: Fieldtrip free to DGAG members.
Booking: to register your interest, email Jonathan Stiby at fieldtrips@dorsetgeologistsassociation.org
Description: This trip will introduce the local geology setting of the Lower Jurassic, the Upper Cretaceous and the unconformity between them. We’ll also look at the land slips of Black Ven and Stonebarrow. We will also look for fossils on the beach and have time to visit the Heritage Coast Centre with its amazing exhibits. Walking boots, robust footwear. Bring packed lunch, any dogs must be on leads. Full details will be issued to those wishing to join this great trip. I (Jonathan Stiby) will be seeking a willing volunteer to write up the trip for the DGAG newsletter and thank you very much if you are able to do this for the benefit of all.
Photo: courtesy of Jonathan Stiby
Dorset Geologists’ Association Group (DGAG) will host a Guided Walk on the Saturday 16 May 2026 to Golden Cap and Hardown Hill, Dorset.
Title: A guided walk – Golden Cap, St Gabriel’s and Hardown Hill
Leader: Richard Barrett
Time: 10:30 am start – 2:30 pm finish approx
Meet Location: Langdon Hill National Trust Car Park. DT6 6EP
SY 41239 93064;
What3words///unhappily.sneezing.reinforce
Nearest toilets: none
Car Parks: Langdon Hill National Trust Car Park (see above)
Entry Cost: Fieldtrip free to DGAG members. Parking fee applies if not a National Trust member
Booking: to register your interest, email Jonathan Stiby at fieldtrips@dorsetgeologistsassociation.org
Description: This is a guided walk on the coastal and inland paths of West Dorset. It will introduce the local geology setting of the walk before ascending Golden Cap.
On Golden Cap, we’ll enjoy the extensive views from the highest point on the south coast of England, before descending to St Gabriel’s and its disused chapel. From there we will walk on paths to the village of Morcombelake before ascending Hardown Hill and visiting its chert quarry – a DIGS site. We will enjoy the views over Marshwood Vale from Hardown before making our return to the car park. We will view various points of geological, geographical and archaeological interest enroute. Many of the buildings we will pass are built of local stone. Total distance: 8km (5 miles).
Please note: the walk is on marked footpaths and lanes and has some steep ascents and descents. The paths may be slippery after wet weather. Suitable for reasonably fit people with experience of country walking. Walking boots or robust shoes required. Bring walking poles if appropriate.
Bring Packed lunch. No dogs please.
Photo: Provisional courtesy Jonathan Stiby
Dorset Geologists’ Association Group (DGAG) will host a talk on Tuesday 22 September 2026.
Title: The Whispers of Rock – Stories from the Earth
Speaker: Dr Anjana Khatwa is an award-winning earth scientist, presenter and writer who has worked for several universities, the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site and the National Trust. She has been given the Geographical Award for public engagement by the Royal Geographical Society, the RH Worth Award by the Geological Society of London and the Halstead Medal from the Geologists’ Association. Anjana lives with her family in Dorset in a house filled with rocks and fossils collected from all over the world. The Whispers of Rock is her first book.
Time: Talk will start at 7pm; finish approximately 8pm
Venue: Activity Meeting Room: Dorford Centre, Bridport Road, Dorchester, DT1 1RR
Lecture Entry Cost: All welcome: £6 non-members (£5 DGAG members), cash please.
Booking a seat: contact Chris Webb at email: events@dorsetgeologistsassociation.org
Talk Description: A synopsis kindly provided by the speaker is as follows:
If you listen, can you hear the rocks speak? The question seems absurd. After all, rocks are lifeless, inert, and silent in The Whispers of Rock: Stories from the Earth, earth scientist Anjana Khatwa will ask us to think again and listen to their stories. Boldly alternating between modern science and ancient wisdom, Khatwa will take you on an exhilarating journey through deep time, from origins of the green pounamu that courses down New Zealand rivers to the wonder of the bluestone megaliths of Stonehenge, from the fiery volcanoes of Hawai’i to Manhattan’s bedrock of schist. In unearthing those stories and more, Khatwa will show how rocks have always spoken to us and we humans to them. Delicately intertwining Indigenous stories of Earth’s creation with our scientific understanding of its development, she will showcase how our lives are intimately connected to time’s ancient storytellers.
“DGAG editors view —-> This talk is not to be missed and will be a privilege to join the author in a fantastic dive into the universe of rocks merging science, art and human existence”.
In addition, as a real treat, Teasel and Skylark (independent bookseller in Dorchester) will be at the meeting selling books and there will be a book signing on the night.
Photo: -Courtesy of the speaker’s representative and a paperback version hopefully later when available . Cover of the UK hard back published in 2025
Additional Links:
if and when available later
Dorset Geologist’s Association Group (DGAG) will host a talk on the Tuesday 17th February 2026.
Title: Geoscience in a Digital Age: The Role of the Internet in Modern Geoscience
Speaker: Saskia Elliott (MSc, FGS, Graduate Geotechnical Engineer at SW Flood and Coastal)
Time: Talk will start at 7pm; finish approximately 8pm
Venue: Activity Meeting Room: Dorford Centre, Bridport Road, Dorchester, DT1 1RR
Lecture Entry Cost: All welcome: £6 non-members (£5 for DGAG members), cash best.
Booking a seat: contact Chris Webb at email: events@dorsetgeologistsassociation.org
Talk Description: To be provided by the speaker in due course.
Editors view –>Hopefully, this taster, will give us a few clues to using some of the universe of information resources, that we are privileged, to have at our fingertips, in this digital, online AI era! The additional links below are a good start.
Photo: Algal fossil surprise on the Dorset Coast from the speaker
Additional Links:
- British Geological Survey on the topic
https://www.bgs.ac.uk/geological-research/digital-geoscience/2.The Geological Society comments on topic
https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/events/digital-geoscience-2025-digital-innovations-in-geoscience-fieldwork/3. The French geological survey on same topic
https://www.brgm.fr/en/activities/knowledge-dissemination-open-science
Dorset Geologist’s Association Group (DGAG) is hosting a GEOFEST on the Saturday 24 October 2025.
Theme: A festival celebrating Geoscience: Fossils, Rocks and Earth Science. A DGAG annual event that is a small part of October’s two global events:
– International Geodiversity Day with 2026 year’s theme yet to be revealed
– Earth Science week organized by The Geological Society – theme yet to be revealed
Selected DGAG members and invited guests will exhibit their collections/displays and share their Geoscience/Earth Science knowledge.
Event Description: A list of contributors and their displays and will be updated on the DGAG website nearer the date of the event. If you would like a flavour, please look at our two previous events and their write ups.
Anyone is welcome to come and see what is on show. In addition, we welcome any Geoscience questions or puzzling rocks/fossils that people want advice on.
Time: The GEOFEST will start at 10.00 am finish 3.00 pm
Entry Cost: Free
Booking: There is no need to book.
Event Contact: DGAG events at email: events@dorsetgeologistsassociation.org
Note: Food or drink is not being supplied at the venue, but there are plenty of nearby cafés etc.
Venue: The main Hall at the United Church, 49/51 Charles Street, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1EE (postal address and rear entrance to church buildings). South Street, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1BY (front entrance to church 29 South St, Dorchester DT1 1BY)
Entrance can be from either of the 2 entrances:
– Perhaps easiest for pedestrians will be from the alleyway entrance on the South Street pedestrian zone where we will have a colourful advertising board (image below) pointing the way to the GEOFEST. Exact location using what 3 words: ///whips.cooked.denser
(link to free app https://what3words.com/about).
– Otherwise make your way around to the Dorchester Library and enter from Charles Street opposite to the Dorchester Library and car parks.
References & Website links:
1. Previous event GEOFEST October 2024
https://dorsetgeologistsassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/1.18-Writeup-for-DGAG-Geofest-26OCT_2024.pdf
2. Previous GEOFEST 18 Oct 2025
https://dorsetgeologistsassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1.39-Writeup-for-DGAG-Geofest-18OCT_2025_draft4.pdf
3. Dorset Geologists Association Group (DGAG) website
https://dorsetgeologistsassociation.org/
4. DGAG Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1706340262955772
5. International Geodiversity Day website
https://www.geodiversityday.org/post/theme-announced-for-international-geodiversity-day-2025
6. Earth Science week website
https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/events/earth-science-week-family-film-and-fun-day/
