Metal detecting rallies 2027: UK dates so far, and the rules at a rally

A rally gives you something most detectorists spend years chasing: land you’re allowed to search. Pay your fee, pitch your tent, swing.

The 2027 calendar is thin so far. Organisers announce late, and plans change with crops and landowners. This page lists only dates we could find published, and says plainly what’s still TBC.

2027 dates published so far

Checked on 1 November 2026. Confirm with the organiser before you book or travel.

*We couldn’t find these dates on the Metal Detectives site itself when we checked on 1 November 2026. Treat them as reported, and confirm with the organiser before travelling.

A bit more on each

Metal Detectives weekenders. UK Detectorist’s events directory reports two 2027 weekenders, at Boston (5–7 March) and Chipping Campden (2–4 April). These are reported dates: confirm with the organiser before travelling.

Gordano Valley experience days. Not a rally. These are guided beginners’ days at Weston Lodge Shooting Ground near Portishead: 8 hours, with a “skills school” and detecting on what the organiser calls a 500-acre site. Equipment is provided. The standard day costs £120.

Detectival. In March 2026 the organisers said the land they wanted had become unavailable due to crop rotations, so they paused that year’s event. They said they were already planning 2027 (reported via an Events1000 mirror of their announcement). No dates yet: confirm with Detectival before travelling.

Minelab 500. The event page says only that it will be held in the UK in 2027.

East of England Rallies. Run by Cheryl and Adrian Dawes, who say they’ve organised digs in Norfolk since 1991. Weekend events run from Friday lunchtime to Sunday afternoon. Their site has no 2027 dates yet.

We’ll add events as organisers publish them. If you run one, the details need to be on a public page we can check.

The rules still apply at a rally

A crowd doesn’t change the law. It just makes it easier to forget.

England and Wales

The Treasure Act Code of Practice says the finder’s duties apply to anyone taking part in a metal detecting rally. Organisers have a duty to make sure the law is understood and followed, including that Treasure is reported. At events open to the public, they must help finders, including by giving landowner details to the Finds Liaison Officer or Treasure Registry.

Potential Treasure must be reported within 14 days. If you let the organiser report for you, the duty is still yours. Check it’s been done. See what counts as Treasure.

Don’t expect an FLO on site. The PAS landowner leaflet says FLOs won’t attend rallies to record finds in the field, because making good records there is difficult. Take your finds to an FLO nearer home. Record your findspot precisely; the Code of Practice asks for at least a 10-metre square.

Scotland

The Treasure Trove Code is blunt. At an event, following the Code is “still your responsibility as an individual”. You must report every archaeological find to the Treasure Trove Unit. If the organiser hands in finds for you, make sure you’re named as the finder, with your contact details.

Find an undisturbed hoard and the Code says:

1. Stop digging. Leave the finds in the ground and cover them over.
2. Tell the organiser and ask them to cordon off the area, ideally at least 2 metres around the findspot.
3. Record the findspot.
4. Contact the Treasure Trove Unit or the local authority archaeologist immediately.
5. Tell the land manager.

More in our Scotland guide.

Northern Ireland

Digging to search for archaeological objects needs a licence. Read our Northern Ireland guide before you sign up for anything there.

Questions to ask before you book

Ask the organiser:

• Who owns the finds, and what’s the split for anything valuable? Get it in writing.
• How will Treasure be handled? Who reports it, and do you get the landowner’s details?
• Is the land under an agri-environment scheme or near a scheduled monument? The PAS leaflet says rallies on agri-environment land may need Natural England’s permission, and detecting on a scheduled monument without permission is illegal.
• Is insurance needed? The PAS Code recommends public liability insurance, such as the NCMD’s or the FID’s.
• What are the facilities, and is there a refund if the event’s cancelled?

New to detecting? Read our beginner’s detector guide and the target ID guide first. A rally field is a good place to learn what your machine is telling you.

FAQ

What metal detecting rallies are on in 2027?

As of 1 November 2026, few 2027 dates have been published. UK Detectorist reports Metal Detectives weekenders at Boston (5–7 March) and Chipping Campden (2–4 April); confirm with the organiser before travelling. Gordano Valley Metal Detecting lists beginners' experience days near Portishead from 17 April. Detectival and the Minelab 500 say 2027 events are coming but haven't given dates.

Do I have to report finds made at a rally?

Yes. The Treasure Act Code of Practice says the duty to report potential Treasure applies to anyone at a rally, and organisers must make sure the law is followed. In Scotland, the Treasure Trove Code says you must report all archaeological finds made at an event, and that this is your responsibility, not the organiser's.

Will a Finds Liaison Officer be at the rally?

Don't count on it. The PAS landowner leaflet says FLOs won't attend rallies to record finds in the field, because good records are hard to make there. It encourages finders to record with an FLO nearer where they live.

What if I find a hoard at a rally?

Stop digging. In Scotland, the Treasure Trove Code says to leave the finds in the ground and cover them, tell the organiser and ask for the area to be cordoned off (ideally at least 2 m around it), record the findspot, and contact the Treasure Trove Unit or the local authority archaeologist straight away. In England and Wales, potential Treasure must be reported to the coroner within 14 days.

Do I need insurance for a rally?

Check the organiser's terms. The PAS Code of Practice recommends public liability insurance for detecting in general, such as that offered by the NCMD or the Federation of Independent Detectorists.

Sources

Every figure in this guide comes from one of these. We checked each one on 1 November 2026.

1. UK Detectorist, “Metal detecting events” listing (2027 entries for Boston and Chipping Campden), viewed 1 November 2026. www.ukdetectorist.co.uk/metal-detecting-events
2. Gordano Valley Metal Detecting, “Metal Detecting Experience Days” 2027 event list, viewed 1 November 2026. www.metaldetectingexperiencedays.com/event-list
3. Metal Detectives Group, home page and open digs (organiser). www.metaldetectives.co.uk/
4. Detectival, official site (organiser; newsletter sign-up, no 2027 dates when checked 1 November 2026). detectival.com/
5. Detectival announcement of 12 March 2026, as mirrored on Events1000. www.events1000.com/GB/Aylesbury/111288067123679/Detectival
6. Paul Cee, “Minelab 500 Rally 2027”. www.paulcee.co.uk/minelab-500-rally.html
7. East of England Rallies, home page. eastofenglandrallies.co.uk/
8. DCMS, Treasure Act 1996: Code of Practice (3rd Revision). www.gov.uk/government/publications/treasure-act-1996-code-of-practice-3rd-revision
9. Portable Antiquities Scheme, “Metal detecting on your land – know your rights” (landowner leaflet). finds.org.uk/sites/default/files/2026-03/Landowner%20leaflet%20FINAL.pdf
10. Portable Antiquities Scheme, Code of Practice for Responsible Metal Detecting. finds.org.uk/guides/detecting-guidance/code-of-practice-for-responsible-metal-detecting
11. Treasure Trove Scotland, Code of Practice (2026), Section A §101–105. treasuretrovescotland.co.uk/sites/default/assets/File/Final_Code_of_Practice_2026_full_master.pdf