THE new official guide to the Jurassic Coast was published this week with Royal endorsement.

Entitled A Walk Through Time the 64-page full colour guide is a comprehensive companion for anyone visiting the coast and has a foreword by the Prince of Wales.

Illustrated throughout, with stunning colour photographs and a large foldout map of the Jurassic Coast, the guide includes sections on:

* What to see and where to visit * Guidance on fossil collecting * Discovering how the cliffs were formed and the coastline evolved * Exploring the beauty of the Jurassic coastline

The guide brings alive the stories of the World Heritage Site, the rocks, fossils and features that make it a place of global importance.

It introduces the key places along the coast and suggests activities to help people explore the area and make the most of the 185 million years of the history of the Earth that is laid out in 95 miles of stunning coastline. The guide has been supported by The Prince of Wales who wrote the foreword.

He said: "We should all feel proud of the coast's new status and I applaud Dorset and Devon County Councils and the Dorset Coast Forum for having the vision to seek it and the application to achieve it.

They recognise that protection of the environment is both fundamental to the quality of all our lives and vital for the local, rural economy. I hope that World Heritage Status will inspire many more people to visit the 'Jurassic Coast' and, in doing so, to learn about the history of our Earth. This guide is an important step in the right direction."

The guide costs £4.95, of which £1 will be used to support the conservation and education programme for the World Heritage Site.

A Walk Through Time has been edited by Denys Brunsden, of Chideock, who led the bid for the Dorset and East Devon Coast to become a World Heritage Site. It is available from tourist information centres, museums, hotels, attractions and all good outlets throughout the World Heritage Coast.

For more information about the guide and the site contact the World Heritage team on 01305 225101.