Ammonites are quite common at Staithes and they are also easy to prepare. In addition, you do not need to walk far to find them. They can be found in nodules along the foreshore or within ledges ready to be picked out. It is a popular location. The start of the beach however is very slippery.
DIRECTIONS
♦ Visitors to Staithes are not allowed to park in the village. This means that you have to park at the top of the hill outside Staithes in a large car park. Parking is restricted and marked for residents only.
♦ From here, it is a hard steep walk down to the bottom of the valley in which the village of Staithes is located and, from here, it is not very far along the beach to the spot where ammonites can be found.
♦ You need to be on the east side of the town and ensure when you get to the shore that you head east. Please be aware that the tide can take a while to go back, the foreshore is also very slippery and dangerous.
♦ Postcode to car park: TS13 5BB, Google Maps
♦ What3Words: ///responses.remind.signed
PROFILE INFO
FIND FREQUENCY: ♦♦♦♦♦ – Staithes yields excellent ammonite specimens. These can easily be found along the foreshore.
CHILDREN: ♦♦ – This location is suitable for children, although care should be taken, as the foreshore can be slippery and the tides can be dangerous.
ACCESS: ♦♦♦ – You have to park outside Staithes at the top of the hill and walk down through the village, because parking is not allowed unless you are a resident. The car park is large and has a tourist information centre and toilets. Once at the bottom of the valley, it is not far to walk. Please be aware the foreshore can be very slippery.
TYPE: – Most fossils at Staithes can be found on the foreshore, within nodules, especially after storms or scouring conditions. These can also be found in ledges at the base of the cliff.
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FOSSIL HUNTING
You will need to walk past the harbour walls and round the first headland. Almost immediately, begin searching the foreshore for rounded concretions, as these frequently yield well-preserved marine fossils. Split nodules carefully, as they can contain bivalves and scaphopods preserved in fine detail. This stretch is also notable for beautifully preserved fossil ripple marks — sedimentary structures formed by ancient currents in the shallow Jurassic sea. These ripple marks provide a striking glimpse into the environmental conditions at the time the sediments were laid down.
Within the concretions along this section, you may find bivalves such as Protocardia truncatum, a robust cockle-like shell with pronounced ribbing; Oxytoma cygnipes, recognised by its delicate, wing-like form; and Gryphaea depressa, a curved oyster commonly referred to as a “devil’s toenail.” These species lived on or partially buried within the seabed. You may also encounter the scaphopod Dentalium giganteum, a tusk-shaped mollusc that lived vertically within the sediment, feeding on microscopic organisms.
Approximately 250 metres east, you will reach Penny Nab, the next prominent headland, beyond which lies a small bay. Penny Nab is one of the most productive ammonite localities at Staithes and has long been known for its fossil-rich nodules. At the base of the cliff, beneath a sloping ledge, there is a distinctive layer packed with siderite mudstone nodules. These nodules are typically yellowish-brown in colour, making them relatively easy to distinguish from the surrounding rock. They frequently contain ammonites and can be collected loose from the foreshore or carefully extracted from the exposed layer (where safe and permitted).
The most famous ammonite from Penny Nab is Amaltheus stokesi. This species is characterised by its strongly ribbed shell and distinctive keeled outer edge. Specimens range from small juveniles to larger, more imposing examples, and when preserved intact within nodules, they can be exceptionally detailed. Further beyond Penny Nab, greyish nodules may also yield ammonites, sometimes preserved in a slightly different mineral state.
Continuing eastwards, you will come to Jet Wyke and Brackenberry Wyke. This area offers a broader range of fossil types. Along the foreshore and at the base of the cliffs, you can find additional bivalves and oysters, often weathered free from the softer shales. Trace fossils are also common here — these include burrows and scratch marks made by ancient crustaceans moving across or beneath the sediment surface. Such trace fossils provide valuable insight into the behaviour of Jurassic marine life rather than the organisms themselves.
When searching this stretch, carefully examine the foreshore, especially areas of shingle and around larger rocks. Fossils often become trapped in these natural collection points after being weathered out of the cliffs. Turning over loose stones (where safe and responsible to do so) can reveal specimens that might otherwise be overlooked.
Although Penny Nab is only a short walk from the harbour, the diversity of fossils found along this relatively small stretch of coastline makes Staithes an extremely rewarding location for collectors. Patience and careful observation are key, as many of the best specimens are concealed within unassuming nodules waiting to be split.
GEOLOGY
Staithes provides an excellent natural cross-section through Lower and Middle Jurassic rocks, with clear exposures of several important formations. The cliffs and foreshore around the harbour reveal a sequence of strata deposited during the Early Jurassic, specifically within the Middle Liassic (Pliensbachian Stage), dating to approximately 190.8–182.7 million years ago.
West of Staithes Harbour
To the west of Staithes, faulting has brought the Redcar Mudstone Formation (Lower Lias) down to beach level, where it can be clearly observed in the cliff face and foreshore exposures. This formation consists predominantly of dark grey marine mudstones and shales deposited in a relatively quiet, offshore marine environment. These fine sediments accumulated in deeper water conditions and are often richly fossiliferous.
Above the Redcar Mudstone lies the Staithes Sandstone Formation (Middle Lias). This unit marks a change in depositional conditions. It is composed mainly of shallow marine sandstones and siltstones, indicating a shift to a more energetic, nearshore environment with stronger currents and periodic storm influence. Cross-bedding and ripple structures may be visible in places, recording ancient seabed movement. The sandstones are typically lighter in colour and more resistant to erosion than the underlying mudstones, creating distinct cliff profiles.
Overlying the Staithes Sandstone is the Cleveland Ironstone Formation. This formation is highly varied sedimentologically and consists of alternating mudstones, siltstones and ironstone bands. The ironstone seams formed during periods of reduced sediment input, when iron became concentrated on the sea floor under particular chemical conditions. These ironstone bands were historically mined and represent an important part of the region’s industrial heritage. The Cleveland Ironstone here is notably fossiliferous, reflecting fluctuating marine conditions and repeated ecological colonisation of the seabed.
Above the ironstone sequence lies the Whitby Mudstone Formation, which includes the well-known Alum Shale and Jet Rock (often referred to locally as Jet Stone). These darker, organic-rich shales were deposited in deeper, lower-oxygen marine conditions. The high organic content of these beds led to the formation of jet, a compact variety of fossilised wood that was famously used in Victorian jewellery. The fine-grained nature of these mudstones has also contributed to the exceptional preservation of fossils in certain layers.
East of Staithes Harbour
To the east of the harbour, the stratigraphy can be observed continuing up through the sequence. The lower part of the cliffs exposes the higher beds of the Staithes Sandstone Formation, while the overlying Cleveland Ironstone Formation becomes particularly clear, with ironstone bands visibly standing out within the cliff face.
Moving further east towards Penny Nab, the Whitby Mudstone Formation begins to dominate the cliffs. These darker, softer mudstones weather differently from the underlying units and are responsible for much of the fossil-bearing shale that reaches the foreshore after erosion and cliff falls.
SAFETY
Common sense when collecting at all locations should be used and knowledge of tide times is essential. It is very easy to get cut off at Staithes, as the sea always reaches the base of the cliff. Ensure you return before the tide turns. The foreshore is extremely slippery
EQUIPMENT
At Staithes, a good eye is often your most valuable tool, as many fossils are concealed within rounded concretions or only just visible in shale fragments along the foreshore, particularly around Penny Nab where siderite nodules frequently contain ammonites. A geological hammer (16–24 oz) and a flat splitting chisel are recommended for carefully opening nodules or working along natural bedding planes, while a lump hammer can be useful for larger, more robust concretions. Eye protection should always be worn when striking rock, and sturdy footwear with good grip is essential due to uneven, slippery surfaces and algae-covered rocks. Any specimens collected should be wrapped securely in newspaper, tissue or bubble wrap and stored in a solid container to prevent damage during transport.
CLEANING AND TREATING
Begin by removing any loose sediment very carefully using a soft toothbrush. Take your time, as many fossils—particularly pyritic specimens—are fragile and easily damaged. Once cleaned, fossils should be desalinated by soaking them in fresh water for at least 24 hours to remove residual salt. After soaking, 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.
Some collectors prefer to treat ammonites with artists’ varnish. This is acceptable for common species that are not of scientific importance, as it enhances colour and contrast and can make a specimen really “pop”. However, varnish is not reversible and is therefore not recommended for rarer or research-grade fossils.
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.download the PDF from Natural England.
It is important to follow our ‘Code of Conduct’ when collecting fossils or visiting any site. Please also read our ‘Terms and Conditions‘
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