Meet at the Burngate Purbeck Stone Centre at 10am. On arrival please enter the centre to meet the team who will welcome you. Guided tour of the centre facilities. Learn about the history of Purbeck stone and its use in both local and world-famous buildings. It's an old quarry site steeped in Purbeck’s stone working heritage. The Centre is located on National Trust land surrounded by both active and abandoned quarries dating back to medieval times. Please note: For those traveling by public transport the Burngate Purbeck Stone Centre is easily accessible via hourly bus services from Corfe Castle or Swanage. Accommodation is not included in the tour price but there are two hotel options in Corfe Village - Mortons Manor Hotel and The Bankes Arms, plus a couple of B&Bs.

Dancing Ledge

After your intro at Burngate, we'll take the Southern Trail (6km) from Burngate to Dancing Ledge, a circular route that takes you across the Purbeck Plateau and down to the Portland Cliff stone quarries. Visit the dinosaur pavement, where you can witness ancient, fossilized footprints, and explore working quarries where stone is still being extracted today. The trail offers a beautiful balance of geological exploration and breath-taking coastal views. For those not wishing to take part in the walk, alternative activities can be arranged.

Enjoy a snack lunch at the centre, included in the cost.

Finish the day with a two-hour, beginners, relief carving session at Burngate Stone Centre. Under the expert guidance of local carvers, you’ll learn the techniques of relief carving using Portland Freestone—an iconic local stone. Complete your carving project, which you will take home as a memento of your experience. Return to Corfe in the evening via bus or other transport.

Begin the day with a Geopoetry and Creative Writing workshop, led by Prof. Patrick Corbett (Geologist and Geopoet) and Sarah Acton (Author/Poet of the Jurassic Coast). Engage with the landscape through reading and writing poetry inspired by the stunning surroundings and the region’s rich quarrying heritage. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced writer, you will have the chance to express your thoughts.

Enjoy a snack lunch at the centre, included in the cost.

Corfe Castle

After lunch we walk 8km to Corfe through woodland and across heath tracing the path of old stone workings arrive in Corfe with a short time for a look around.