This Cretaceous site represents an alternative to the many Jurassic sites of Dorset. It yields fossils from the chalk, including echinoids, bivalves, brachiopods and ammonites, dinosaur bones from the Wealden and fossils from the Greensand.
DIRECTIONS
♦ To access the beach at Swanage, follow the signs to New Swanage. Parking can be an issue here, with some time restrictions, vans banned at certain areas and the town gets busy. We would recommend parking at North Beach Car Park.
♦ From here, follow the road down Seaward Road, then Burlington Road, until you get to the beach.
♦ Sometimes, access can be tricky after the last groyne. You can also follow the South West footpath and access the beach vis some steps, avoiding the groynes.
♦ Postcode for parking: BH19 1NL; Google Maps. Limited parking can also be found down the seafront at New Swanage.
♦ Actual location: What3Words: ///rated.slouched.outlined
PROFILE INFO
FIND FREQUENCY: ♦♦♦ – Swanage Bay can be a bit hit or miss. Dinosaur bones are sometimes found loose in the shingle below the first, more colourful section of the cliffs (the Wealden beds), particularly at low tide. Fossils are also commonly recovered from the Chalk and Greensand exposures further along the coast.
CHILDREN: ♦♦♦ – Swanage is suitable for older children, but they must keep away from the base of the cliff. Also check tide times. The beach can be quite rocky and, at high tide, the sea often reaches the base of the cliff.
ACCESS: ♦♦♦ – Access to Swanage is good, though sometimes the beach levels can mean climbing over the last groyne. Easier access can be made via the South west Footpath and drop down from the steps at the top.
TYPE: – The vast majority of the fossils are found within the foreshore shingle (at the Wealden end) and chalk / greensand boulders at the North East part of the bay.
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FOSSIL HUNTING
Swanage Bay offers a varied but often subtle fossil-hunting experience, with material ranging from freshwater and marginal marine fossils in the south to richly fossiliferous marine deposits toward the north. While not as immediately productive as some classic Dorset localities, careful searching can still be very rewarding.
At the southern end of New Swanage, fossils occur within the Wealden Group, a sequence laid down in freshwater to brackish lagoonal environments. Typical finds include small ostracods, most notably Cypridea, along with freshwater gastropods such as Viviparus. Fragmentary oysters are also present and are among the most common fossils encountered. Despite these occurrences, the Wealden Group here is generally sparse in fossil material due to the hostile, often hypersaline conditions under which it was deposited. Having said this, rolled dinosaur bone can be found here, often amongst the shingle, especially at low tide. These are generally sea worn fragments.
Moving northward into the Lower Greensand, the fossil content becomes more diverse and distinctly marine. Bivalves and gastropods are common, with the turreted gastropod Cassiope being a characteristic find. Ammonites, particularly Deshayesites, can occasionally be recovered, though exposures are limited and finds are often restricted to fallen blocks.
Above this lies the Upper Greensand, which represents one of the more productive units in Swanage Bay. This formation yields a wider range of fossils, including oysters, echinoids, and several ammonite genera such as Anahoplites, Prohysteroceras, and Mortoniceras. A key horizon to watch for is a distinctive hard, blue-grey stone band encountered after passing through the Gault Clay. This bed is notably fossil-rich and often produces well-preserved ammonites, making it one of the most important targets for collectors.
At the northern end of New Swanage, Ballard Cliff and Ballard Point expose younger Cretaceous rocks belonging to the Grey Chalk Subgroup and the lower beds of the White Chalk Subgroup. Particularly important is the Cenomanian basement bed, located immediately above the Upper Greensand. This horizon frequently yields ammonites such as Schloenbachia and Sciponoceras, along with a varied assemblage of starfish ossicles, brachiopods, bivalves, and echinoids.
Most fossils throughout Swanage Bay are found loose within beach boulders rather than in situ cliff faces. Greensand and Chalk boulders offer the best chances of success, although extracting fossils from these requires appropriate tools, including a hammer, chisel, and safety goggles. Additional fossils can sometimes be found in areas of slippage, or freshly exposed on the foreshore following storms or strong scouring conditions.
After heavy rainfall, fossils from the Wealden Group are occasionally washed out of the cliffs and accumulate on the scree slopes. These loose materials often provide the safest and most productive opportunity to find Wealden fossils without the need for excavation.
GEOLOGY
Swanage Bay, extending from Peveril Point in the south to Ballard Point in the north, lies entirely on an outcrop of Cretaceous-aged rocks, offering a near-continuous section through several important formations. Swanage town itself is built on the lower part of the Wealden Group, though these beds are now largely obscured by sea defences and urban development.
The cliffs and foreshore of the bay reveal the upper part of the Wealden Group, overlain in sequence by the Lower Greensand, Gault Clay, and Upper Greensand formations. Together, these provide an excellent insight into changing depositional environments through the Early to mid-Cretaceous.
The Wealden beds are dominated by shales with abundant lignite and occasional thin limestone bands, some containing the freshwater bivalve Unio. At New Swanage, the cliffs begin with the Wealden Shales, which are Barremian in age. The Wealden–Purbeck boundary is present but currently obscured. The shales show evidence of highly saline conditions at the time of deposition, which largely explains the limited fossil content. Blocks of thin Wealden limestone can occasionally be seen scattered across the beach. In total, approximately 750 metres of Wealden Group strata are present at Swanage.
Northwards, the succession passes into the Lower Greensand, lithologically similar to that seen on the Isle of Wight. However, exposures here are generally poor due to a lack of recent cliff falls, although isolated sections and fallen material can still be examined. Around 61 metres of Lower Greensand is present, representing several distinct beds.
Above this lies the Gault Clay, though it is frequently obscured by landslips and rock falls and is rarely well exposed. The overlying Upper Greensand marks the beginning of significantly more fossiliferous strata. A particularly important feature is a hard blue-grey stone band located approximately 8.5 metres below the top of the formation, which is densely packed with ammonites.
At the northern end of the bay, blocks of Glauconitic Marl and the Cenomanian basement bed of the Grey Chalk Subgroup appear on the beach, marking the transition into the Chalk. The Plenus Marls are the most conspicuous chalk unit exposed here and form the base of the Holywell Nodular Chalk. Inspection beyond this point is not recommended due to instability. Fallen blocks from the lower parts of the White Chalk Subgroup, including the Lewes Nodular Chalk, can also be found scattered along the shore.
SAFETY
Common sense when collecting at all locations should be taken and knowledge of tide times should always be noted. The main issue one should be aware of is the tide. It is easy to become cut off so it is important to return before the tide turns. The other danger is falling debris. Rocks frequently fall due to weather and birds. Hard hats are recommended.
EQUIPMENT
A hammer, chisel and safety goggles are the most useful tools at Swanage. Be sure also to bring some paper to wrap your finds in. A pick for the softer Gault Clay and Wealden Shales are also recommended. We recommend good walking boots, as the foreshore can be rocky.
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.
ACCESS RIGHTS
This site is an SSSI and forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Jurassic Coast. 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 please download the PDF from Natural England – SSSI Information – Swanage
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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