West Beach at Charmouth is one of the most accessible and productive fossil hunting locations in the UK, attracting collectors of all levels throughout the year. Situated at the heart of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, this area is especially well known for its abundance of marine reptile remains, coprolites and a wide range of Jurassic fossils, many of which can be found loose on the foreshore after storms.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
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Monmouth Beach, Lyme Regis, exposes classic Lower Jurassic Lias beds similar to those at Church Cliffs, making it one of the most iconic fossil sites on the Dorset coast. The foreshore regularly yields ammonites, bivalves and marine reptile remains, although success is heavily dependent on conditions. After storms and strong scouring, fresh material is revealed, often producing some of the best finds along the Jurassic Coast.Jurassic, Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
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Seatown is one of Dorset’s classic fossil-hunting locations, offering rich Jurassic material set against some of the most dramatic coastal scenery on the south coast. However, it can be more dangerous than many nearby localities due to the exceptionally high and unstable cliffs, so care is always required. Fossils are commonly found loose along the foreshore, with some of the finest specimens—particularly ammonites—preserved within hard nodules that require careful preparation. During periods of strong coastal scouring, belemnites can occur in abundance across the beach.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
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The eastern shore of Lyme Regis exposes Early Jurassic limestone and shale at Church Cliffs, East Cliff and Broad Ledge. Ammonites, belemnites and shells are the familiar fossils, while named limestone ledges and dark mudstones reveal a detailed marine succession with a long history of scientific study. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Burton Cliff combines towering Bridport Sand cliffs with a thin but exceptionally fossiliferous cap of Inferior Oolite limestone. Detached limestone can contain ammonites, sponges, echinoids and shells, but the cliffs are dangerously unstable: their geological interest is best appreciated from well outside the rockfall zone. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Tidmoor Point, on the edge of The Fleet lagoon opposite Chesil Beach, is a small but highly productive Oxford Clay locality. Best known for its pyritised and limonitic ammonites, the low cliffs and foreshore regularly yield a wide range of fossils, including belemnites, crinoids, crustaceans, fish and occasional reptile remains. Despite its modest size, it remains one of the most reliable sites for collectors searching for well-preserved Jurassic fossils. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
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Thorncombe Beacon is a highly productive Jurassic location, yielding a wide range of fossils including ammonites, bivalves, brachiopods, belemnites, crinoids and occasional starfish specimens. The foreshore is scattered with fallen blocks from the cliffs above, many of which contain well-preserved fossils. However, the rock here is extremely hard, meaning extraction can be challenging and often requires patience and effort, particularly when working freshly fallen material after storms.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
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Ringstead Bay is a wonderful location, with rocks and fossils from the Corallian, Kimmeridge Clay, Purbeck Beds and Portland Beds to be found. The site consists mostly of Kimmeridge Clay from the Upper Jurassic. It is rich in fossils and with easy parking, toilets and refreshments nearby; it’s an ideal, safe location for the family. The site is productive in either direction from the access point. This location is also just a short walk away from other good sites and makes for an ideal day trip. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
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Chapman’s Pool is a remote cove beneath Upper Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay and younger cliff-capping rocks. Ammonites, shells and trace fossils record the changing sea, but a long descent, unstable cliffs and tidal headlands make this a demanding locality best approached for observation rather than an extended shore traverse. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
Bowleaze Cove exposes both the famous Oxford Clay Formation and the overlying Corallian Group, making it one of the most geologically interesting locations around Weymouth. While the historic Oxford Clay exposures that once produced abundant marine reptile remains are now much reduced, the foreshore east of the main beach continues to yield a wide variety of fossils, including ammonites, belemnites, bivalves and trace fossils. The best collecting is generally found beyond the sandy beach beneath Ham Cliff, where fallen Corallian blocks and material washed from the cliffs can provide rewarding finds. The terrain is rough and uneven, consisting of boulders, shingle and fallen rock, so sturdy footwear is essential.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
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Redcliff Point is one of Dorset’s most rewarding Upper Jurassic fossil localities, exposing both the fossil-rich Oxford Clay Formation and the overlying Corallian Group within a spectacular coastal setting. The foreshore yields a diverse range of fossils, including ammonites, belemnites, large bivalves, trace fossils and occasional vertebrate remains, while the Oxford Clay has historically produced marine reptiles and giant oysters such as Gryphaea dilatata. Fresh erosion, heavy rain and scouring tides regularly expose new material, making this an excellent destination for the dedicated fossil collector.
Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
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Kimmeridge Bay’s dark Jurassic mudstones and resistant limestone ledges reveal a detailed marine succession. Ammonites and other shells can be seen in suitable exposures, and loose foreshore fossils may be collected under the local estate code, which prohibits hammering, digging and breaking rocks or nodules. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Freshwater Bay on the Isle of Portland records the change from marine Portland limestone to the lagoonal limestones and soils of the basal Purbeck succession. Shell-rich beds, chert and microbial structures make this an important geological section, but quarry edges and the unverified shore descent require an observation-first visit from open lawful paths. Jurassic, Cliffs, Foreshore, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦
This varied Cretaceous site offers a refreshing contrast to Dorset’s more famous Jurassic locations, exposing a mix of Chalk, Greensand and underlying Wealden deposits. The foreshore and cliffs can yield a diverse range of fossils, including echinoids, bivalves, brachiopods and occasional ammonites from the Chalk, alongside rarer finds such as dinosaur bone fragments from the Wealden. With multiple formations represented, it provides a unique opportunity to collect across different Cretaceous environments in one location. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
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West Bay’s East Cliff is a striking exposure of yellow Bridport Sand, where harder sandstone bands stand out against softer sand. Belemnites, occasional ammonite moulds and burrows and shell remains reward close observation of safely accessible material, although fossils are generally less plentiful than at nearby Burton Bradstock. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦
Church Ope Cove on Portland offers views of Portland limestone and basal Purbeck rocks, with oysters, other bivalves and occasional ammonite fragments recorded in fallen material. Observation and photography are the best starting point; check the current rockfall diversion before choosing an established route to the cove. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦
Pinhay Bay is a remote and geologically complex stretch of the East Devon coast, exposing rocks from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous within a single location. Less visited than nearby Lyme Regis, the bay can reward determined collectors with a wide range of fossils, including Blue Lias ammonites, Triassic bivalves, fish remains and Chalk echinoids, all scattered amongst landslips, fallen blocks and the rugged foreshore.Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
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Haven Cliff at Seaton is an actively eroding coastal site, where recent landslides have exposed fresh material from the Chalk and Upper Greensand. The foreshore and fallen blocks can yield a range of fossils, including echinoids, ammonites and bivalves, particularly after storms and at low tide. With regular cliff falls supplying new material, it can be a productive location for collectors willing to search carefully.Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
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Seaton Hole, at the western end of Seaton Bay, exposes fossil-bearing Upper Greensand and Chalk beneath White Cliff. Oysters, other bivalves and echinoids are useful finds to recognise in naturally weathered loose material, with rarer ammonites also recorded. Red Triassic mudstones below the Cretaceous rocks reveal a much older chapter of the coast’s history. Visit only when the tide and beach conditions leave a safe route well clear of the unstable cliffs. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Beer Head’s condensed Cenomanian limestones and younger flinty Chalk preserve a detailed record of changing Cretaceous seas. Echinoids, ammonites, brachiopods and other shells occur in different beds, while hardgrounds and reworked fossils reveal important gaps in deposition. This is a demanding coastal locality beneath high, unstable cliffs. The current Under Hooken path closure affects the old approach; use the open cliff-top route for views, and establish current safe, permitted access before planning any foreshore visit. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Hooken Cliff exposes fossil-rich Chalk and Upper Greensand east of Branscombe Mouth. Echinoids, shells, ammonites and microscopic fossils record changing Cretaceous seas, while the great landslip has displaced parts of the succession into spectacular coastal masses. Visitors may see fossils in weathered loose material, but unstable cliffs, tides and the current Under Hooken path closure make careful route planning essential. Published sections are scientific records, not promises of safe access or plentiful finds. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Watchet is a highly productive Jurassic location, well known for its reptile remains and abundant ammonites. The foreshore also reveals impressive geological features, including spectacular faulting and large ammonite casts, making it both scientifically important and visually striking. With regular fresh material exposed by erosion, it is a must-visit site for fossil collectors exploring this part of the Somerset coast.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
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Helwell Bay at Doniford is one of the best locations in Somerset for collecting iridescent ammonites, a highlight of the Blue Lias. The extensive foreshore also yields small white ammonites, reptile bones and a variety of bivalves, often exposed after erosion, making it a highly rewarding site for collectors. Classic Helwell Bay finds include the early Jurassic ammonites Psiloceras planorbis and Caloceras johnstoniJurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
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Blue Anchor exposes a thin but highly productive Rhaetian bone bed within the Penarth Group, yielding abundant reptile, shark and fish remains, similar to the famous Aust site on the Severn Estuary. The foreshore is scattered with blocks ideal for splitting, while the overlying Jurassic beds also produce ammonites and occasional reptile material, making this a varied and rewarding location.Triassic, Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
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Quantoxhead is a quiet and expansive stretch of the Somerset coast, where tall Jurassic cliffs and a wide wave-cut platform provide excellent fossil exposure. The foreshore regularly yields ammonites and occasional reptile remains, often after erosion, while the long rocky platform also features numerous rock pools, making it both a productive and scenic location to explore. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
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Kilve’s limestone reefs and dark Jurassic shale reveal ammonites, changing seafloor conditions and remarkable ancient methane-seep structures. The shore east of Kilve Pill is the main route described here, with loose fossil material and exposed pavements to examine carefully on a falling tide while protecting the cliffs and embedded finds. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Hinkley Point is a productive coastal site where fish and reptile remains, including ichthyosaur vertebrae, are commonly found loose along the foreshore. The beach also yields ammonites and marine shells, often exposed after erosion, making it a rewarding location for collectors searching for vertebrate material.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
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St Audries Bay is a quieter stretch of the Somerset Jurassic Coast, where Blue Lias cliffs and wave-cut platforms expose fossil-bearing beds. The foreshore can yield ammonites, reptile remains and marine shells, particularly after erosion, and although less productive than nearby sites, its lower footfall makes it an appealing location for collectors seeking a more peaceful experience.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
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Lilstock is a productive coastal site where reptile remains and loose bones can often be found along the foreshore, alongside Jurassic ammonites, bivalves and fish remains. At the eastern end of the bay, the Triassic Lilstock Formation yields blocks rich in fish, shark and reptile material, as well as microfossils from the sandstones, offering a varied collecting experience across two geological periods. Triassic, Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
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The ploughed fields around Kingstone and Moolham can reveal ammonites weathered from Lower Jurassic limestone. Dactylioceras, Harpoceras and Hildoceras are recorded in the local collecting account, but visibility depends on cultivation and crop cover, and landowner permission is needed before collecting from these working fields. Jurassic, Fields, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Shepherd’s Chine and Whale Chine are superb locations that yields some superb fish remains, lobsters, ammonites, brachiopods, bivalves, and occasional reptile and dinosaur bones. During the right conditions, you can come back with some great specimens. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Rocken End is a rugged, less-visited promontory shaped by large coastal landslides. Loose Upper Greensand and basal Chalk material can yield ammonites and other molluscs, but mixed fallen blocks and an uneven tidal shore make provenance and a cautious approach particularly important. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Shanklin’s Lower Greensand cliffs and foreshore offer marine shells, moulds and occasional ammonites in iron-rich sands and concretions. The shore south towards Knock Cliff also has a history of rare dinosaur finds, while soft ground, falling cliffs and tidal cut-off demand careful planning. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Whitby is one of the most iconic fossil localities on the Yorkshire coast, renowned for its rich Jurassic heritage and dramatic cliff scenery. While access to parts of the foreshore is tide-dependent and requires careful planning, the rewards can be considerable. The area is celebrated for its abundant ammonites, marine reptile remains and diverse shell beds, as well as for jet — fossilised wood from ancient conifer-like trees that became highly prized in Victorian jewellery. Its reputation means it is rarely quiet, but with patience and good timing.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
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Saltwick Bay is one of the most productive sites on the Yorkshire Coast, well known for its abundant ammonites, reptile remains and marine fossils. The foreshore is rich in fossiliferous nodules, often easy to split and frequently yielding well-preserved specimens. The bay is also famous for jet, a form of lignite historically used in jewellery, adding to its geological and historical significance.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
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Port Mulgrave is one of the most productive fossil sites on the Yorkshire Coast, famed for its abundant ammonites and rich Jurassic marine fauna. Once a thriving ironstone mining harbour, the foreshore now yields a wide range of fossils, including reptile remains, belemnites and nodules packed with ammonites, often exposed after cliff falls and erosion. With its combination of historical interest and exceptional fossil potential, it remains a must-visit location for serious collectors.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
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Kettleness is one of the most productive fossil sites on the Yorkshire Coast, especially renowned for its abundant reptile remains, often found loose or within nodules along the foreshore. The site is also highly regarded for its ammonites, similar to those found at nearby Port Mulgrave, making it a top location for collectors seeking both vertebrate and invertebrate fossils.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
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Staithes is a popular and accessible Yorkshire Coast locality, well known for its abundant and easily prepared ammonites. These are commonly found within nodules along the foreshore or weathering out from ledges, often requiring only minimal effort to collect. While productive and close to access points, the foreshore near the beach entrance can be extremely slippery, so care is needed when conditions are wet.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
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Robin Hood’s Bay is one of the most geologically important sites on the Yorkshire Coast, known for its diverse ammonite fauna and extensive Jurassic exposures. While much of the central bay is covered by boulder clay, the foreshore and reefs to either side can be highly productive. Success here depends on conditions and experience, but with careful searching, a wide range of ammonites and other marine fossils can be found.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
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Runswick Bay is a highly regarded Yorkshire Coast locality, known for its diverse ammonite fauna and productive foreshore exposures. Under the right conditions, the bay can yield a wide range of ammonite species along with bivalves and other marine fossils, often found loose or within nodules. With its broad beach and regular fresh material from erosion, it can be a very rewarding site for collectors.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
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Reighton Gap is a useful stop along the Yorkshire coast, offering a mix of Kimmeridge Clay fossils and glacial erratics. When exposed, the clay can yield ammonites and marine shells, although productive layers are often covered and depend on scouring tides. The overlying boulder clay is particularly interesting, producing erratic fossils from Jurassic, Cretaceous and even Carboniferous rocks, giving a wide variety of finds in one location.Jurassic, Erratics (Jurassic, Cretaceous, Carboniferous), Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
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Speeton Cliffs are one of the most important Lower Cretaceous sites in the UK, with the highly productive Speeton Clay yielding ammonites, fish, shells and crustaceans. Often compared to the famous Folkestone Beds, the foreshore can be very rewarding under the right conditions. It is also a great location for families, although the clay can become extremely sticky and difficult underfoot in wetter months.Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
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Ravenscar preserves an unusually complete Lower Jurassic marine succession, with ammonites, shell beds and conspicuous concretions beneath high cliffs. However, the golf-course-to-beach path is closed following landslip damage; the geology described here is not an invitation to bypass that closure. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦
Cayton Bay exposes a varied, faulted Jurassic coast where ammonites, bivalves, gastropods and brachiopods occur in several different rock units. Its famous Tenants’ Cliff concretions preserve remarkable shells, while sand cover, landslips and tidal exposure make both fossil finding and safe access highly changeable. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Gristhorpe is renowned for delicate Jurassic plant fossils from the classic bed north of Yons Nab. The wider bay also exposes younger marine rocks with ammonites and shells, making precise locality and matrix records essential when interpreting finds from its varied shore. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Folkestone’s Gault Clay at Copt Point and East Wear Bay is renowned for ammonites and a rich marine fauna. The coast also exposes Lower Greensand and Chalk, but fragile fossils and difficult tidal terrain make careful planning essential. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Sedbury Cliff, beside the Severn near Chepstow, exposes a Late Triassic to Early Jurassic succession with contrasting fossil-bearing rocks. Its limestone and shale record ammonites and bivalves, while older sandy bone-bed material contains fish remains. The tidal shore, soft mud and unstable cliffs make this a locality for careful observation and well-planned visits. Triassic, Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
The shore from Holywell towards Cow Gap exposes fossiliferous Cretaceous chalk and an important Cenomanian–Turonian boundary section. Ammonites, bivalves and brachiopods occur in the rocks, but fossils in loose blocks may have fallen from higher beds. Tides, slippery ground and unstable cliffs make careful planning essential. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
The coast from Cow Gap to Beachy Head lighthouse exposes Gault, Upper Greensand and Chalk, with fossils from several parts of the Cretaceous succession. Slipped and changing exposures make provenance important. This demanding tidal shore is distinct from the Holywell–Cow Gap and Birling Gap guides. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
Peacehaven’s Late Cretaceous chalk yields echinoids, molluscs and occasional fish remains, with beach scour controlling exposure. Fossils occur on the rocky foreshore and in loose blocks, while flint bands and marl seams reveal how the beds change between Bastion Steps and Friars Bay. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
