this post was submitted on 06 May 2024
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Fossils

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Britain is home to some of the best beaches for fossil hunting. The 96-mile-long Jurassic coast of Dorset and Devon, the Isle of Wight (also known as “Dinosaur Island”) and the Yorkshire coast are hotspots. Quarries – when accessed safely – are like fossil amphitheatres; their layers of rock stripped back to reveal prehistoric treasure.

Here, we’ve dug up five of the best fossil hunting locations in Britain.

They are:

  • Compton Bay, Isle of Wight
  • Crail, Fife
  • Boggle Hole, Yorkshire
  • Lyme Regis, Dorset
  • Upper Gilwern Quarry, mid-Wales

My tips:

  • Guided walks are the best place to start
  • Be aware of the tide times when on thr coast
  • Don't go into quarried without taking advice from the owners or local experts
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[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

I'll add to this:

  1. Don't dig into cliffs
  2. In coastal settings be aware of tide times and know your exit points so you don't get cut off

Bring a hammer...

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

Good points. Also:

  • If you are fossil hunting near cliffs, consider a hard hat - a local expert will be able to better advise on the stability of cliffs.