Stone Edge Plantation is not far from Holymoorside. The area was extensively mined for coal and coal measures shale can be found around the workings in and around the plantation. Carboniferous, Spoil, Rating: ♦♦
Where to find fossils and what to find. UK Fossils features hundreds of fossil collecting locations in the UK, with geological guides and fossil hunting events.
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Penarth
Penarth is the most popular location in Wales for fossil collectors. This is down to both the site being very rich in fossils, together being a major built up area. This site can be over collected but you still should come home with some finds. Jurassic, Triassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
Lavernock
A mixture of Jurassic and Triassic rocks can be seen at Lavernock. Whilst the Jurassic rocks yield ammonites and mollusk’s, the Triassic Rhaetian bone bed similar to Aust yields fish and reptile remains. Jurassic, Triassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
Llantwit Major
Llantwit Major is an excellent place in Wales for Jurassic fossils. The huge cliffs yield a wide range of fossils and unique is the large amount of marine life, for example corals and giant brachiopods and gastropods. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Southerndown
Southerndown is a Jurassic coastal location that closely resembles the classic Lias sites of Somerset. The early Blue Lias is mostly thickly bedded limestones, with thin shale bands. The limestones are full of bivalves, with occasional ammonites. They sometimes also yield reptile remains and fish. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
Trefil Quarry
Situated just outside Trefil, the highest village in Wales, this is a former limestone quarry, which once supplied the Sirhowy Ironworks and contains the remains of a Carboniferous coral reef.Carboniferous, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦♦
Blaenafon
The ‘Canada Tips’ near Blaenafon (so-called because, as part of the war effort during the 1940s, the Canadian army helped to develop the opencast coal mine that produced the spoil dumped here) are a rich source of Carboniferous plant fossils and reminder of the area’s industrial heritage.Carboniferous, Spoil Heap, Rating: ♦♦♦
Aberbargoed
Remnants of South Wales’s industrial past abound in the area, particularly in the form of colliery spoil heaps (coal tips) like this one. Although landscaped, there are plenty of areas of bare spoil to look through.Carboniferous, Spoil Heap, Rating: ♦♦♦
Gileston
The foreshore at Gileston is full of Jurassic Boulders. Many of these contain shells and ammonites. This is an ideal location for along who likes splitting rocks on the foreshore or families where children can also collect fossils too. Jurassic, Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦
Abereiddy Bay
Abereiddy is the best and easiest place in the UK to find graptolites. It is also an outstanding place where you can see and photograph in situ graptolites, crammed into the sloping bedrocks. Although this site is a SSSI (so hammering the bedrock is strictly prohibited), there is no reason why you would want to disturb the bedrock. The foreshore is full of rocks that can be picked up without tools and contain better specimens than those in the bedrock. Ordovician, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Nolton Haven
A peaceful, secluded bay, a wonderful cliff-top walk and some impressive coal measures plants make Nolton Haven a very pleasant location to find fossils. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Little Haven
Although fossils can be found at this location, it is the wildlife and geological features of the area that are the real treats. Fossil plant remains can be found in the cliffs and loose rocks. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦
Fishguard
Fishguard is a similar location to Abereiddy Bay, where graptolites can be found in shales, wedged between the volcanic rocks in the cliffs. However, unlike Abereiddy Bay, there are far fewer sections where these can be found, and they are also much harder to find. Ordovician, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦
Druidston Haven
Abundant graptolites can be found at Druidston Haven. Like much of the Pembrokeshire Coast, the site is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), which means that, although loose pebbles and smaller rocks may be investigated and collected, large boulders and the cliffs must not be damaged. Ordovician and Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Freshwater East
The bay at Freshwater East is a great location for the whole family. The sandy beach is ideal for children and, as it is so large, it is unlikely to become crowded even in the height of summer. Fossils are fairly abundant and are easy to find. Carboniferous, Devonian, Silurian, Ordovician, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Manorbier Bay
Some excellent geological features can be seen within Manorbier Bay and also from the clifftop path that leads southeast from the location. Crinoids and other fossils are abundant, and can be found in pebbles in the stream that crosses the sandy beach. Devonian, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Lydstep Point
Good quality coral fossils are abundant within the rocks at this beautiful little cove. However, most cannot be collected, as they are found within the limestone cliffs and on the surfaces of large boulders. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Presipe
The strata exposed at Presipe are a delight to behold and the various coves are very beautiful, if nearly impossible to reach except at low tide. Trace fossils are also present in certain layers. Devonian, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Porthgain
The bay at Porthgain is eroded out of Ordovician shales, with the headlands on either side of it composed of more resistant igneous rocks. Although huge piles of shale can be found on the clifftop, fossils are sparse. Ordovician, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦
Whitesands Bay
This popular location among holiday makers has an expansive sandy beach with Cambrian shales outcropping on its north side. There are few fossils to be found, but the beach is an excellent place to take the family. Cambrian, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦
West Angle Bay
West Angle Bay is eroded out of Carboniferous Limestone, which is packed with crinoids. It is an excellent location to take children to – there is a nice sandy beach, a cafe and public conveniences. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Marloes Sands
Marloes Sands is a stunningly beautiful location managed by the National Trust. The scenery is fantastic, the geology is breath-taking and there are many fossils to find, including corals, brachiopods, trilobites and much more. Silurian, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Upper Gilwern Quarry
On the edge of the Brecon Beacons, Upper Gilwern Hill is a site long known for its well-preserved and complete trilobites. The hill is made up of rocks from the Lower and Middle Ordovician, and the privately owned quarry is accessible to parties staying at the onsite Shepherd’s Hut self catering accommodation. The trilobite fossils here are plentiful and the chances of finding a good number is very high. Ordovician, Private Quarry, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Llanfawr Quarries
These series of disused quarries, in Llandrindod Wells, are rich in trilobites and graptolites. The largest of the quarries has deep water (also shown on OS maps), and is now fenced over following an accident in which a child sadly drowned. A second quarry, slightly further to the northeast, contains no water and has easy access, with productive shales. Ordovician, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
Bettws
This small section of stream cutting in the middle of nowhere is worth a visit to look for trilobite remains. Fossils are not particularly frequent, but, with some careful searching, you should find trilobite pieces, as well as graptolites. Ordovician, Stream cutting, Rating: ♦♦
Craig-Y-Fro
This disused quarry is situated along the main A470 through the Brecon Beacons. The quarry also contains a waterfall, which keeps the faces clean. There is strictly a no hammering allowed, due to SSSI rules and because the site falls within the Brecon Beacons National Park. However, loose material can be collected from, especially at the base of the waterfall and from the stream running through the quarry. Devonian, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦
Cwm Craig Ddu
Cwm Craig Ddu is a roadside section found to the east of Llangammarch Wells, along the B4519. A disused quarry (now overgrown) is also present on the hilltop, but fossils can really only now be found along the cutting. Early fossil plants and small bivalves can be collected here. This site is a SSSI, so hammering the bedrock is strictly prohibited. Silurian, Roadside Cutting, Rating: ♦♦♦
Bach Y Graig
Bach Y Graig is a stream section, rich in trilobites and graptolites. The latter are mostly complete, but are also very fragile and paper thin. Therefore, when splitting, their segments often end up being separated on either side of the split. The site is also dark, being in a thickly wooded area, and is very hard to find without a map or GPS. Ordovician, Stream, Rating: ♦♦♦
Caim
The scenery of the coast north of Caim is beautiful. Moreover, excellent fossil corals can be observed in situ and found as wave-rounded pebbles here. Brachiopods are especially abundant. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
Llangollen
Llangollen is Carboniferous Limestone scenery heaven. About a kilometre and a half north of the town, the Eglwyseg Escarpment presents some really fantastic views. What’s more, among the huge amount of scree that covers its scarp slope, fossil brachiopods and corals can be found. Carboniferous, Scree Slope, Rating: ♦♦♦
Gallt Yr Ancr Hill
From the part of the Glyndwr’s Way walk that passes through the woods on the hill called Gallt yr Ancr west of Meifod, fossiliferous sandstone blocks can be searched for fossils. When split, these can yield excellent brachiopods. Ordovician, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦
Prestatyn Hillside
There is an attractive walk above Prestatyn, with the chance of finding a few Carboniferous Limestone fossils. On a sunny day, this location is idyllic, even if the fossils can be few and far between. Carboniferous, Outcrops, Rating: ♦♦
Halkyn
Surrounding the massive working limestone quarry just outside Halkyn are many smaller disused workings and old piles of waste material. In places, good quality brachiopods, corals and crinoidal limestone can be found.Carboniferous, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦♦
Burley Hill
There are three sites at Burley Hill, giving the opportunity to collect Carboniferous corals and brachiopods from a small cutting, scree slopes and the hillside. There is plenty to be found here and it makes for a fantastic day out. It is also within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Carboniferous, Cuttings and Scree, Rating: ♦♦♦
Red Wharf Bay
Occasional coral fossils can be found at the pretty location of Red Wharf Bay. Brachiopods and crinoid pieces also occur. However, finds are generally infrequent.Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦
Great Ormes Head
A massive headland north of Llandudno, Great Ormes Head, is carved out of Carboniferous limestone. Numerous natural exposures can be examined as well as old quarry faces. A whole day can be spent exploring here. Carboniferous, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦♦
West Wemyss
Unlike East Wemyss, where the cliffs are cut from a disused spoil heap, at West Wemyss, the cliffs contain in situ Carboniferous beds. There are very few locations in the UK where there are coastal sections of the actual coal measures. You can see very distinctive coal seams, and layers of harder rock and shale. The shale, both in the cliff and on the foreshore, is highly fossiliferous with plant remains.
Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
East Wemyss
The sea regularly erodes a cliff of spoil from the now closed nearby Michael Colliery. This cliff contains many different carboniferous beds, some of which contain highly fossiliferous plant and marine bands, fossils from which can be found scattered along the foreshore. Carboniferous, Spoil, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Kinghorn
The volcanic rocks at Kinghorn are sedimentary from the Carboniferous, with interbedded pyroclastic rocks and basalt flows. Corals and shells can be found within these rocks. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
Elie
There are two locations for fossils at Elie. The first is Elie Shore where, during scouring conditions and winter months, brachiopods, bivalves, sponges and trilobite fragments can be found. Nearby, the rocks at Wood Haven also contain fossils Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
Crail
Giant millipede tracks, tree trunks in life position and many other fossils can be found to the southwest of the pretty fishing village of Crail. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
St Monans
There is plenty to see at St Monans, including raised beaches, an excellent example of a syncline, bedding planes packed with trace fossils and whole layers of rock full of fossil corals and crinoids. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Anstruther
Some excellent Carboniferous plant fossils can be found at Anstruther. This is the case if you can find the right type of rock, and if you have the strength and determination to break them open and carry them off the beach. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
St Andrews
This is another location along this stretch of coastline where Carboniferous plant fossils can be found. The site is not as rich as others, but is still worth a visit. Carboniferous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Achanarras Quarry
Achanarras Quarry once constantly yielded complete Middle Devonian fish from the Old Red Sandstone. However, it has been disused for many years and is now over-collected, but still very rich in remains. Complete fish can still be found, but are now rare. Devonian, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Helmsdale
Helmsdale is the best place to collect Jurassic fossils in Scotland. Geologists have been fascinated by the strange ‘Boulder Beds’ for many years and some questions have remained unanswered as to how the beds were formed. The area is rich in reptile remains, giant corals, fish remains and the occasional ammonite. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Thurso
Thurso is famous for its rich fish beds, and fish remains (especially scales) can be found everywhere along the foreshore – the rocks are full them. Fish teeth and complete fish have also been found. Devonian, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Lothbeg
Lothbeg is a tiny Hamlet in northern Scotland. Fossils can be found in the Jurassic rocks on the foreshore. Kimmeridge Clay is often exposed and plants can be found in the soft Lothbeg Beds. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
