Our Mission
At Gordano Valley Metal Detecting we want your first experience of the hobby we love, to be a defining moment on your journey. Our objective is to give you a comprehensive introduction, through our carefully curated full day course, which will leave you hungry for more. You'll be ready to enter the field on your own permission, or organised club dig, with the skills to rise above the pack on day one.
Whether you are not sure if the hobby is for you and would like to try it before you commit to buying equipment, or you have the kit but want to learn the skills, this is the course for you.
What's Included?
Equipment Provided:
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Metal Detector
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Headphones
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Pinpointer
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Gloves
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Spade
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Finds bag
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Coin box
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Equipment harness/webbing/belt
Full day tuition from our expert guides including:
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The detector and how it works
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Detecting techniques
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Target identification
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Pin Pointing
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Researching the land
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Finds identification
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Legislation and recording finds
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Permissions and detecting clubs
Facilities: Free car park, toilets, tea & coffee, lunch
Detecting: Skills school activites in the morning and several hours on the 500 acre farm in the afternoon
Full day packages from £75
Location
The course is situated on 500 acres of farm land and woods, above the beautiful Gordano Valley in North Somerset, 10 miles from Bristol, in the UK.
We have a car park and facilities at Weston Lodge Shooting Ground just outside of Portishead, from where the group will explore many different types of environment, including pasture, ploughed (seasonal) and woodland. The views of the surrounding countryside and Bristol channel and Wales beyond are stunning.
There are thousands of years of history in and around the Gordano valley, waiting to be discovered, book now and join us for a fantastic day hunting for treasures.
What should I bring?
Metal Detecting is an outdoor hobby and the weather in the UK is more and more unpredictable. You should bring enough layers to avoid being too hot or too cold and a waterproof coat/jacket is essential. The weather can change throughout the day.
Wellington boots or sturdy walking boots are recommended, the ground will be muddy in places. Walking through the woods, there are obstacles and hidden roots, as well as some steep inclines. Wear what you consider to be comfortable but suitable footwear for these conditions. We do not recommend trainers, smart office footwear, flipflops or sandals.
If you wish to carry water or snacks consider bringing a lightweight rucksack (daypack), however we advise not to carry anything too bulky or heavy as you will be digging, bending down, kneeling. The aim of the game is to travel light with everything you need. While we will have a basecamp with at various stages of the day, there will be portions of the course away from supplies, so bring with you what you need.
A change of clothes for the end of the day is advisable, in case you get muddy/wet. Just kneeling in a field, even if its not been raining, can cause trousers to be soaked through at the knee. For this reason you should consider hard wearing trousers, combat trousers with thigh pockets are a favourite in the hobby. Jeans, dresses, skirts, shorts are not advisable due to ground conditions and navigating over obstacles such as fences while out in the countryside.
In short, be sensible, you're the one that's wearing it.
We recommend making a checklist of everything you'll need. This is great practise for when you are detecting in the future. Here's our suggested checklist as a starting point:
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Wellies or sturdy walking boots
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Hard wearing trousers (i.e. combat/cargo trousers)
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Waterproof jacket or coat
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Hat (baseball cap in summer, woolie hat in winter)
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Sunglasses (if applicable!)
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Daypack (to carry water and snacks)
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Change of clothes and footwear for end of day
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Water bottle / thermos flask
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Snacks / Packed Lunch
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Medication / Pain killers / blister plasters
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Hand Gel / Wipes
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Camera / Phone (we'll take pictures to remember the day and your finds but please feel free to bring your own devices)
Book Your Experience
There are two options currently available for guests:
Metal Detecting Experience Day - £75
This is our standard experience day offering. Sign up to join a group of people. The session is full when it reaches a maximum of 5 or 10 guests (depending on how many guides we have available on the day). You can book up to 5 slots on one of these days.
Private Experience Day - Contact us for pricing
Sign up for 1:1 instructor session OR bring friends and family with you for the day. You'll have an instructor focussed on you and your group. The session has a capacity of 5 or 10 guests (depending on how many guides we have available on the day).
Availability
View the calendar schedule of sessions below, find the date that suits you and click on the information to book tickets.
PLEASE NOTE: If you have specific requirements for dates or group size and you cannot find the session you need, get in touch with us. We are super flexible and might be able to put on a day for you outside of our usual operating times.
Season
We are open from April to October for our Metal Detecting Experience Days. Each month is available until it is fully booked, at which point we'll release more dates. Contact us to discuss custom dates for you.
About Me
My name is Daveran Baulch and I'm the founder and field guide for Gordano Valley Metal Detecting.
After over 25 years in the corporate world I was disconnected from the outside world, sedentary and in poor health. Discovering Metal Detecting as a hobby has transformed my life, improved my wellbeing and fitness and has led to this moment, setting up the business.
Metal Detecting is now a very popular hobby, with a vast choice of equipment, clubs, rallys and online content, fueled by the TV phenomenon "Detectorists".
Very few skills schools exist nationally for what is a technically complex hobby. I've seen many struggling detectorists asking for help in online forums and on organised digs. I want to give everyone a fair shot at the hobby, so the experience days skills school was born.
Here at GVMD we are passionate about the hobby, so much so, we want to share that passion with you. Get in touch with us today and join us on our journey.
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CONTACT US
Get in touch with us if you have any questions, either use the form here or email us on GordanoValleyMetalDetecting@Gmail.com
Or message us directly using the Chat
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