The Oxford Clay and the Corallian Beds at Redcliff Point yield ammonites, many species of bivalves and the clay is particularly rich in reptile remains. Giant fossil oyster shells of Gryphaea dilatata are also plentiful. This location is best after scouring tides and/or rain, but you will need wellington boots or good walking boots, as the terrain is tough going at Redcliff Point.
Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
West Weare is the best location on Isle of Portland for fossil hunting. While most of the island consists of Portland Stone, this location is Kimmeridge Clay. Most of this clay on the Isle of Portland is covered, but, here, it can be found slipped between the debris of the quarry. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Wyke Regis (West), along the sheltered shoreline of the East Fleet lagoon behind Chesil Beach, is a productive Upper Jurassic site exposing the Kimmeridge Clay Formation. The foreshore and low cliffs can yield a wide range of fossils, including ammonites, bivalves and large oysters, along with occasional reptile remains. With relatively easy access and regular fresh material from erosion, it is a rewarding location for careful searching under the right conditions.Jurassic, Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
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The section of coast, east of Ringstead Bay, between Bran Point and Osmington Mills, expose a superb succession of Corallian (Middle Jurassic) rocks, which reveal the entire sequence of the Osmington Oolite Formation and other beds, which are rich in fossils. A good variety of fossils are found in broken rocks from rockfalls and along the foreshore, which may be collected. Ammonites, bivalves and gastropods and trace fossils are common finds.Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
The Oxford Clay and the Corallian Beds at Bowleaze Cove in Weymouth (Furzy Cliff) can yield bivalves and ammonites and in the past the clay was particularly rich in marine reptile remains. Giant fossil oyster shells are plentiful. These locations are best after scouring tides and/or rain. You will need wellington boots or good walking boots, towards the east, the terrain is tough going towards Redcliff Point. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Lulworth Cove is a popular tourist location and its famous ‘Fossil Forest’ can be visited at low tide. It is ideal for children and makes for a great whole day out. However, fossils are less common than at other Dorset locations nearby. Jurassic, Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
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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If you are intending to use Kimmeridge Bay as the start of a trip to get to other nearby sites, this can be one of the most dangerous locations for fossil hunting. The tides have cut many people off in the past. Kimmeridge Bay and the adjacent cliffs and foreshore are rich in ammonites, reptiles and shells, but the best collecting sites to the east are a long walk if you are planning to look for fossils along the coastline from Kimmeridge Bay to Chapman’s Pool. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
This is a very good location if you are into plant remains. The Gristhorpe Plant Bed yields some of the best specimens in Yorkshire. There is a wide variety of plants too, but ammonites and shells can also be found at this location. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
The Long Nab Member exposed at Crook Ness yields the occasional plant remains or brachiopod. However, fossils are not easy to find and this location is overgrown in places, but is ideal for an alternative day out (but not recommended if time is limited). Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦
Most of the old clay pits have been swallowed up by the building of huge housing estates to the south of Peterborough. However, one area at Yaxley has been left as a nature area, with public byways taking you around the rim of the pits, which are now filled with water. On the banks, the Oxford Clay is rich in fossils. Jurassic, Lake Embankment, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
This is a small disused quarry with a nature trail through the middle of it. There are heaps of oolitic spoil everywhere, which contain bivalves (in particular, oysters) and brachiopods. If you are lucky, ammonites can also be found, although they are uncommon. Jurassic, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦
Watton Cliff, part of West Cliff at West Bay and is an excellent location for collecting microfossils. While the site is also rich in other fossils (such as brachiopods, crinoids, fish, sharks’ teeth, crocodiles, amphibians and plants). ihis guide concentrates more on the microfossils, including small mammals, fish, reptiles and ostracods, which are well preserved and abundant. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
From the Zig Zag path to Durlston Head, the western half of Durlston Bay reveals some of the finest and most complete exposures of the Purbeck Limestone Group in the UK. This section is more rugged and challenging, with steep cliffs, ledges and active rockfall zones, but it is also the most productive for serious collectors. The beds here are famous for yielding tiny mammal remains, reptile material, fish fossils and dinosaur traces, offering a rare glimpse into life in the lagoonal and coastal environments that existed at the end of the Jurassic period. While conditions can be difficult, this part of the bay is one of the most scientifically significant fossil localities on the Dorset coast. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
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Chapman’s Pool is rich in Upper Jurassic ammonites, reptiles and shells. It is a very long walk down to the beach, but the fossils are often rewarding. It is best to visit during summer months when the sea is not so rough. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
Just west of Seatown, the quieter stretch of Eype exposes the fossil-rich Beacon Limestone Formation. The foreshore is scattered with fallen limestone blocks, many containing ammonites and other Jurassic fossils. Collecting here can be challenging, as specimens are often locked within hard rock, but with patience and the right conditions—especially after storms—well-preserved finds can still be made. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
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The famous plant beds from the Poole Formation used to be found at Bournemouth, but, after the sea defence was constructed, this bed gradually became obscured and today it can hardly be seen. However, the Poole Formation can be found at Studland Bay, which also yields some plant remains. Eocene, Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Pinhay Bay is both geologically interesting and a less popular location that can provide a good variety of fossils to be found, ranging from Triassic rocks, the Jurassic Lower Lias and from the Cretaceous Chalk. Jurassic, Cretaceous, Cliffs and Foreshorem, Rating: ♦♦♦
Elgol offers beautiful scenery, with a view of the Black Cuillin rising 3,000 feet straight out of the sea, and the guarantee of finding fossils. The sheer number of bivalve fossils crammed into certain layers of rock here is staggering. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Flodigarry is a very picturesque beach, with amazing views and Oxfordian sediments, containing good pyrite and calcite fossils. The wild seas can add drama to this location, and the wildlife is second to none. This is a great place to spend a day with a picnic and a look for fossils on the low tide. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Below the Forth Road and Forth Rail Bridge, Carboniferous fish fragments and plant remains can be found in the shale. It can take some time to find the fossiliferous zones, but once you do, there is plenty to be collected. Carboniferious, Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
The magnificent tall Jurassic cliffs at Saltburn yield ammonites, belemnites, brachiopods and bivalves from the Cleveland Ironstone of the Lower Lias. The rocks here, however can be very hard and difficult to collect from. Jurassic, 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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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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Hayburn Wyke is one of Yorkshire’s most important and rewarding plant fossil localities. This site exposes Middle Jurassic rocks that have yielded an exceptional diversity of fossil flora. The fine-grained sediments here preserve delicate leaf impressions in remarkable detail, offering a rare glimpse into the lush, humid landscapes that bordered the Jurassic sea around 170 million years ago. 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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Scalby Ness is another good location for collecting plant remains. It is not as highly productive as other Yorkshire locations, due to the limited area. However, you can still find some very good plant remains from the boulders on the foreshore. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
This is a location that is worth stopping off at for an hour on the way to Elgol. Belemnites can be found here and a few rocks contain bivalves. Some sandstone outcrops also contain fossils. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦
To visit the entire Glasnakille stretch of coastline and to see its various bays and headlands, it must be accessed at three different places. The sea here reaches the plunging cliffs even at low tide. However, the scenery is worth the effort, even if fossil numbers are on the low side. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦
Cloughton Wyke is an excellent location for finding plant remains. The beds are rich in a variety of flora and collecting is fairly easy. Bivalves can also be found here, along with trace fossils, such as ripple marks and burrows. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
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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Helmsdale is the best place to collect Jurassic fossils in Scotland. Geologists have been fascinated by the strange ‘Boulder Beds’ for many years and some questions have remained unanswered as to how the beds were formed. The area is rich in reptile remains, giant corals, fish remains and the occasional ammonite. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
Achanarras Quarry once constantly yielded complete Middle Devonian fish from the Old Red Sandstone. However, it has been disused for many years and is now over-collected, but still very rich in remains. Complete fish can still be found, but are now rare. Devonian, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
At Brora, Jurassic rocks are carried down and deposited from further upstream. These lie around the mouth of the river (River Brora) and along the beaches at the town. They can contain ammonites and shells. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
This is the official ‘Hugh Miller Trail’. Hugh Miller was one of the most important Scottish geologists of the 19th century. Ammonites and fossil fish can be found here. The footpath down to the shore was created by Hugh Miller himself. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦
The tall Jurassic cliffs along the River Brora yield ammonites and belemnites. You will need wellington boots as the river runs next to the cliff face. Ammonites can be seen exposed on the ledges and platforms beside the river. Jurassic, River Cliffs, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
Kintradwell is difficult to access, but if the ‘Boulder Beds’ are exposed, this site can be highly fossiliferous. Kintradwell’s rocky foreshore can also produce some surprises. However, be prepared for a long walk. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Golspie is famous for the castle of Dunrobin. However, few people know that, just below the castle on the foreshore, fossils can be collected in Jurassic rocks. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
What looks like an ordinary rocky beach, covered in seaweed, is actually rich in corals, ammonites and shells, although you need to work hard to find them. At Portgower, the rocks exposed are from the Jurassic and, if you split them, can yield flat ammonites and shells. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
A Jurassic fault along the Balintore foreshore is well exposed here. Fossil oysters are quite common, but belemnites can also be found. In addition, during the right conditions, Jurassic ammonites can be found. The cliffs here consist of Devonian strata. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦
Spittal Quarry is home to the famous Caithness Flagstone, There are a few disused pits around, but this quarry is still working. There is a fossil museum close by at Spittal. Devonian, Working Quarry, Rating: ♦♦
Lothbeg is a tiny Hamlet in northern Scotland. Fossils can be found in the Jurassic rocks on the foreshore. Kimmeridge Clay is often exposed and plants can be found in the soft Lothbeg Beds. Jurassic, Cliffs and Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦
Grafham Water was formally a shallow valley, now turned into a large lake, with water sports and a nature reserve. Today, plentiful fossils can be found along the banks of the lake and, during summer months when the water level is at its lowest, ammonites, belemnites and much, much more can be collected. Jurassic, Reservoir, Rating: ♦♦
This location is similar to Quantoxhead. Kilve is another location for collecting ammonites and reptile remains. However, vertebras are as common here as ammonites. It is also set in tranquil surroundings and is ideal for all the family to enjoy. Jurassic, 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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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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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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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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