Tag: Chalk

Dorset by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Aug 13, 20048:30 am

White Nothe

White Nothe, between Ringstead and Lulworth Cove, is a dramatic and lesser-visited section of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. This steep headland exposes a mix of Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks, with landslips bringing fossil-bearing material onto the foreshore. Although challenging to access, it can yield ammonites and other marine fossils under the right conditions, making it a rewarding location for experienced collectors seeking quieter ground. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
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Dorset by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 26, 200812:36 pm

Swanage Bay

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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Devon by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 22, 20089:49 am

Pinhay Bay

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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Devon by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Dec 29, 20253:39 pm

Haven Cliff, Seaton

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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Devon by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 22, 20089:58 am

Seaton HOLE

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: ♦♦♦

Devon by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 27, 20089:47 am

Beer Head

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: ♦♦♦

Devon by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Apr 10, 20149:55 am

Hooken Cliff

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: ♦♦♦♦♦

Isle of Wight by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Feb 8, 20083:04 pm

Yaverland

Yaverland is one of the most famous fossil collecting locations on the Isle of Wight, renowned for its dinosaur remains, vertebrate fossils and classic Wealden exposures. However, despite its reputation, success here depends heavily on conditions. The site can often appear unproductive, particularly during the summer months when the foreshore is covered, but after winter storms and spring tides, fresh material is exposed and excellent finds can be made. Due to its popularity, the site is also heavily collected, meaning patience and persistence are essential. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
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Kent by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 24, 200810:39 am

Birchington

The low cliffs and chalk foreshore at Birchington offer a quiet search for echinoids and other Chalk fossils. Finds are scattered, and patience is more useful than expecting a large collection. Cretaceous, Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦

Kent by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 24, 200810:42 am

Samphire Hoe

Samphire Hoe provides a managed reserve and access to the natural shore west of the reclaimed ground. Its Chalk fossils and cliff succession are fascinating, but the reserve paths and the tidal beach have very different access conditions. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Kent by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 24, 200910:38 am

North Foreland

The chalk shore around North Foreland, between Broadstairs and Joss Bay, offers a patient search among fossil-bearing flints and loose chalk. Large flint bands in the cliffs provide a striking record of the Late Cretaceous sea. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦

Kent by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Sep 14, 200710:41 am

Pegwell Bay

The northern shore of Pegwell Bay offers Chalk fossils and a remarkable view of younger sediments at Cliffs End. Echinoids, crinoid pieces and shells occur in loose material, within a sensitive nature reserve where access restrictions must be respected. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦

Kent by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 24, 200810:40 am

Kingsgate

The Botany–Kingsgate chalk coast combines sandy bays with fossil-bearing chalk and flint. The original guide follows the Botany-side descent eastwards towards the arch and White Ness, where echinoids and other Chalk fossils reward a careful low-tide search. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦

Kent by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 24, 200810:39 am

Dumpton Gap

Dumpton Gap has sandy beach, flint accumulations and a chalk wave-cut platform where patient searching can reveal echinoids, shells and sponges. Finds are not especially abundant, but the local flint bands give this coast considerable geological interest. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦

Sussex by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Feb 6, 20179:58 am

Eastbourne

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: ♦♦♦♦♦

Sussex by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 24, 20129:58 am

Seven Sisters

The Seven Sisters cliffs east of Cuckmere Haven expose flinty Late Cretaceous chalk, with echinoids, shells and other fossils in loose material. Distinctive flint bands trace the bedding through the high brows. This guide follows the east-bank coast; Seaford Head across the river is a separate locality. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦

Sussex by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 24, 20129:57 am

Beachy Head

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: ♦♦♦♦

Sussex by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 24, 20129:56 am

Peacehaven

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: ♦♦♦

Sussex by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 24, 20129:56 am

Birling Gap

Birling Gap gives access to Seaford Chalk around the steps and a distinctive chalk dry valley. The Seven Sisters Flint Band and sponge-bearing beds help explain the local fossils. This guide concentrates on the immediate area, rather than treating the shore to Beachy Head or Cuckmere Haven as one safe walking route. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦

Sussex by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 24, 20129:57 am

Seaford

Seaford Head’s chalk foreshore is noted for echinoids, especially in the beds around Hope Gap, although many specimens are worn or incomplete. Its flints, marls and hardgrounds record a changing Late Cretaceous succession along the coast. Hope Gap steps are closed: the geological account is not a route to the shore. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦

Sussex by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 24, 20129:56 am

Newhaven

Newhaven’s Late Cretaceous chalk contains small Offaster pilula and larger Echinocorys echinoids, with finds strongly dependent on beach conditions. The cliffs from Castle Hill towards Old Nore Point reveal marl seams and flint bands that help trace the succession. Large ammonites in the wave-cut platform should be photographed and left intact. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦

East Riding by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jul 14, 20108:21 am

Danes Dyke

Danes Dyke’s flintless Chalk is known for sponges and beautifully preserved crinoid plates. The shore on either side of the wooded ravine crosses different parts of the Late Cretaceous succession, making loose beach blocks rewarding to examine when tides and conditions are suitable. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

East Riding by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Apr 14, 20101:20 pm

Bridlington

Bridlington’s North Beach becomes increasingly rocky towards Sewerby, where fossil-bearing Chalk blocks occur among the shingle. Sponges, shells and echinoids are the main attractions, while glacially transported material adds a different part of the area’s geological story. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦

East Midlands by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jul 11, 20148:35 am

Houghton Quarry

The former Houghton Regis chalk quarry reveals a fossil-rich Cretaceous seabed, including the distinctive Totternhoe Stone and its reworked shells. The quarry is now an important wildlife site where fossils are for observation and photography: collecting and hammering are not permitted. Cretaceous, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦♦♦

Norfolk by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Sep 18, 200411:08 am

West Runton

West Runton brings together two very different fossil worlds: Cretaceous chalk on the shore and the much younger West Runton Freshwater Bed at the foot of the cliffs. The latter preserved a river-valley community of mammals, fish, freshwater shells and plants, including the celebrated steppe mammoth Mammuthus trogontherii. When sand has been washed away, the chalk platform reveals flints and marine fossils. Search loose beach material carefully, keep a record of each find and treat these scientifically important exposures with care. Tides, shifting sand and unstable cliffs determine what can safely be seen. Pleistocene, Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Norfolk by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jun 12, 200310:58 am

Hunstanton

Hunstanton’s striped Cretaceous cliffs offer a clear introduction to Norfolk’s marine fossils. Brown Carstone, the thin Red Chalk and pale Ferriby Chalk form contrasting layers, with belemnites, brachiopods, bivalves and occasional ammonites preserved in their rocks. Weathered material on the beach gives collectors a chance to examine fossils without approaching the cliff face, while the harder beds reward patient observation rather than force. The sequence also records missing intervals of geological time, so its colours tell only part of the story. Plan your visit around low tide and keep well clear of unstable cliffs and recent falls. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Norfolk by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 21, 200511:15 am

Weybourne

Weybourne brings together Cretaceous Chalk, shell-rich Early Pleistocene sediments and glacial deposits in a compact but changeable coastal section. Belemnites and sea urchins occur in the chalk, while the overlying Wroxham Crag preserves marine shells and much smaller traces of land mammals washed into an ancient sea. The contrast makes this a rewarding place to study different fossil communities and the long gaps between them. Collecting is best approached as a patient search of loose beach material: the steep shingle shore, tides and unstable cliffs make access demanding, and high ledges must be left alone. Pleistocene, Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦

Norfolk by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 21, 200811:04 am

East Runton

At East Runton, ancient mammal remains occur beside evidence of powerful Ice Age deformation. Shelly Early Pleistocene deposits appear on the foreshore when sand is stripped away, while enormous glacially displaced chalk rafts rise within the cliffs towards Wood Hill. Loose belemnites, echinoids, bone fragments and occasional teeth make careful beach searching worthwhile, although exposure and preservation vary greatly. This is a different fossil assemblage from the famous Freshwater Bed at West Runton. Keep a precise record of where each specimen was found and explore only while the tide leaves a safe route back to East Runton Gap. Pleistocene, Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Norfolk by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)May 13, 200510:54 am

Overstrand

Overstrand’s shore is best explored for loose Chalk fossils and the changing exposures revealed when sand is washed away. Echinoids, belemnites, brachiopods and sponge remains occur in chalk and flint, while rarer mammal fossils record a much younger Pleistocene landscape. The cliffs also contain chalk rafts displaced by ice, an important reminder that the visible rocks are not always in their original order. Fossils may show both ancient features and much younger marine borings. Access is affected by coastal works and erosion, so check the current route before travelling and leave ample time to return on the falling-tide beach. Pleistocene, Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Norfolk by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jan 21, 200810:45 am

Sheringham

Sheringham’s western foreshore is a condition-dependent fossil locality, where waves sometimes uncover Cretaceous chalk beneath the beach near the lifeboat station. Echinoids, brachiopods, oysters and occasional fish remains have been reported, but sand, shingle and seaweed can hide the rock for long periods. The shoreline also reveals how much younger sediments and glacial activity have modified an older chalk landscape. A visit works best as a careful search of loose material during suitable low-tide conditions, with realistic expectations and time to return safely. Keep the lifeboat access clear and leave unstable cliffs and attached rock undisturbed. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦

Norfolk by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jun 7, 201110:49 am

Trimingham

Trimingham is noted for some of the youngest Chalk exposed onshore in Britain, brought within reach when Ice Age glaciers displaced and folded large masses of bedrock. Near Little Marl Point, soft Lower Maastrichtian chalk contains small oysters, belemnites and other marine fossils, while more extensive foreshore sections appear only when beach conditions allow. The familiar oyster-rich beds are just one part of a much richer historical succession. Visit for careful loose-beach collecting and geological observation, rather than excavation of the fragile exposures. Access, sand cover, tides and active cliff movement can all change what is safely visible. Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦

Guides by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Mar 10, 20109:15 am

Extracting microfossils from Lower Chalk

Microfossils can be obtained from the Grey Chalk Subgroup (formerly the Lower Chalk, minus the Plenus Marls) with great ease. This rock has a high clay content in comparison with the whiter chalks and breaks […]

Websites by UK Fossils (UKGE Group)Jul 30, 201412:12 pm

British Chalk Fossils

These pages are designed as a general guide for all those interested in the fascinating fossils of the British Chalk. Hopefully this will be a useful resource for academics and students alike, whilst at the […]