Cross-Channel Geopark Festival 2025
The Cross-Channel Geopark Festival returns this autumn with a two-day celebration of the landscapes, culture, and heritage that unite communities on both sides of the Channel. Taking place at the historic Dover Castle, the 2025 edition brings together Geoambassadors communities, and visitors to explore the story of a shared geology that has shaped people’s lives for over 400 million years.
The festival is part of the ongoing journey of the Cross-Channel Geopark towards recognition as a UNESCO Global Geopark. It will showcase how the cliffs, coasts, valleys, and chalk downs on both sides of the Channel are a single, unified landscape.
Through talks, workshops, performances, and family activities, the festival invites everyone to experience this story and to reflect on how geology continues to influence culture, identity, and the future of our environment.
Festival Programme
The Kent Downs National Landscape and the Caps et Marais d’Opale Regional Nature Park are pleased to invite you to the second edition of this event, set in an exceptional natural and historic location, Dover Castle.
Dover Castle
Dover Castle, a Geosite within the Cross-Channel Geopark, is perched atop the iconic White Cliffs of Dover. One of England’s most celebrated historic sites, it provides a fitting venue for the second Cross-Channel Geopark Festival. Its location at the edge of the English Channel reflects both separation and connection, offering a physical and symbolic link between two countries. The castle is a landmark that has witnessed centuries of cultural, military, and geological history.
A fortress shaped by time
The origins of Dover Castle trace back to the Roman era, when a lighthouse (pharos) was built around AD 130 to guide ships across the Channel. Following the Norman Conquest in 1066, a motte-and-bailey castle was established on the site, making Dover a centre of military and political power.
In the 12th century, King Henry II commissioned the construction of the Great Tower, reinforcing the castle as a royal fortress and key defensive site overlooking the shortest Channel crossing. Over the centuries, the castle has evolved, with additions reflecting medieval, Tudor, and modern military architecture, each layer narrating England’s relationship with the continent.
Experiencing Dover Castle
Visitors can explore grand interiors, walk along ramparts with panoramic views, and delve into the Secret Wartime Tunnels. For the festival, these spaces will host exhibitions, workshops, performances, and family activities, offering a unique opportunity to experience the castle in a way that highlights both its natural setting and its historical significance.
Dover Castle stands ready to welcome visitors for the Cross-Channel Geopark Festival 2025, offering an immersive experience where the history of the land, sea, and people converge.
Plan your visit
Dover Castle is easily accessible from Kent and across the Channel.
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