Author: UK Fossils (UKGE Group)

UKGE Limited, specialists in one of the largest ranges of Earth Science Equipment in the World. Our product range includes geological tools and field equipment, fossils, rocks and crystals, maps and lapidary. UKGE Limited, has an established international reputation and own the highly acclaimed, 'Deposits Magazine' and UK Fossils Network. We have a true desire to continue our policy to care for our many clients.
Norfolk by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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East Runton coast, Norfolk

East Runton

At East Runton, ancient mammal remains occur beside evidence of powerful Ice Age deformation. Shelly Early Pleistocene deposits appear on the foreshore when sand is stripped away, while enormous glacially displaced chalk rafts rise within the cliffs towards Wood Hill. Loose belemnites, echinoids, bone fragments and occasional teeth make careful beach searching worthwhile, although exposure and preservation vary greatly. This is a different fossil assemblage from the famous Freshwater Bed at West Runton. Keep a precise record of where each specimen was found and explore only while the tide leaves a safe route back to East Runton Gap. Pleistocene, Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Norfolk by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Overstrand coast, Norfolk

Overstrand

Overstrand’s shore is best explored for loose Chalk fossils and the changing exposures revealed when sand is washed away. Echinoids, belemnites, brachiopods and sponge remains occur in chalk and flint, while rarer mammal fossils record a much younger Pleistocene landscape. The cliffs also contain chalk rafts displaced by ice, an important reminder that the visible rocks are not always in their original order. Fossils may show both ancient features and much younger marine borings. Access is affected by coastal works and erosion, so check the current route before travelling and leave ample time to return on the falling-tide beach. Pleistocene, Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Norfolk by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Happisburgh

Happisburgh’s rapidly changing shore reveals Ice Age mammal fossils, ancient river sediments and cliffs built by glaciers. Bones, teeth and occasional plant remains reach the beach from the Cromer Forest-bed Formation and other eroding deposits, but a sandy visit can produce very little. The locality is also internationally important for early human archaeology, including the remarkable footprints recorded in 2013. Search carefully among loose foreshore material, keep a precise record of finds and treat exposed fossil-bearing beds as protected scientific evidence. Unstable cliffs, damaged defences and changing beach access make planning essential. Pleistocene, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦

Norfolk by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Sheringham

Sheringham’s western foreshore is a condition-dependent fossil locality, where waves sometimes uncover Cretaceous chalk beneath the beach near the lifeboat station. Echinoids, brachiopods, oysters and occasional fish remains have been reported, but sand, shingle and seaweed can hide the rock for long periods. The shoreline also reveals how much younger sediments and glacial activity have modified an older chalk landscape. A visit works best as a careful search of loose material during suitable low-tide conditions, with realistic expectations and time to return safely. Keep the lifeboat access clear and leave unstable cliffs and attached rock undisturbed. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦

Norfolk by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Sidestrand coast, Norfolk

Sidestrand

Sidestrand’s folded glacial cliffs and displaced chalk masses preserve several very different chapters of Norfolk’s past. Loose Chalk fossils and fossil-bearing erratic pebbles can be found on the shore, while much older marine Crag and younger freshwater beds have yielded scientifically important small mammals, shells and insects. The Sidestrand Unio-bed is especially valuable for understanding the climate before the great Anglian glaciation. This is a remote, tide-dependent collecting coast rather than an easy family beach. Search only accessible loose material, keep well away from the unstable cliffs and plan the return route before walking away from an established access. Erratics (Jurassic, Cretaceous), Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦

Norfolk by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Trimingham coast, Norfolk

Trimingham

Trimingham is noted for some of the youngest Chalk exposed onshore in Britain, brought within reach when Ice Age glaciers displaced and folded large masses of bedrock. Near Little Marl Point, soft Lower Maastrichtian chalk contains small oysters, belemnites and other marine fossils, while more extensive foreshore sections appear only when beach conditions allow. The familiar oyster-rich beds are just one part of a much richer historical succession. Visit for careful loose-beach collecting and geological observation, rather than excavation of the fragile exposures. Access, sand cover, tides and active cliff movement can all change what is safely visible. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦

Norfolk by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Mundesley

Mundesley combines a family seaside beach with a significant Pleistocene fossil record. Today, casual collectors are most likely to find echinoids and sponges preserved in flint, reworked onto the shore from much older deposits. The Cromer Forest-bed succession has also yielded important elephant remains and evidence of cold-climate plants, although such beds are not continuously exposed and mammal finds are uncommon. Sea defences, sand cover and changing beach levels strongly influence what can be seen. Search loose foreshore stones at a suitable low tide, enjoy the geology from a safe distance and leave protected exposures undisturbed. Pleistocene, Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦

Shropshire by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Mortimer Forest

Mortimer Forest, near Ludlow, preserves an internationally important record of Silurian seas in wooded quarries, stream banks and trackside cuttings. Brachiopods, corals, trilobites and graptolites accompany changes from limestone to mudstone and siltstone. The numbered geological trail, measured research sections and older informal collecting circuit are distinct routes, with access and sampling conditions to check before visiting. Silurian, Cuttings, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Shropshire by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Wenlock Edge

Wenlock Edge at Presthope offers woodland walks beside limestone rich in crinoid debris, corals and brachiopods. This guide concerns the historic path-side exposure near the quarry fence, with nearby Knowle Quarry providing separate examples of reef growth and bedding. Check the current route and collecting conditions with the National Trust before disturbing material. Silurian, Cutting, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Shropshire by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Wenlock Quarry

Wenlock Quarry, also known as Edgefield Quarry, cuts through the wooded escarpment near Much Wenlock. Its Silurian limestone and ballstone buildups preserve corals, brachiopods, crinoids and bryozoans. The old workings offer an unusually clear view of changing limestone facies, but steep approaches and overhanging faces require a cautious visit. Silurian, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦♦

Shropshire by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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The Onny Trail

The Onny Trail, near Craven Arms, follows river and old railway exposures through an important Ordovician succession. Brachiopods, trilobites and other marine fossils accompany two very different geological contacts: Silurian strata above Ordovician rocks and, farther along the route, Ordovician grit above ancient Longmyndian basement. The historic five-area walk requires current access and safety checks. Silurian, Ordovician, Cuttings, Stream, and Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦♦

Shropshire by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Hope

Hope, near the nature reserve on the A488, has small stream-bank shale exposures where trilobites and graptolites have occasionally been found. The wider valley preserves a much richer scientific record, including volcanic ash, fossil type localities and a younger Silurian sandstone succession. Those named research sites are distinct from the short stream visit described here. Ordovician, Stream Embankment, Rating: ♦

Shropshire by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Upper Millichope

Upper Millichope is a scientifically important stream section through fossil-rich Silurian mudstones and siltstones. Brachiopods, trilobites and graptolites record the Middle Elton marine environment, with corals and other fossils historically found among loose stream material. The protected section is sensitive to damage: arrange access and any sampling with the landowner before visiting. Silurian, Stream, Rating: ♦♦♦

Shropshire by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Vinnels

Vinnels, in Mortimer Forest near Ludlow, is a small stream-bank locality known for trilobite fragments and graptolites in Silurian mudstone. The documented trail-stop horizon belongs to the Middle Elton Formation. Historic collecting has left fragile, undercut banks, so enjoy the geological evidence from a safe position and obtain permission before removing material. Silurian, Stream and Cuttings, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Cumbria by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Coniston

Around Coniston, Ashgill Quarry, Ashgill Beck and Torver Beck reveal a varied succession of Ordovician and Silurian marine rocks. Trilobites and brachiopods occur in shell-bearing beds, while younger mudstones preserve graptolite assemblages. These are separate upland exposures, with steep quarry faces and fast-changing stream conditions; arrange collecting permission and leave protected rock faces undisturbed. Silurian, Ordovician, Cuttings, Disused Quarries, Rating: ♦♦♦

Cumbria by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Whitehaven

Whitehaven’s northern coast preserves Carboniferous plant fossils beneath the Countess Pit Sandstone. Access update, October 2026: foreshore access has been reported closed. The precise extent of the restriction and any reopening remain unconfirmed. Do not rely on the former tunnel-access directions or enter closed areas; confirm current authorised access with Cumberland Council before planning a collecting visit. Carboniferous, Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Cumbria by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Parton Bay

Parton Bay, just north of Whitehaven, has Carboniferous fossils in loose beach stones, including plant remains in shale and corals in limestone. The shore also contains sea glass and other reminders of its industrial past. Reach the village beach through the public railway underpass, check tides and conditions, and leave coastal defences and archaeological remains untouched. Carboniferous, Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦

Cumbria by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Stockdale Beck

Stockdale Beck in Longsleddale is known for Silurian graptolite-bearing mudstones. The small exposure described near the old barn and bridge is separate from the more extensive Browgill reference section upstream. This protected beck requires care: arrange access and collecting permission, leave banks and bedrock untouched, and avoid high water or unsafe footing. Silurian, Stream, Rating: ♦

Cumbria by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Stockdale Quarry

The hillside quarries above Stockdale Farm in Longsleddale expose Late Ordovician fossil-bearing rocks of the Stile End Formation. Their scientific importance includes type material of trilobites, although loose spoil commonly preserves incomplete, weathered moulds. Arrange access and collecting permission with the landowner before visiting these steep, exposed workings. Ordovician, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦

Cumbria by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Clints Quarry

Clints Quarry is a Carboniferous limestone nature reserve near Egremont, where corals and crinoid fragments can be seen in weathered rock. Its fossil-rich beds and ancient solution hollows record changing conditions on a shallow tropical shelf. Visit to observe and photograph the geology, leaving fossils and the protected quarry undisturbed. Carboniferous, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦

Cumbria by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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High Fell Quarry

High Fell Quarry, above Tilberthwaite, reveals the volcanic origins of Lakeland slate. Quarry working restarted under a new tenant in 2023. Climbing advice warned of intended renewed blasting and advised people to keep away. Stay on public paths and out of the workings; seek the landowner’s permission before any proposed quarry visit or sampling. Ordovician, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦♦

Cumbria by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Hodgson How Quarry

Hodgson How Quarry, near Portinscale, is a historically important Ordovician graptolite locality. Its Kirk Stile Formation mudstones preserve flattened fossils including Azygograptus lapworthi. Steep, unstable rock and uncertain current access make this a site for a carefully arranged geological visit, with landowner permission required before entry or collecting. Ordovician, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦♦

Cambridgeshire by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Yaxley (Hampton Vale)

The flooded brickpits at Yaxley, beside Hampton Vale, preserve a glimpse of the Middle Jurassic sea beneath modern Peterborough. Weathering of the fossil-rich Oxford Clay has yielded oysters, belemnites, ammonites and occasional marine-reptile remains along the lake embankment. The exposed shore changes with water level and vegetation, and access to lakeside paths does not automatically permit collecting on the banks. Check current signs and obtain permission before leaving the paths or removing material. Jurassic, Lake Embankment, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Cambridgeshire by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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King’s Dyke Pit

King’s Dyke combines a history of important Jurassic reptile discoveries with a managed fossil hunting area supplied with Oxford Clay from the quarry. Oysters, belemnites and delicate ammonites are characteristic finds in this material. Visits depend on current opening arrangements, a membership permit and gate code; ordinary access following the reserve’s stabilisation closure has not been confirmed. Jurassic, Working Quarry, Rating: ♦♦

Cornwall by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Pendower Beach

Pendower Beach combines a Devonian coastal section with much older fossil-bearing quartzite carried into the rocks as large blocks. The eastern shore offers elusive brachiopod impressions, while the raised beach and folded bedrock reward a careful geological visit even when fossils are scarce. Devonian, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦

Cornwall by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Bude

Bude combines folded Carboniferous rocks and rare fossil fish with a different fossil display in the imported limestone of its breakwater. The fish-bearing shale is an important scientific exposure, best appreciated through its geology and the museum’s Bude fossil fish display. This is a viewing and photography locality. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦

Cornwall by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Widemouth Bay

Widemouth Bay combines folded Carboniferous rocks with much younger shell-bearing sands. The Black Rock foreshore reveals a detailed sandstone-and-shale succession, while the land-snail record belongs to separate coastal deposits. Fossil opportunities are scattered and should not be confused with those at neighbouring Wanson Mouth. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦

Cornwall by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Sandy Mouth

Sandy Mouth combines a sandy beach with folded late Carboniferous sandstone and shale. Fine-grained rocks can preserve plant fragments, while the named Sandy Mouth Shale has documented bivalves, ammonoids and fish remains. The tide-dependent rocky shore south of the entrance needs more care than the main bathing beach. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦

Cornwall by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Maer Cliff

Maer Cliff, south of Northcott Mouth, exposes steeply tilted Carboniferous sandstone and shale. Careful searching may reveal plant fragments, fish remains and traces of animal activity, while concretion-bearing black shales and contrasting sedimentary structures make this an instructive geological shore. The rocky route is tide-dependent and requires more care than the main beach. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦

Cornwall by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Rusey Cliff

Rusey Cliff is a remote locality where Carboniferous shales and sandstones have been intensely folded, faulted and veined. Its principal interest is the Rusey Fault Zone; fossil reports from the original guide need careful interpretation among the striking quartz breccias and mineral textures. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦

Cornwall by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Crackington Haven

Crackington Haven is a small cove with folded Carboniferous sandstone and shale on both sides of its sandy beach. Rare goniatites and bivalves have been recorded here, but the clearest rewards are its sedimentary structures and dramatic folds. Visit to observe and photograph, leaving fossils, stones and pebbles in place. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦

Cornwall by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Upton Cross

Between Bude and Widemouth Bay, Upton Cross exposes steep sandstone ribs and dark shale with fossil-bearing concretions. The late Carboniferous Bude Formation has yielded fragmentary fish, burrows and arthropod traces, although finds are uncommon. This is a tide-dependent rocky shore, and the present beach approach must be checked before visiting. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦

Cornwall by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Wanson Mouth

Wanson Mouth exposes folded Crackington Formation sandstone and shale with a documented Langsettian ammonoid fauna. Its small beach and rocky margins are distinct from Widemouth Bay: access needs care, and public walking rights do not themselves give permission to remove fossils. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦

Cornwall by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Foxhole Point

Foxhole Point, north of Millook beach, exposes fossil-bearing Carboniferous shale between resistant sandstone beds. Its documented goniatites help date the rocks to the top of the Marsdenian, but reaching the point involves a demanding, tide-dependent stretch of steep and slippery foreshore. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦

Derbyshire by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Castleton

Castleton’s Carboniferous reef limestone contains crinoids, brachiopods and corals, while its caves are famous for Blue John fluorite. This walk links Treak Cliff, Blue John Cavern and the foot of Mam Tor, revealing a remarkable change from ancient reef to younger shale and sandstone. Enjoy the fossils and minerals where they lie: this is a place for looking and photographing, with no hammering or collecting. Carboniferous, Outcrops, Rating: ♦♦♦

Derbyshire by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Monsal Dale

Monsal Dale offers a scenic walk among Carboniferous limestone and chert, with crinoid fragments and other marine fossils visible in the rock. The valley also preserves an unusually varied record of coral beds, submarine slumping and ancient lake deposits. Visit for observation and photography, follow the public paths and leave fossils and stone in place. Carboniferous, Outcrops, Rating: ♦♦♦

Derbyshire by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Parkhouse Hill

The steep outline of Parkhouse Hill near Earl Sterndale reveals a Carboniferous reef margin shaped by later faulting and erosion. Brachiopods, corals and crinoid fragments can be seen in its limestone. This protected hill is a place for looking and photographing: leave fossils in place, follow permitted routes and keep clear of steep faces and summit drops. Carboniferous, Outcrops, Rating: ♦♦♦

Cumbria by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Saltcom Bay

Saltcom Bay in this guide is South Beach beside West Pier, immediately south of Whitehaven harbour. Historical finds include Carboniferous plant remains in mixed colliery spoil. Beach access was reported prohibited for safety in the 2020 Coastal Strategy, and reopening has not been verified. Do not plan a shore-collecting visit without current confirmation from the landowner or Cumberland Council; remain on open signed routes and respect all barriers. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦

Derbyshire by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Holymoorside

A small wooded quarry near Holymoorside preserves plant fragments in Carboniferous sandstone. The rock belongs to the Wingfield Flags, a named sandstone unit within the Pennine Lower Coal Measures Formation. Stem debris is more characteristic than complete leaves. Follow the public path, keep clear of the unstable face and obtain the landowner’s permission before entering the quarry or collecting. Carboniferous, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦

Derbyshire by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Marsh Brook

Marsh Brook exposes Carboniferous marine shale with recorded goniatites and bivalves. The documented fauna places these beds in the Kinderscoutian interval of the Namurian. Many shells are flattened, and their original bed matters when identifying them. Follow the public path and obtain the landowner’s permission before leaving it, entering the brook or collecting; water and bank conditions can make the exposures unsafe. Carboniferous, Stream Embankment, Rating: ♦♦♦♦

Derbyshire by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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West Quarry

West Quarry, also called Coal Hills West Quarry, exposes fossil-rich Eyam Limestone at the National Stone Centre near Wirksworth. Crinoid debris and brachiopods record a Carboniferous sea on the edge of the Derbyshire limestone platform. Visit to observe and photograph fossils, leave all rocks in place, and keep well away from quarry faces and the sudden drop into the lower workings. Carboniferous, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦♦♦

Derbyshire by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Stone Edge Plantation

Stone Edge Plantation preserves traces of former coal and clay workings, with plant-bearing Coal Measures shale reported from loose mine spoil. Fossils were uncommon and often poorly preserved in the original visit. Because old mine workings can be dangerous, remain on the public path, avoid shafts and disturbed ground, and obtain permission before any off-path visit or collecting. Carboniferous, Spoil, Rating: ♦♦

Wales - South by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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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: ♦♦♦♦

Wales - South by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Lavernock

At Lavernock Point, the coast records a remarkable transition from late Triassic mudflats to an Early Jurassic sea. Shells, ammonites and vertebrate remains occur in different parts of the succession, and the discovery of Dracoraptor hanigani made the locality internationally known. Careful observation reveals both the fossils and the changing environments that preserved them. Jurassic, Triassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦

Wales - South by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Llantwit Major

At Llantwit Major’s Cwm Colhuw beach, pale limestone ledges and darker mudstones reveal a fossil-rich Early Jurassic sea. Ammonites and bivalves are the main attractions, often preserved as impressions or shells within the foreshore rocks. The striking cliffs and jointed platforms also make this a rewarding place to see how sedimentary rocks weather and break apart. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦

Wales - South by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Southerndown

Southerndown’s Dunraven Bay brings together a sandy beach, striking Early Jurassic limestone cliffs and fossil-rich shore platforms. Look closely at the Blue Lias and you can see curved oysters, other bivalves, ammonites and traces of life on an ancient seabed. The changing rocks also reveal how a Jurassic sea spread across an older limestone landscape. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦

Wales - South by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Blaenafon

The small fossil tip near Blaenafon is part of the wider Canada Tips mining landscape. Its weathered shale preserves Carboniferous plant fossils, from ribbed stems to patterned bark and rooting organs, offering a close view of the vegetation that helped build the South Wales coalfield. Carboniferous, Spoil Heap, Rating: ♦♦♦

Wales - South by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Aberbargoed

Reclaimed colliery spoil in Bargoed Woodland Park preserves fragments of the Carboniferous vegetation once buried beneath the valley. Ribbed stems, patterned bark and leaf impressions provide a record of ancient coal-swamp plants within a landscape reshaped by mining and restoration. Carboniferous, Spoil Heap, Rating: ♦♦♦

Wales - South by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)
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Gileston

The shingle shore at Gileston, near Limpert Bay, offers a quieter way to look for traces of Jurassic life. Some loose rocks contain shells and ammonite impressions, while small crinoid fragments have also been reported. The interest lies in careful observation of weathered beach stones and in understanding how much older fossils became part of a modern shoreline. Jurassic, Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦