The highly productive Speeton Clay yields ammonites, fish, shells and crustaceans. This location is similar to the famous Folkestone Beds. Speeton is also an excellent location for all the family, but can be very sticky in winter months.
DIRECTIONS
♦ Access is best by going to Reighton Gap and then walking to Speeton, which is not far.
♦ To the north of the village of Reighton, along the A165, you will see signs to the Reighton Sands Holiday Village. Take this road, passing the holiday village to Reighton Gap. You will come to a gravel car parking area with a walk down to the beach.
♦ The concrete slipway down is slipped, being cracked and worn with parts that are a little steep. Near the bottom, the path can be muddy and slippery. Once on the beach, walk southeast until you get to Speeton Cliffs.
♦ Postcode to Parking at Reighton Gap, YO14 9SN, Google Maps Link
♦ What3Words to Fossil Location: ///piled.polka.forwarded
PROFILE INFO
FIND FREQUENCY: ♦♦♦♦ – Speeton yields excellent ammonites and belemnites. Sometimes, these are found in nodules. However, shrimps and even reptile remains can also all be found, often during the scouring season or after heavy rains. In fact, fossils are very easy to find – you don’t need any tools – rather you can just pick them out of the clay.
CHILDREN: ♦♦♦ – This location is sometimes suitable for children. The problem is that the site changes frequently, with times of excellent access and other times of poor access with a steep descent. However, there is a lovely sandy beach for children to play on, which extends quite a way out. This can be an ideal day out for the family, but access may have to be made from Reighton.
ACCESS: ♦♦♦ – Access to Speeton is best from Reighton Sands and you can do both locations at the same time. Head to the Reighton Sands Holiday Village and park at the top of the cliff.
TYPE: – Most fossils can be found on the foreshore, especially after storms or scouring conditions, but they are also commonly found in the cliff and scree slopes.
VIDEO FILM
FOSSIL HUNTING
Speeton Cliffs is one of the most important Cretaceous fossil localities in Britain. The cliffs expose a thick succession of Lower Cretaceous marine clays and marls known as the Speeton Clay Formation, overlain by later Cretaceous chalk deposits. These beds have produced a remarkable variety of fossils including ammonites, belemnites, crustaceans, fish, reptiles, echinoids and microfossils. Most fossils are found by searching the base of the cliffs and the scree slopes where material has fallen from the clay above. After periods of heavy rain or winter storms, fossils are frequently washed down from the cliff face and can be collected from the debris at the base. Occasionally, strong tides scour the foreshore and expose fresh beds, which can provide excellent collecting opportunities.
Ammonites are among the most sought-after fossils at Speeton and occur in several horizons within the Speeton Clay. Species recorded from the site include Endemoceras regale, Polyptychites polyptychus, Kilianella, Hoplites, Deshayesites, Ancyloceras, Crioceratites, Acanthohoplites, Beudanticeras and Hamites. These ammonites represent a variety of shell forms, from tightly coiled species to more unusual heteromorph ammonites with loosely coiled or hooked shells. Some of the larger ammonites may be found within clay nodules or weathered from fallen blocks, while smaller specimens may occur loose in the clay debris at the base of the cliff.
Belemnites are also common and may be found weathered free from the clay, including species such as Neohibolites minimus and related Early Cretaceous belemnite guards. These smooth, bullet-shaped fossils often accumulate in the clay debris and can be collected after rainfall has washed away the softer sediment.
The Speeton Clay has also produced a rich assemblage of marine invertebrates. Bivalves such as Inoceramus, Pecten, Aucellina and Gryphaea can occasionally be found, along with brachiopods and gastropods. Echinoids are present in some of the beds, and searching fallen blocks and clay nodules may reveal well-preserved specimens. Crustaceans are another notable feature of the site, and fossil shrimps such as Meyeria and Hoploparia have been recorded from these deposits.
Fish remains are also known from Speeton, typically preserved as isolated teeth, scales or bone fragments within the clay. These may include remains of early teleost fish as well as occasional shark material. Marine reptiles have also been discovered here, including ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs, usually preserved as isolated bones or partial skeletons that have weathered from the clay beds. Because the clay is relatively soft, bones sometimes erode out naturally and can be found within the scree below the cliff.
Nearby chalk exposures also provide additional fossil opportunities. Both the Red Chalk and the White Chalk can be visited, where searching the foreshore boulders may reveal fossils such as echinoids, brachiopods and belemnites. Species such as Micraster and other chalk echinoids can occasionally be found weathered from these deposits.
Speeton is also scientifically important for its microfossils. The clay beds contain abundant foraminifera, ostracods and other microscopic fossils, which have been extensively studied to understand Early Cretaceous marine environments.
Because the cliffs are extremely unstable and prone to landslips, the safest and most productive method of collecting is to search the fallen material at the base of the cliff and on the foreshore rather than attempting to extract fossils directly from the cliff face. With patience and careful searching, Speeton Cliffs can yield a remarkable diversity of Early Cretaceous marine fossils.
GEOLOGY
Speeton Cliffs exposes one of the most complete Lower Cretaceous successions in the UK and is internationally important for its record of Early Cretaceous marine environments. The cliffs consist mainly of the Speeton Clay Formation, a thick sequence of marine clays and marls deposited between roughly 145 and 100 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous. These sediments accumulated in a relatively deep offshore basin and record a long period of marine deposition. The clay weathers easily and is highly prone to landslips, which is why fresh material frequently falls to the base of the cliffs and becomes available for fossil collectors on the foreshore.
The Speeton Clay itself is composed of several distinct beds that represent changes in sea level, climate and sediment supply over millions of years. The clay is typically grey to dark grey and contains layers of nodules and harder concretions that often preserve fossils. These beds are well known for their rich ammonite faunas, along with belemnites, crustaceans, fish remains and marine reptile bones. Because the clay is relatively soft and easily eroded by rainwater, fossils are frequently washed out of the cliff face and accumulate in the scree slopes below.
Near the base of the Speeton Clay sequence lies the White Clay, a pale grey to whitish marl that contrasts strongly with the darker beds above and below it. This unit represents a period when the marine basin received slightly different sediment input, producing a lighter-coloured clay rich in calcareous material. Fossils can occasionally be found within this bed, although many are preserved within nodules that weather out of the surrounding clay.
Above parts of the Speeton Clay sequence lies the distinctive Red Chalk, a relatively thin but striking unit that marks an important transition in the geological record. The Red Chalk is coloured by iron oxides and represents a condensed deposit formed during a period of slow sedimentation in the mid-Cretaceous seas. Despite its thinness, it is an important marker horizon and contains fossils such as belemnites, echinoids and brachiopods.
Overlying the Red Chalk is the White Chalk, which forms part of the Chalk Group that dominates much of eastern England. These chalk deposits were formed from the accumulation of microscopic calcareous plankton settling to the seabed in a warm, clear Cretaceous sea. The chalk beds are much harder than the underlying clay and can be seen in places along the foreshore as fallen blocks. Fossils within the chalk include echinoids, brachiopods and belemnites, which can sometimes be found weathered from the boulders scattered along the beach.
Together, the Speeton Clay, White Clay, Red Chalk and White Chalk record a long history of changing marine environments during the Early Cretaceous, from deeper offshore clay deposition to the clearer, plankton-rich seas that later produced the great chalk deposits of northern Europe. Continuous coastal erosion along the cliffs exposes fresh sections of these rocks, making Speeton one of the most scientifically significant geological sites on the Yorkshire coast.
SAFETY
Common sense when collecting at all locations should be used and knowledge of tide times is essential. The Speeton Clay can be very sticky, so you should take care not to get stuck in the clay. The cliffs are always crumbling and cliff falls are common, especially after heavy rain. Therefore, keep away from the base of the cliff, especially where there are overhangs.
ACCESS RIGHTS
This site is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI). This means you can visit the site, but hammering the bedrock is not permitted. For full information about the reasons for the status of the site and restrictions, download the PDF from Natural England.
EQUIPMENT
At Speeton Cliffs, many fossils can be found loose on the foreshore, particularly after scouring tides or heavy rain when fresh material has been washed from the cliff. However, because the fossils often occur within soft clay, it is useful to bring a few simple tools. A small geological hammer can occasionally help split nodules, but more often a small pick, or geological pick is useful for carefully easing fossils out of the clay without damaging them. A small hand trowel is also helpful for gently scraping away clay around partially exposed specimens.
Because many fossils from Speeton — especially ammonites and crustaceans — can be fragile, it is important to bring wrapping materials such as tissue, newspaper or bubble wrap to protect your finds. Placing specimens into small trays or rigid containers will prevent them from being crushed during transport. Sturdy waterproof boots with good grip are essential, as the clay and foreshore can be extremely slippery, particularly after rain or during low tide when soft mud is exposed. Always avoid working directly beneath the unstable cliffs and remain aware of tide conditions while collecting.
CLEANING AND TREATING
Begin by removing any loose sediment very carefully using a soft toothbrush. Take your time, as many fossils are fragile and easily damaged. Allow specimens to dry naturally at room temperature. Do not dry them on radiators or other heat sources, as rapid drying can cause cracking or long-term damage.
Once fully dry, we recommend sealing fossils with Paraloid B-72, dissolved in acetone. This is a museum-grade consolidant that is widely available in pre-mixed bottles. Paraloid B-72 is stable, long-lasting, and does not yellow or react chemically over time. Importantly, it is also fully reversible, making it suitable for scientifically important or display-quality specimens.
It is important to follow our ‘Code of Conduct’ when collecting fossils or visiting any site. Please also read our ‘Terms and Conditions‘
LINKS
♦ Fossil Discussions
♦ Fossil Articles
♦ Buy Fossils, Tools and Equipment
♦ Buy Crystals, Meteorites, and Artefacts
♦ Join Fossil Hunts
♦ UK Fossils Network
