Trip 1 (Maximum of 40 people) - Downe House
A daytrip to Down House, the home of Charles Darwin. We will get an exclusive tour of the house and gardens, including access to areas not normally open to the public. For lunch we will visit a nearby village pub where we will get a three-course festive lunch. There will also be an opportunity to visit the local cemetery in Down where Darwin's wife and children are buried.
8am: Coach leaves from Royal School of Mines, South Kensington
10am: Arrive Down House 10am-1pm: Down House and Gardens tours
1pm-3pm: Pub lunch in Downe Village (The Queen's Head)
3pm: Coach leaves Downe
5pm: Coach arrives back at the Royal School of Mines
This trip costs £55, which includes transport, entry to Down House and tours, and lunch.
Trip 2 (Maximum of 47 people) - Fossil collecting at the Isle of Sheppey
A daytrip to Warden Point, Isle of Sheppey, where the Eocene London Clay is exposed on the beach. The trip will be led by Dr Roger Close (University of Birmingham), and will include at least three hours of collecting time. Fossils are abundant, and include shark teeth, pyritised wood, serpulids, bivalves, gastropods, and occasionally fish and reptile bones. Heavy field clothing and waterproofs are strongly recommended. For lunch we will visit a nearby village Hotel and Conference centre for a three-course festive meal.
7:30am: Coach leaves from Royal School of Mines, South Kensington
10am: Arrive at Warden Point – Isle of Sheppey
10am-1pm: Brief introduction on the fossils of the London Clay, and fossil hunting!
1pm: Coach leaves Warden Point for transport to lunch
1.30pm-3.30pm: Lunch at the Abbey Hotel Restaurant and Conference Centre in Sheerness
3.30pm: Coach leaves Sheerness
6pm: Return to the Royal School of Mines
This trip costs £40, which includes transport and a three-course lunch.