UK Fossils
UK Fossils features hundreds of UK location guides for collecting fossils. From the famous Jurassic Coastline of Dorset, to the popular sites in Wales for trilobites. Most locations are coastal, like the chalk cliffs of Sussex and Kent, with inland sites being a mixture of quarries, streams, cuttings and outcrops.
Top Locations
Charmouth (Stonebarrow) - Stonebarrow, to the east of Charmouth, is one of the busiest and most productive sections of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. Renowned for its rich ammonite beds, including the famous Green Ammonite Member and the highly sought-after golden pyritised ammonites, this stretch attracts collectors from around the world. The foreshore regularly yields a wide variety of fossils, and with persistence, it can be one of the most rewarding areas along the Dorset coast.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦📺 VIDEO
Charmouth (West Beach) - West Beach at Charmouth is one of the most accessible and productive fossil hunting locations in the UK, attracting collectors of all levels throughout the year. Situated at the heart of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, this area is especially well known for its abundance of marine reptile remains, coprolites and a wide range of Jurassic fossils, many of which can be found loose on the foreshore after storms.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦📺 VIDEO
Watchet - Watchet is a highly productive Jurassic location, well known for its reptile remains and abundant ammonites. The foreshore also reveals impressive geological features, including spectacular faulting and large ammonite casts, making it both scientifically important and visually striking. With regular fresh material exposed by erosion, it is a must-visit site for fossil collectors exploring this part of the Somerset coast.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦📺 VIDEO
Compton Bay - The entire section of coast along Compton Bay provides a worthwhile day out, with opportunities to find pieces of dinosaur bone (mostly rolled) and possibly teeth; and to see the large number of dinosaur footprints scattered along the coast. This section is famous for the remains and footprints of dinosaurs, for which the Isle of Wight is famous. Both commonly occur on the foreshore. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦📺 VIDEO
Yaverland - Yaverland is one of the most famous fossil collecting locations on the Isle of Wight, renowned for its dinosaur remains, vertebrate fossils and classic Wealden exposures. However, despite its reputation, success here depends heavily on conditions. The site can often appear unproductive, particularly during the summer months when the foreshore is covered, but after winter storms and spring tides, fresh material is exposed and excellent finds can be made. Due to its popularity, the site is also heavily collected, meaning patience and persistence are essential. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦📺 VIDEO
Whitby - Whitby is one of the most iconic fossil localities on the Yorkshire coast, renowned for its rich Jurassic heritage and dramatic cliff scenery. While access to parts of the foreshore is tide-dependent and requires careful planning, the rewards can be considerable. The area is celebrated for its abundant ammonites, marine reptile remains and diverse shell beds, as well as for jet — fossilised wood from ancient conifer-like trees that became highly prized in Victorian jewellery. Its reputation means it is rarely quiet, but with patience and good timing.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦📺 VIDEO
Saltwick Bay - Saltwick Bay is one of the most productive sites on the Yorkshire Coast, well known for its abundant ammonites, reptile remains and marine fossils. The foreshore is rich in fossiliferous nodules, often easy to split and frequently yielding well-preserved specimens. The bay is also famous for jet, a form of lignite historically used in jewellery, adding to its geological and historical significance.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦📺 VIDEO
Barton on Sea - Barton-on-Sea is one of the UK’s most famous Eocene fossil sites, with the Barton Clay yielding hundreds of species of shells, particularly gastropods. The foreshore regularly produces shark teeth, fish remains and occasional mammal fossils, often found loose after erosion. With abundant material and easy collecting, it is an excellent location for both beginners and experienced collectors alike.Eocene, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦📺 VIDEO
Warden Point (Isle of Sheppey) - Warden Point provides access to the fossil-rich London Clay coast of the Isle of Sheppey. Small fossils collect in beach shingle and pyrite drifts, while phosphatic nodules can preserve larger animals. Marine fossils and plant remains record an early Eocene sea receiving material from warm-climate forests. Mud, tides and landslips demand a carefully planned visit. Eocene, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Aust cliff - The striking red and white cliffs at Aust, on the Severn Estuary, expose the Rhaetian Penarth Group, home to one of the most famous bone beds in the UK. This thin but highly productive layer is packed with teeth, fish remains and reptile material, making Aust the richest Triassic fossil site in Britain. Under the right conditions, the foreshore can yield a wide variety of microfossils, rewarding careful searching and sieving. Triassic, Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦📺 VIDEO
Bracklesham Bay - Bracklesham Bay’s Eocene sands and clays yield shells, shark and ray remains when low tide and scour expose the beds. The guide centres on Bracklesham Lane and the nearby Earnley fossil horizons. The broader four-formation Bracklesham Group succession is spread along the bay, rather than exposed together by the car park. Eocene, Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Bawdsey - At East Lane, Bawdsey, coastal erosion exposes Eocene marine clay beneath shell-rich Red Crag. Loose beach material can include mineralised wood, shells and occasional teeth, together with older fossils reworked into the Crag. Changing beach levels and damaged access routes make conditions important to every visit. Eocene, Pliocene, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
West Runton - West Runton brings together two very different fossil worlds: Cretaceous chalk on the shore and the much younger West Runton Freshwater Bed at the foot of the cliffs. The latter preserved a river-valley community of mammals, fish, freshwater shells and plants, including the celebrated steppe mammoth Mammuthus trogontherii. When sand has been washed away, the chalk platform reveals flints and marine fossils. Search loose beach material carefully, keep a record of each find and treat these scientifically important exposures with care. Tides, shifting sand and unstable cliffs determine what can safely be seen. Pleistocene, Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Penarth - Penarth’s north shore reveals red and green Triassic cliffs, pale gypsum and fossil-bearing beach stones. This guide follows the shore north from the pier towards Penarth Head, where loose shell fossils reward careful observation, but tides, unstable cliffs and uncertain collecting permissions demand care. Jurassic, Triassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
