The Manchester area, including parts of Lancashire and Cheshire, offers several inland fossil hunting locations, primarily from Carboniferous deposits. These sites are typically found in disused quarries and spoil heaps associated with former coal mining activity.
Fossil finds commonly include well-preserved plant remains, along with insects, fish material, brachiopods, and trace fossils. These deposits reflect the rich coal-forming environments of the Carboniferous period.
Although all sites in this region are inland, they can still provide productive opportunities for collecting a variety of fossils from Carboniferous strata.
At first site, Besom Hill can seem fairly poor for fossils. However, if you can find the thin Bullion Mine Marine Band, you will change your mind. This band of rock is highly fossiliferous and includes fish teeth, scales, fin spines and other remains. Goniatites and bivalves are also common within this layer. Carboniferous, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Newhey Quarry is full of Calamities (fossil stems of giant, tree-like horsetails), bivalves, and brachiopods. Some of the most interesting finds at this site are the superb trace fossils, including ripple marks, worm burrows and ‘fish marks’.Carboniferous, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦♦
Offerton is superb for fossil ferns, roots and trunks, which can all be found in a small river cutting. The specimens are very well preserved and the brownish leaves are much clearer to see here than at most other Carboniferous plant locations. This is an outstanding site where you will certainly come back with many good quality specimens. Carboniferous, Stream Cutting, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
