OvergroundOn the WaterGroup ExcursionsOur landscape provides one of the best destinations in the UK for outdoor adventures. Whether you want to go coasteering, kayaking, kite surfi ng or mackerel fi shing, you’ll fi nd it here. There are numerous providers of these activities on the English Riviera –give us a call or visit our maritime website for more inspiration.

Explore the English Riviera Global GeoparkGeoparks

of the UK and IrelandGEOPARK SHETLAND

NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS GEOPARK

BURREN AND CLIFFS OF MOHER GEOPARK

MARBLE ARCH CAVES GEOPARK

NORTH PENNINES AONB AND EUROPEAN

GEOPARK

GEOMON, ANGLESEY’S GEOPARK

FFOREST FAWR GEOPARK

ENGLISH RIVIERA GLOBAL GEOPARK

COPPER COAST GEOPARK

For more information on what to do and where to stay in the Geopark, visit www.englishriviera.co.uk/geopark, or call our Visitor Information Team on 0844 474 2233.

You can also download the free English Riviera destination iPhone and Android app, and follow the English Riviera on Facebook. Use your smartphone to scan the QR code on this page and view a video of the stunning English Riviera Global Geopark.

For in-depth information on our fascinating geology and heritage, check out the offi cial Geopark website www.englishrivierageopark.org.uk, and pick up the guidebook from Visitor Information Centres and on Amazon.

For details on the other 90 UNESCO-recognised Geoparks around the world, visit www.globalgeopark.org

Torbay Coast and Countryside TrustThe Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust carries out the conservation work that helps the natural environment of the English Riviera Global Geopark thrive. They also run Occombe Farm, Berry Head and The Seashore Centre, and all the events that take place there.

If you’re interested in the work they do, fi nd out more at www.countryside-trust.org.uk or give them a call on 01803 520022.

Find out more

The English Riviera Global Geopark is one of just nine UNESCO-recognised Geoparks in Great Britain and Ireland.

Download My Riviera iPhone and Android app for free.

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The English Riviera GlobalGeopark

Fact book Fact book• Did you know we have the oldest modern human remains in Europe? A jawbone unearthed at Kents Cavern shows that Neanderthals and humans could have shared the same cave home.• Sabre-toothed tigers and woolly mammoths used to run down the valley where the high street is now.• The landscape has been forming over 400 million years - so the fossils found here are even older than the dinosaurs!

• 270 million years ago we used to be a desert close to the Equator. Giant prehistoric millipedes used to live in the desert and you

can still see their fossilised burrows in the rocks. • The fossils here helped Victorian geologists understand what was happening 400 million years ago and so they named that period of geological time the Devonian, a name now used all over the world.• BBC TV presenter Professor Iain Stewart is Patron of the English Riviera Global Geopark.

modern human remains in Europe?

• Sabre-toothed tigers and woolly mammoths used to run down the valley where the high street is now.• The landscape has been forming over 400 forming over 400 million years - so the fossils found here are even older than the dinosaurs!

• 270 million years ago we used to be a desert close to

Giant prehistoric millipedes used desert and you

forming over 400

Professor Iain StewartDiscover more inside

www.englishriviera.co.uk/geopark

G L O B A L G E O P A R K

G L O B A L G E O PA R K

G L O B A L G E O PA R K

GLOBAL GEOPARK

Discover the English Riviera

GlobalGeoparkWorld-class environments

“When you’re on the English Riviera you are in a very special place, a Global Geopark, an international designation of quality recognised by UNESCO. There are only 90 Geoparks in the world and the English Riviera Global Geopark is the smallest, but it’s one of the most dynamic offering all kinds of activities and events for you to get the most from your leisure time here.”

Nick Powe, Chairman of the English Riviera Geopark Organisation.

KENTS CAVERN At the heart of the Geopark is Kents Cavern, a world-famous prehistoric cave system where excavations uncovered the oldest remains of modern man in Europe – a jawbone dated at 42,000 years old, now on display in Torquay Museum. Formed over two million years ago, the caves are a popular international visitor attraction and host numerous events including bushcraft survival, Shakespeare plays and ghost tours in summer.

Underground BERRY HEAD NATIONAL NATURE RESERVEA fantastic free attraction, Berry Head is one of the most dramatic sites in the Geopark. Formed from 400 million year old limestone, the National Nature Reserve boasts some of the most spectacular views on the English Riviera. Its heritage is evident in the Napoleonic fort remains (the café and Geopark Visitor Centre are in the old Guard House) and it provides a home for many rare species of wildlife. Rock climbing and abseiling opportunities are available.

There are loads of ways to get out and explore the English Riviera Global Geopark, both independently and as part of organised group excursions. The Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust offer some fantastic group packages, ideal for team building trips and group holidays.Canoe the Coves Explore the spectacular coastline on a canoe adventure.

Catch and Cook Take off mackerel fi shing then rustle up a rustic feast.Coasteering If you’re in search of an adrenalin rush then there’s is no better way to explore the Geopark coast.The trips can be booked with an overnight stay in Warren Barn, at the heart of Cockington Valley.

Web: www.kents-cavern.co.uk Tel: 01803 215136 Postcode: TQ1 2JF

Web: www.countryside-trust.org.uk Tel: 01803 520022

Web: www.englishriviera.co.uk/maritimeTel: 0844 474 2233 (low cost call)

Web: www.berryhead.org.uk Tel: 01803 882619 Postcode: TQ5 9AP

Experience the English Riviera

Global GeoparkarkExperience Experience E Experience

Map not to scale.

Outdoor Adventures Discovery Trail

For more details visit www.englishriviera.co.uk/geopark or call us on 0844 474 2233

For more details on opening times and prices visit www.englishriviera.co.uk/geopark or call 0844 474 2233

COCKINGTON COURT & CYCLE TRAILS Cockington Court lies at the heart of the thatched village of Cockington, and is a hub for arts and crafts. The local artists and artisans based here draw their inspirations from the landscapes and materials of the Geopark. The court is surrounded by acres of country park with a number of cycle trails.www.cockingtoncourt.org 01803 607230 TQ2 6XA

SCUBA DIVING

Discover the wonders of the deep in some of the best diving conditions in the UK. The English Riviera Geopark supports numerous rare seagrass beds that are home to breeding populations of seahorses, plus a huge array of fascinating marine wildlife and several wrecks.

TORRE ABBEY Discover a wealth of Geopark history, heritage and art at Torre Abbey. Built using considerable amounts of stone from the very headland it overlooks, this 12th century abbey has played an infl uential role in the development of the area. It has witnessed, survived and been part of some epic moments of history.www.torre-abbey.org.uk/ 01803 293593 TQ2 5JE

SAILING

Tor Bay is well known as being the perfect arena for world-class sailing events, with unobstructed, practically tidal-free waters. Torquay and Brixham marinas have sailing and berthing facilities for visiting boats, and there are plenty of opportunities for both experienced and novice sailors to sail the Geopark including a number of sailing schools.

TORQUAY MUSEUM If you’re interested in really getting to know the inner workings of the Geopark then Torquay Museum is the place to start. It’s a treasure chest of archaeological and geological fi nds that tell the story of the landscape and its relationship with people. Some of the best bits include samples from early excavations of Kents Cavern, like the world-famous 42,000 year old jawbone, by far the oldest human fossil ever found in NW Europe. www.torquaymuseum.org 01803 293975 TQ1 1HG

KAYAKING

Sea canoeing and kayaking will allow you to explore the Geopark’s 22 miles of coastline from a whole new perspective, hugging the rocky inlets and getting up close and personal with the wildlife. Kayaks can be hired from several outlets in the area, which will also provide the necessary buoyancy aids and other equipment.

ROYAL TERRACE GARDENSThe geology of the English Riviera Geopark is visible in all its Devonian limestone glory at Royal Terrace Gardens on Torquay seafront. A magnifi cent illuminated staircase ascends the rock face complete with interpretation on the culture and landscape of the English Riviera. The rock face itself sits on the Sticklepath Fault running down through South Devon. The sea views from the top are stunning and well worth the climb.

SEA FISHING

Anglers catch fi sh in profusion in the waters of Tor Bay, from mackerel to bass and dogfi sh to pollack. While Brixham’s daily catch is transported to the very fi nest tables across Europe, you might want to keep your own catch closer to home! Numerous mackerel and wreck fi shing trips are available on the English Riviera.

PAIGNTON GEOPLAY PARK If you’re driving along Paignton seafront you can’t fail to notice the brand new Geoplay Park, opened in 2012. The fi rst of its kind to be created, the park is divided into sections that each represent a different era in prehistoric time. Brilliant fun, this is an exciting adventure through time for the kids and believe us, you’ll learn something too if you have a wander around the park.

SIGHTSEEING CRUISES

The best vantage point from which to appreciate the Geopark is the sea – and where better to learn more about it than on a sightseeing cruise? You may be lucky enough to spot the resident pod of dolphins or a seal or two. The main boat trips are with Greenway Ferry Pleasure Cruises, Paignton Pleasure Cruises and Dartmouth Steam Railway and Riverboat Company.

THE SEASHORE CENTRE For a glimpse into the underwater realm of the Geopark there’s no place better than the free-to-enter Seashore Centre on Goodrington Beach, Paignton. Equipped with seawater tanks full of marine wildlife, interactive displays and a video microscope for examining fi nds, the Seashore Centre also runs outdoor education courses and rockpooling sessions for youngsters. www.countryside-trust.org.uk 01803 528841 TQ4 6LP

Geopark Festival Every May/June half term we hold a Geopark Festival on the English Riviera. There’s fun for all the family with music, entertainment, arts and crafts in celebration of our incredible geology, landscape, culture and heritage. 0844 474 2233 www.englishriviera.co.uk/geopark

FOOD & FARMING

Occombe Farm is a working organic farm with shop, nature trail and café, and a great example of how the Geopark infl uences our food and drink. The Countryside Trust runs regular Geopark events here including the Occombe Farm Cookery School and the popular Occombe Beer Festival, which takes place each June.www.occombe.co.uk 01803 520022 TQ3 1RN

OPEN UP TO REVEAL YOUR MAP OF THE ENGLISH RIVIERA GLOBAL GEOPARK www.englishriviera.co.uk/geoparkwww.englishriviera.co.uk/geopark

WALKING

One of the most rewarding ways to explore the English Riviera Geopark is through the soles of your feet. The Geopark is criss-crossed with footpaths and its coastline is traced by the South West Coast Path. There are some great self-guided walks detailed in a new walks book available from Visitor Information Centres and on amazon.com. Expert guides are also available for organised tours.