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More Dorset Guides


Part of the World Heritage Jurassic Coast, one of the most famous locations for collecting fossils in the world, fossils such as ammonites, reptiles, fish and belemnites can be collected along the foreshore. Charmouth is ideal for children.


White Nothe

Probably the most commercialised fossil town in the world. Plenty of fossil shops, museums and places offering guided walks. Ideal for children. Ammonites can be picked up from on the foreshore at Lyme Regis along with many other fossils.


Seatown

During scouring tides, Seatown turns into an 'ammonite kingdom', they can be simply picked up along the foreshore, ideal for children. There is also a superb pub with spectacular views of Golden Cap. Fossils can be found all year round.


Thorncombe

Thorncombe Beacon Yields everything from many species of ammonites, shells including brachiopods, bivalves, pectin's, some superb starfish specimens, crinoids, belemnites and much more. However you often have to work for them.


Burton Bradstock

Locals wait months for 'Burton to fall', and when she does, her rich ammonite beds yield superb finds, bags to bring home. Cliff falls occur once every 2-3 years, fossils can be collected from the rocks on the foreshore or any scree slopes.


Kimmeridge

One of the most dangerous locations for fossil hunting, the tides have cut many people off in the past. Kimmeridge is rich in ammonites, reptiles and shells. Chapman's pool area is the safest place to look, but is still not suitable for children.


Kimmeridge

Chapmans Pool is rich in ammonites, reptiles and shells, it is a very long walk down to the beach, but the fossils are often rewarding. It is best to visit during summer months when the tides are not so rough, otherwise you have limited time.


Chippel Bay

Similar zones to the Lias of Church Cliffs, the formation continues at Chippel Bay. Ammonites and reptile remains can be found on the foreshore. You need to good scour to find any decent fossils. This Jurassic location is suitable for children.


Durlston Bay

If you are interested in microfossils, tiny mammal remains, turtle shell fragments, crocodile skin fragments and fish remains, Durlston Bay is ideal. It is also a good location to take samples for wet sieving. Don't forget your field lens when visiting.


Eype

Continuing from Seatown, the Dorset Junction Bed, yields plenty of ammonites but will require some hard work with a sledge hammer. Many fossils are also poorly preserved, but decent specimens do turn up. Not suitable for children.


Ringstead

Ringstead has a small amount of Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay, but the clay is rich in fossils. This location is also near to other good sites just a short walk away and makes an ideal trip.


White Nothe

Where else do you get to collect fossils from the Upper, Middle and Lower Chalk and Greensand within just a few metres? This location is superb for its geology but also for its cretaceous ammonites and other fossils.


Bowleaze Cove

The OxfordClay at Bowleaze Cove yields ammonites and is rich in reptile remains. The Giant fossil Oyster shells are also plentiful. This location is best during scouring tides, though during these times you will need wellington boots.


Lulworth Cove

Lulworth Cove, is a popular tourist location, and its famous 'Fossil Forest' can be seen at low tide. Ideal for children and makes a whole day out. Fossils are however less common than other Dorset Locations nearby.


Osmington Mills

Another Jurassic Location where ammonites can be found. The ammonites from Bowleaze Cove can be quite worn and hard work is required to get them out of the rocks, sometimes if your lucky you may find one lying on the foreshore.


Wyke Regis

If your looking for an alternative to coastal locations, this riverside site is rich in fossils from the Kimmerige Clay. The Giant Oysters similar to Bowleaze Cove can be found plentiful. shells and reptile remains can also be found. Wear Boots.


Wyke Regis

Watton Cliff is an excellent location for collecting microfossils, you will need a microscope to view the finds once you process your samples. Mammals, fish, reptiles, ostracods, plant remains and crinoid remains are all commonly found.


Wyke Regis

Poxwell Quarries is an old, very overgrown quarry, but a small outcrop still has the productive Purbeck beds that yield its well documented insect remains. You can also find fish remains, ostracods and small shells. You will need a microscope for viewing the finds.


Portland

Years of Quarrying for Portland Stone has left this small island looking like a lunar landscape from a birds eye view. Ammonites can be found in the stone, but you will need permission to enter quarries and the rocks are extremely hard.


West Bay

West Bay continues from Burton Bradstock but is much less productive since the Oolite Beds are much thinner and cliff falls are not common. Fossil shells and poorly preserved ammonites can be found in the Bridport Sands.


Weymouth

This location is badly overgrown and could do with a good wash out. The Oxford Clay here, has yielded Ichthyosaurus, Crocodile and Crustacean remains in the past, but little has been found for several years.


Swanage

An alternative to the many Jurassic sites of Dorset, this Cretaceous site, yields fossils from the chalk, echinoid's, bivalves, brachiopods and ammonites can be found. Fossils are however, less common than other Chalk locations.


Swanage

Dancing Ledge used to be a coastal quarry, the views are stunning even if the fossils are poorly preserved. You can stand on 'Dancing Ledge' watching the waves crash into the cliff. A location worth a visit just for the views.


Shapwick Grange

An Inland Quarry where chalk fossils can be found. The fields around the quarry also yield fossils where ploughing has brought them to the surface. Obtain permission from farmers or the quarry before collecting or entering this location.


Other Fossil and Geology Guides

For a complete listing of all our fossil and geology guides for all other UK regions, please click on the UK Map to the left. We have well over a hundred locations featured, thousands of photos, videos, information and much more.

 

 


Other UK Fossils Special Featured Sites

The Famous Red and White cliffs that can be seen when crossing the river Severn contain a highly productive bone bearing bed at the very top from the Rhaetian Penarth series. This bed is full of teeth, reptile, fish and dinosaur remains.

The Glacial Pebble Beds at Benacre yield a range of derived fossils including echinoid's, sponges, shells and belemnites. At the base of the cliff, the Baventian Clay is several metres thick.

Within the Jurassic rocks on the foreshore, specially by the Brora river, ammonites and shells can be found. You will need to split the rocks, but many of them contain fossils. Suitable for families and children.

Part of the World Heritage Jurassic Coast, one of the most famous locations for collecting fossils in the world, fossils such as ammonites, reptiles, fish and belemnites can be collected along the foreshore. Charmouth is ideal for children.

Very little is known about the Covehithe Shell Beds, exposed on rare occasions. It is believed that they are a rear mollusc deposit within the Baventian stage. Other Fossils such as Echinoid's and Corals can be found in the Glacial Pebble Deposits.

The rocky shoreline of Crakaig contains occasional Jurassic rocks which sometimes yields ammonites. Most of the rocks here are Triassic in which there is also a possibility of finding fish.

Daddy Hole once a highly productive quarry now forms part of the Torquay Coastline, rich in Devonian Corals this site is now a special site of scientific interest. Corals can be found both within the quarry and foreshore scree slopes.

If you are interested in microfossils, tiny mammal remains, turtle shell fragments, crocodile skin fragments and fish remains, Durlston Bay is ideal. It is also a good location to take samples for wet sieving. Don't forget your field lens when visiting.

At Easton Wood Cliffs, rich Shell Beds yield a wide range of shells, fish, bird and small mammal remains. There are six shell beds in total, during extreme scours which occur on average once every 10 years, the highly rich bone bearing bed yields many mammal remains.

Continuing from Seatown, the Dorset Junction Bed, yields plenty of ammonites but will require some hard work with a sledge hammer. Many fossils are also poorly preserved, but decent specimens do turn up. Not suitable for children.

The best location for collecting fossils from the Gault, highly rich in fossils. Famous for its wide variety of ammonites. Many other fossils can be found such as Shells, Crabs, Crinoids, Belemnites, Echinoid's & more. Folkestone also has chalk cliffs for variety.

Just below the famous Castle of Dunrobbin, Golspie, not many would imagine ammonites and complete fish to be found on the foreshore. This location is suitable for all the family but will need the right conditions to find anything.

Hastings, one of the only places outside the Isle of Wight, where Dinosaur bones can be found. This popular and important site has yielded some important finds over the years. Fish, shark, plant, reptile remains and shells can also be collected. Keep a look out for Dinosaur Footprints.

At Helmsdale The Jurassic Kimmeridgian boulder beds yield superb giant corals, whilst occasional reptile remains turn up too. The foreshore can be very rocky and is not recommended for children.

Hopes Nose is one of the most famous locations for Devonian Corals, Trilobites and Bivalves from in the UK. The Natural History Museum in London has a large number of specimens on display from this location.

Kimmeridge clay is exposed on the foreshore at Lothbeg, ammonites can be found along with occasional shells. Plants can also be found from the soft yellow beds near Lothbeg point. Reptile remains have also been found in the past.

Probably the most commercialised fossil town in the world. Plenty of fossil shops, museums and places offering guided walks. Ideal for children. Ammonites can be picked up from on the foreshore at Lyme Regis along with many other fossils.

This large working quarry works the famous 'Caithness Flagstone'. You will need permission to enter Spittal Quarry. Fish can be found within the flagstone slabs on the spoil heaps, there is a vast amount of material to look through.

Walton-on-the-Naze is Famous for yielding fossil bird remains, large sharks teeth and plant remains from the London Clay, whilst boasting the best coastal location for collecting Red Crag fossils in the UK. A unpredictable location of variety.

Where else do you get to collect fossils from the Upper, Middle and Lower Chalk and Greensand within just a few metres? This location is superb for its geology but also for its cretaceous ammonites and other fossils.

 


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- (C)opyright 1998-2005 Alister Cruickshanks.
UK Fossils Management - Alister Cruickshanks & Roy Bullard
UK Fossils Curator - Ian Cruickshanks
UK Fossils is a division of CWA Design and run in conjunction with UKGE. Whilst we try to ensure that all content is accurate and up to date we cannot guarantee this. UK Fossils takes no responsibility in the accuracy of this content, nor takes any liabilities for any trips, events or exchanges between visitors using either the discussion board or the UK Fossils planner. Any posted trips and events by UK Fossils are personal and not arranged by UK Fossils, therefore visitors should seek their own personal insurance cover. Please remember to always check the tide times.