| Dorset Wildlife Trust is inviting people to go back in time this September to explore the past in Portland’s famous quarries. The iconic limestone peninsula will be giving up some of its hidden history at a Wild About Weymouth and Portland Geology Walk to help people discover their local landscape.
Among the secrets of Dorset Wildlife Trust’s King Barrow Quarries reserve is an ancient forest where you can see the fossilised remains of pre-historic trees. As well as ancient trees turned to stone, the disused quarry has rope stone, full of fossils of long-ago oysters and cockles, old mining railway tunnels and ancient stone walls. Disused for over 100 years, King Barrow Quarries is now one of the only places in Portland displaying the original land height of the area.
Discover a Dorset gem
Nicky Hoar, Communications Officer at Dorset Wildlife Trust, said: “Portland is one of Dorset’s gems, rich in wildlife, history and geology. Its famous limestone, which was used to build many of London’s most iconic buildings, has amazing stories to tell us. It is also a fantastic place to see wildlife, with species such as Adonis and chalkhill blue butterflies, whitethroats, linnets, meadow pipits and little owls spotted on the nature reserve, not to mention its lichens and wildflowers. This is a chance to discover a Dorset gem.”
Wild About Weymouth and Portland, a partnership between Dorset Wildlife Trust, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Dorset Countryside and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, is funded by the Big Lottery Fund through Natural England’s Access to Nature programme, to encourage people to discover, enjoy and help conserve the borough’s wonderful natural environment.
The Geology Walk at King Barrow Quarries Nature Reserve is on Wednesday 14th September at 11:00am till 1:00pm. Meet at the entrance to the reserve, by the name stone, just off the A354 (grid reference SY 689728). Please wear suitable footwear, as the ground surface is uneven. Booking is essential. Please contact Samantha Dallimore on 01305 816546.
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Notes to Editor
1. For more information please contact Samantha Dallimore at Dorset Wildlife Trust on 01305 816546.
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Wild About Weymouth and Portland is a partnership project, funded by the Big Lottery Fund through Natural England’s Access to Nature programme, involving Dorset Wildlife Trust, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Dorset Countryside (DCC) and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council. The project aims to improve access in and between important wildlife sites in the borough and encourage local people and visitors to discover, enjoy and help conserve the wonderful natural environment of Weymouth and Portland.
Additional funding has been provided by Portland Gas Trust and the AONB.
2. Access to Nature is run by Natural England and is part of the The Big Lottery Fund’s
Changing Spaces programme launched in November 2005 to help communities enjoy and
improve their local environments.
3. Natural England manages this £28.75 million Lottery-funded programme on behalf
of a consortium of twelve national environmental organisations comprising BTCV,
British Waterways, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Greenspace,
Groundwork UK, Land Restoration Trust, The National Trust, Natural England,
RSPB, the Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust.
4. Through this programme, it is Natural England’s ambition to create opportunities
for people from all backgrounds to have greater access to our natural environment
and bring a lasting change to their awareness and understanding as well as
improved links to the natural world, which many of us can take for granted.
5. Access to Nature closed to applications in May 2010 but for further information
about the programme visit www.naturalengland.org.uk/accesstonature
6. The Big Lottery Fund is the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since its inception in June 2004.For further information about the Big Lottery Fund, its programmes and awards visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
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King Barrow Quarries by Alastair Cook
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