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Highlights

• Hosted throughout by Dr Anjana Khatwa, a geologist and passionate science communicator
• The weekend break promises to bring Mary Anning's story to life with engaging insights, expert knowledge, and an infectious enthusiasm for Earth's ancient history
• Enjoy a private tour of the Lyme Regis Museum, former home of fossil hunter Mary Anning. Learn about how some of her discoveries were the most significant geological finds of all time
• Explore the Jurassic Coast by sea on a cruise with a local geology expert. Sail along one of the most breath-taking parts of the British coastline
• Coastal path walk towards Lyme Regis’s famed East Beach and Black Ven accompanied by experts from the Lyme Regis Museum
• Learn about a 199 million-year-old ecosystem where various species would have called home
• Enjoy dinner and drinks with tour experts, members of the ×îÐÂÂ鶹ÊÓƵ Discovery Tours team and guests

Meet the expert

Dr Anjana Khatwa - Host

Anjana is an Earth Scientist specialising in bringing stories about the origins and formation of natural landscapes to life for a wide range of audiences. She has appeared as a ‘super-contributor’ on BBC Four’s three-part series, Beach Live, where she was the show’s resident geologist expert, engaging audiences with her insight and knowledge about geology and fossils. 

Her debut non-fiction book, The Whispers of Rock, is a global story of how rocks have not only shaped our world but also our lives. It will be published as a hardback in September 2025 by Little, Brown (UK) and Basic Books (US).

Anjana has won multiple awards over her stellar career in the geosciences including Royal Geographical Society Geographical Award, the RH Worth Medal by the Geological Society of London and the prestigious Halstead Medal from the Geologists’ Association. In 2020, she won a National Diversity Award as a Positive Role Model for Race, Faith and Religion.

Prof Lewis Dartnell - Research scientist

Lewis is a research scientist, presenter and author based in London. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a first-class degree in biological sciences and completed his PhD at University College London in 2007. His books include The Knowledge, Origins and, most recently, Being Human: How our biology shaped world history. 

Kieran Satchell - Lyme Regis Museum expert

Kieran is a palaeontological science communicator. He was an ambassador for the Jurassic Coast Trust (JCT) for over 3 years, primarily focused on giving educational talks about the local paleontology of Dorset and further afield. In 2016 he spent 5 months as an intern for the Judith River Dinosaur institute in Montana, US, out in the field digging for dinosaurs including Stegosaurus and Haplocanthosaurus. He now works as the Learning & Engagement Officer at Lyme Regis Museum and will lead the walk on day two.

Dr Steve Etches MBE - Fossil expert

Steve was originally a plumber by trade and began collecting fossils from the Kimmeridge Clay over 40 years ago. Completely self taught, what began as a hobby has now resulted in a collection of over 2800 fossils which are now on display at his amazing museum, The Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life in Kimmeridge. Steve has become a renown expert on fossils from the Kimmeridgian. Steve, often described as a ‘modern day Mary Anning’, has received numerous awards in recognition for his dedication to the world of Palaeontology.

Chris Woodward - Geology cruise expert

Chris became an ambassador for the Jurassic Coast Trust back in 2015 and focused not only on links with formal education but also those with specialist interest groups and museums. Chris Participates in geology events such as the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival, Sidmouth Science Week, the Jurassic Coastal Trust’s Evening Cruises, the Exmouth Festival, as well as working with Exmouth’s Town Team on their Dinosaur Trail and Tourist Information staff’s CPD.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• A full programme of talks and visits
• Two nights’ accommodation, based on two people sharing a room
• Two breakfasts, one lunch and two three-course dinners. (Please advise in advance if you have dietary requirements and we will confirm if we cater for them)
• Fossil walk accompanied by experts on day 2
• Geology cruise with expert on day 3
• Return transport from Exeter to Lyme Regis in a coach on day 2
• Return transport from Exeter to Exmouth Harbour in a coach on day 3
• A full instruction pack sent two weeks before the event
• 24-hour onsite support
• Onsite parking

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

• Travel insurance
• Transport to venue
• Lunch on day 2
• Additional snacks, drinks or alcohol
• Additional nights' accommodation
• Visa/ETA (if applicable)
• Single room supplement - £150

HOW TO GET THERE

This weekender begins and ends at the Mercure Exeter Rougemont Hotel, Queen Street, Exeter, EX4 3SP. The What3Words location for the Mercure Exeter Rougemont Hotel is skipped devours Rhino.

By Train: The hotel is directly opposite Exeter Central Station, making it a short and easy walk for rail travelers. Exeter St David’s Station is also nearby, about a 10-minute walk or a quick taxi ride away.

By Car: Situated close to major routes, the hotel is accessible via the M5 motorway. From the M5, take the A30 or A377 towards the city center. Parking facilities are available at the hotel and included in the cost of the weekend.

By Bus: The hotel is close to Exeter’s main bus station, offering convenient access for those traveling locally or regionally.

WEEKENDER START AND END TIMES

The weekender will begin at 17:00 on Friday evening with the first talk at 17:20. The event will finish at 16:00 on Sunday afternoon.

Hotel check-in is available from 15:00 on Friday. A member of the ×îÐÂÂ鶹ÊÓƵ team will be on hand at the hotel from 15:00 to help answer any questions you may have. There will be somewhere to leave your luggage.

PACE AND PHYSICALITY

This is a low-medium impact event. The talks will be held in a private conference room with comfortable seating. The main walking element will take place on day 2 when you visit Lyme Regis beach. During the morning walk you can be expected to walk around 1 kilometre along a paved coastal path. During the afternoon fossil hunting excursion you can be expected to walk up to 3 kilometres along the beach. Both walks will be at a steady pace. We strongly recommend that you wear sturdy walking shoes during this day as the terrain will be very uneven and may be slippery.

On the afternoon of day 3, you will embark on a cruise along the Jurassic Coast. During the cruise, the boat can be affected by the winds. If you are prone to sea sickness, we suggest you bring some suitable medication with you for this.

We will provide transport in comfortable coaches for the excursions on days 2 and 3.

WEATHER

Although the climate is temperate in May, we strongly advise that you bring weatherproof clothing as the weather can change and we will be outside for the walk on day 2 and during the cruise on day 3. There is an indoor area on the boat.

CAPACITY

For this weekender, there will be a maximum capacity of 100 guests. Discovery group tours generally operate at much smaller capacities, between 14 - 22 guests. However, our weekenders work slightly differently, they are based in one location and involve a series of highly engaging talks from a number of distinguished speakers as well as an offsite activity. During the visit to Lyme Regis, the group will be split into smaller groups of around 20 people for the various activities. 

SOLO TRAVELLERS

Our group tours are perfect for solo travellers, as travelling as part of an organised group provides security and peace of mind in faraway places.  If you want your own room, you will need to pay a solo supplement for this weekender. If you are willing to share, we will always do our best to match you up with another solo traveller of the same sex so that you don't have to pay for a single room.

AGE RESTRICTIONS

Children are welcome, but must be aged 12 or over. Please bear in mind that the level of the talks and activities are aimed at adults.

Accommodation

Mercure Exeter Rougemont Hotel, Devon, England

The Mercure Exeter Rougemont Hotel is a charming and elegant destination, blending Victorian grandeur with modern comforts. Located in the heart of Exeter, this historic hotel offers easy access to the city's rich cultural attractions, including Exeter Cathedral and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum. With beautifully appointed rooms, excellent dining options, and versatile event spaces.

Please note: If required for reasons beyond our control, we reserve the right to substitute alternative accommodation of equal or higher quality or adapt the itinerary if required.