The thrill of holding something that was alive longer ago than your mind can fathom is incredible. Enthusiastic collectors argue over which are the best fossil-hunting beaches in the UK but with choices this great, any one of these will be perfect for your next holiday. Whether you’re fossicking for fossils in Yorkshire, searching along the shore of Walton-on-the-Naze in Essex or scouring the UNESCO Jurassic Coast in Dorset, here are nine beaches to inspire your inner palaeontologist.
1. Monmouth Beach
Location: Dorset
Best for: Enthusiastic collectors
Lyme Regis is one of the most famous beaches for fossil finding in the world thanks to Mary and Joseph Anning who found a complete ichthyosaur skeleton there in 1811. Walk west from The Cobb to Monmouth Beach to see the incredible Ammonite Pavement, a unique ledge with fossils dating back almost 200 million years, then stop at a waterfront pub for a pint of Dorset Pearl or a proper cream tea. Keep an eye on the tide times, as these are only visible at low tide.
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2. Charmouth
Location: Dorset
Best for: Beachcombing
A few miles along the Jurassic Coast from Lyme Regis, Charmouth is a fossil hunter’s paradise. Go on any weekend and you’ll be serenaded by the clinking sound of a hammer hitting stone as eager fossil finders search for ammonites and belemnites in the loose rocks on the beach. Start with a visit to the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, which has free entry and is a fantastic resource for learning about fossils in the UK.
3. Marloes Sands
Location: Pembrokeshire, Wales
Best for: Coastal walks
Managed by the National Trust and a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Marloes Sands is a beautiful sandy beach on the Pembrokeshire Coast. It’s great for finding fossilised brachiopods, corals, and trilobites. Clamber over the rocks and past the sea urchins at low tide to get to Albion Sands and Gateholm Island. Be careful that you don’t get stuck there at high tides! The nearest car park and cafe are half a mile from the shore, so bring a packed lunch and plenty of water.
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4. Penarth
Location: Cardiff, Wales
Best for: City sophistication
Penarth, only a few miles from the centre of Cardiff, makes an ideal city and coastal holiday. It’s a lovely village with excellent pubs, cafes and independent shops, and a beach rich with fossils. Although it can be busy with beachcombers, especially on weekends and after a storm, you should still be able to find ammonites, gastropods, brachiopods, and bivalve fossils. Combine a fossil hunt with a swim, a stroll along the pier and a pub lunch overlooking the water and you have all you need for a perfect day out.
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5. Bracklesham Bay
Location: West Sussex
Best for: Coastal exploration
This family-friendly pebble beach is a top spot for fossil hunting in the South East. Corals, shark teeth, gastropods and bivalve shells litter the shore. Compared with the Jurassic Coast, the fossils at Bracklesham Bay are practically modern, being only 46 million years old. East and West Wittering are close enough to walk along the beach, which is easier along the sand when the tide is out. Walk in the other direction to get to Selsey and you may spot some seals along the way.
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6. Compton Bay
Location: Isle of Wight
Best for: Family holidays
If you’ve always dreamed of finding a dinosaur bone, you need to go to Compton Bay on the South Coast of the Isle of Wight. 20 different types of dinosaur bones dating back 120 million years have been found along this long stretch of coast, as have Iron Pyrite (the glittering Fool’s Gold), fossilised turtles and crocodiles, corals, sponges, and crystals. The Isle of Wight is simple to navigate. It only takes half an hour to drive across the island to Yaverland, another easily accessible fossil-collecting beach just 18 miles away.
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7. Saltwick Bay
Location: Yorkshire
Best for: Gothic atmosphere
One of the most exciting finds at Saltwick Bay is the famous Yorkshire jet. The pebble and sand beach is also good for ammonites which you can find by looking along the foreshore for stone nodules that split open to reveal their treasure. You may even discover plant or dinosaur remains if you’re searching for fossils after a winter storm. Saltwick Bay is close to Whitby Abbey and Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire. Any time is a great time to visit as there is a wealth of comfortable holiday rentals nearby.
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8. Hornsea
Location: Yorkshire
Best for: Bird watching
Hornsea’s cliffs are not the prettiest, but fossil hunters love the rocky coastline where the retreating tide gives up ancient treasures. Those who grew up in Yorkshire may remember it from school trips as the type of erosion makes it an ideal classroom for budding geologists finding fossilised molluscs, ammonites, corals, and belemnites. As a seaside resort town, Hornsea has everything you could want, including a long promenade, birdwatching and water activities.
9. Helmsdale
Location: Sutherland, Scotland
Best for: Fly fishing
The boulder beds at Helmsdale reveal the fossilised remains of Jurassic reptiles, fish and coral, with the occasional ammonite. The beach has good parking and easy access, and parents can find fossils on the foreshore without the potential danger of searching around cliffs with children. Anglers will know Helmsdale as an excellent spot for salmon fishing, with the town also renowned for its golf course and annual Highland games that take place by the beach in the middle of August.