White Nothe fossils and fossil collecting
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 The old way of accessing White Nothe was through the field car park at Holworth house. However this is no longer open and the nearest park at White Nothe is a fair distance away. Access is now best via Ringstead and walking East.
A car park can be accessed from the Toll road off the A353 to Ringstead. Follow the road and take a sharp right at the top of the hills. The road will take you to the cliff low were you will need to walk East. Ringstead is South of Poxwell.
Please check tide times before you visit as you can easily be cut off at this location. This site is part of the Jurassic World Heritage Coastline.
GRID REF: 50.62662°N, 2.32977°W
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Fairly High
White Nothe is a location that is not visited often by fossil hunters, so there is often plenty to be found especially after a high tide. However, you really need the right conditions for any decent finds.
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Older Children Only
This location is not suitable for young children because of the long walk down and rocky foreshore. |
Poor Access
It can be a long walk down to the beach, and the rocky foreshore can be quite difficult. The car park is also very hard to find. |
Foreshore, Cliffs
Most of the fossils can be found on the foreshore especially after storms but fossils are also commonly found in the cliff. |
No Hammering Cliff
This site is part of the Jurassic World Heritage Coastline. Please follow the Fossil Code of Conduct. Access is permitted SSSI -
NO HAMMERING THE CLIFF
Damage has already been caused to this heritage site by people using power tools. This is strictly against SSSI rules and any attempt to ignore these rules may result in prosecution. |
Common sense when collecting at all locations should be taken and knowledge of tide times should always be noted. Ensure you visit during falling tide and return in good time as it is easy to be cut off from the tide. At White Nothe, many large boulders can make access very difficult and it is easy to trip or fall over. You should also keep away from the cliff faces. |
White Nothe
Tide Times
UK Tidal data is owned by Crown Copyright, and therefore sadly we are not allowed to display tide times without paying expensive annual contracts. However we sell them via our store, including FREE POSTAGE
Click here to buy a tide table
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Accommodation
Higher Spence
Farm Cottage, beautiful location 3 miles Charmouth. Double and Family rooms En Suite.
Contact: Christine Nutkins
Tel: UK (01297) 560556
Tel: International +441297 560556 Address: Higher Spence, Wootton, Fitzpaine, Charmouth, Dorset.
Email: higherspence@eurolink.ltd.net Website: (Typing "Higher Spence into your search engine)
Dorset coastal cottages
We are a holiday agent for 120 carefully selected and inspected cottages within 10 miles of Dorset's spectacular World Heritage Coast and Path. All are old, many are beamy and thatched, most have open fires or logburners plus central heating. Rents include electricity, gas etc. and all linen/towels.
Rentable by the week or 3 day Short Break all year round!!
Please call: 0800 9804070 for a Brochure or visit our website on www.dorsetcoastalcottages.com
Jennifer Owens Direct:
01305 851033 jen.o@dorsetcoastalcottages.com
If you would like to advertise on this page, please 'contact us'.
£10/Year or 'FREE' for return links from accommodation website pages. |
| Last updated: |
2008 |
| last visited: |
2003 |
| Written by: |
Alister and Alison Cruickshanks |
 
Geological Tools
White Nothe can be an unpredictable location, the geology covers such a wide period from the Cretaceous Lower, Middle or Upper Chalk and Greensand which can also be exposed on the foreshore in soft form requiring a different set of tools...[more]
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The wide range of the Cretaceous formation gives a variety of fossils to find. The Upper Greensand is rich with the ammonite fauna from the Dispar Zone. This is just below the base of the chalk. The Basal Cenomanian, especially the blocks on the foreshore, is often crowded with the echinoid Holaster along with Ammonites and other fossils.
There is a wide range of fossils from the upper, middle and lower chalk, though the best sections can only be accessed by boat. Because the beds are vertical, the formations change and zones are limited in size. You never know what you are going to find at White Nothe due to the faults of Holworth House....[more]
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Cretaceous, 93-110mya |
The Dorset Junction Bed contains all of the North Yorkshire Geology in one Boulder. At White Nothe mouth, the White Nothe Clay forms the base of the cliff with the White Nothe Nodule Bed running along from Thorncombe Beacon. Above this the Down Cliff Sands with the Starfish Bed lying between the two. Above this, the Thorncombe sands with the Junction Bed resting on its top. At West Cliff, West of White Nothe Mouth, a major fault (the Fault Corner) marks the change in formation, here Frome Clay and Forest Marble are present with the Thorncombe formation missing. ...[more]
Showing Upper Greensand and Upper Chalk slippages
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From the Chalk, Echinoid's can often be collected by simply picking them up from the foreshore, there is a quite a variety of species, the most common being Holasters. White Nothe is also well known for giant Ammonites which are surprisingly well preserved. Many Brachiopods and Bivalves can also be found along with sea Urchin Spines and Crinoids Peace's.
From the Greensand, rich well preserved brachiopod and bivalve beds give a wide variety of species, Gastropods can also be collected, when the Greensand is freshly exposed on the foreshore, it is as soft as that of the Gault, but exposure to air turns it rock hard. During scouring tides, many very good molluscs can be collected in near perfect condition...[more]
Holaster sp....[more]
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Other Locations similar to White Nothe
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Stone Tumblers |
Microscopes |
Test Sieves for Microfossils |
If you are interested in fossil collecting, then you may also be interested in a stone tumbler (Lapidary). You can polish stones and rocks from the beach which
will look fantastic polished using a stone tumbler.
You can polish rough rock and beach glass whilst collecting fossils, on those days where you come back empty handed.
These are all high quality machines to give a professional finish to your samples. They can even be used for amber and fossils. |
At most locations, you can find microfossils. You only need a small sample of the sand. You then need to wash it in water and sieve using a test sieve. Once the sand is processed, you can then view the contents using a microscope.
We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereomicroscope for viewing microfossils. The best one we sell is the IMXZ, but a basic microscope will be fine. Once you have found microfossils, you will need to store these microfossils.
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Test Sieves are used when searching for microfossils. Microfossils can be found in many locations, and all you need is a small amount of sample such as clays, sands and shales, or if you have acid, limestone, oolite or chalk.
Our UKGE Store sells Endecotts Test Sieves, which are the highest in accuracy and extremely durable and long lasting. These Test Sieves are fantastic for microfossils. Endecotts Test Sieves come in a variety of sizes, frame material and types, they are certificated to EU Standards. |
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