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: ♦♦♦♦♦




