Scouring – UK Fossil Collecting

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: ♦♦♦♦♦

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: ♦♦