King’s Dyke combines a history of important Jurassic reptile discoveries with a managed fossil hunting area supplied with Oxford Clay from the quarry. Oysters, belemnites and delicate ammonites are characteristic finds in this material. Visits depend on current opening arrangements, a membership permit and gate code; ordinary access following the reserve’s stabilisation closure has not been confirmed. Jurassic, Working Quarry, Rating: ♦♦
Aldons Quarry exposes Ordovician limestone and mudstone above older volcanic rocks. Its trilobites and varied shelly fossils have made it an important scientific locality, while distinctive microbial limestone records an ancient shallow sea. This overgrown disused quarry requires landowner permission and careful preparation for a visit. Ordovician, Disused Quarry, Rating: ♦♦♦
The rocky shore beside Hook Lighthouse, in County Wexford, exposes fossil-rich Carboniferous limestone. Crinoids, brachiopods, corals and delicate bryozoan colonies can be seen weathering from its bedding surfaces. This is an exposed Atlantic headland and a protected shore: enjoy the fossils in place, with photography and careful observation at the centre of your visit. Carboniferous, Foreshore, Rating: ♦♦♦♦
