Awesome, an actual piece of dinosaur in your hand. It's really a possibility...
Fossil hunting is not just for scientific types - its a pleasant pursuit that can easily be done by the whole family. Dorset, in the south of England, gives you world-class fossil beds. Any individual can have a go at looking for dinosaur teeth or bones there. Why don't you get yourself to Dorset and try this interesting and absolutely free activity, who knows what's going to turn up!
Dorset is home to The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site - ninety five miles of amazing coastline designated by UNESCO as having outstanding universal value. The rocks are very special since they record 85 million years of Earths history, spanning the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. They are fossil rich.
The Jurassic coastline is Englands only natural World Heritage Site and it is a gem. It goes from Exmouth in East Devon to Studland in Dorset, home of the famous Old Harry Rocks.
You can easily while away numerous hours on the Dorset shoreline in search of fossils. My personal favourite destination for fossil hunting is actually Charmouth. The shore has easy accessibility, vehicle parking, a caf and public toilets. Charmouth itself is a nice village of below 2000 residents, boasting a big shingle beach. It has an interesting Heritage Coast Centre on the seafront with lots of facts on the natural history of the region. It is well-known for fossils and appeals to serious collectors and amateurs alike.
There are plenty of fossils can be found throughout every season but the perfect time to look is actually throughout the springtime or the winter months as there are much less people on the beach then, and the stormy weather and extreme high tides help to expose new fossils. Hunt in the shingle and on the tide line, especially as the tide starts going in. Focus on a small area and keep your eyes peeled.
I particularly enjoy Charmouth during the winter. Waves lash the coast and come up over the sea wall, hurling big stones up at the same time. Surfers can be spotted too making the most of the waves.
The most common fossil at Charmouth is the ammonite. They lived in the sea between 240 - 65 million years ago and belong to a class of predators known as cephalopods. Surviving relatives include the octopus, cuttlefish, squid and nautilus. Its amazing to discover these beautiful spiral shells and to be the first person to hold them so many years after their death. Additionally in plentiful supply are belemnites. They first appeared around 208 million years ago and are relatives of the ammonites.
At one end of Charmouth beach is Black Ven and at the other is Stonebarrow. Black Ven is the largest coastal mudslide area in Europe. Ammonite impressions can be uncovered in the mud but most are so fragile that they break up if not treated very carefully. To reach Stonebarrow you have to cross a little bridge over the river. Stonebarrow is good for fools gold ammonites and crinoids - sea lilies that are relatives of starfish.
If you are lucky, it's possible you'll stumbled upon a really remarkable find. Any significant finds must be registered with the World Heritage Team (01305 225101). After heavy rainfall in 2000 local collector Tony Gill found the fossilised remains of a 5m long icthyasaur, now named Mary.
Its easy to get hooked on looking for fossils and its surprisingly relaxing too. Absolutely anyone can get involved, and kids seem particularly good at it. You dont need to have any special gear to start looking for fossils but if you are planning a few hours of fossilling it helps to have sturdy footwear and a strong bag to put your finds in. If you use a hammer you should have protective eyewear or glasses as stone fragments very easily fly up in the air. Hammers should only be used to break up loose stone and not to hack at the cliff face You may be better off just looking along the shoreline anyway.
Keep in mind that rocks can fall at any time. Check the tides and only set out down the coast during a falling tide. Mudslides also occur, especially after wet weather so be on the lookout and dont take foolish risks.
If you want an expert with you, guided walks along the shoreline can easily be booked from the Heritage Centre.
For wonderful views of this special coastline, the nearby Golden Cap headland between Charmouth and Seatown is the highest view on the south coast. At 191m above sea level it's a great vantage point from which to admire the marvellous Jurassic Coast of Dorset.
Fossil hunting is not just for scientific types - its a pleasant pursuit that can easily be done by the whole family. Dorset, in the south of England, gives you world-class fossil beds. Any individual can have a go at looking for dinosaur teeth or bones there. Why don't you get yourself to Dorset and try this interesting and absolutely free activity, who knows what's going to turn up!
Dorset is home to The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site - ninety five miles of amazing coastline designated by UNESCO as having outstanding universal value. The rocks are very special since they record 85 million years of Earths history, spanning the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. They are fossil rich.
The Jurassic coastline is Englands only natural World Heritage Site and it is a gem. It goes from Exmouth in East Devon to Studland in Dorset, home of the famous Old Harry Rocks.
You can easily while away numerous hours on the Dorset shoreline in search of fossils. My personal favourite destination for fossil hunting is actually Charmouth. The shore has easy accessibility, vehicle parking, a caf and public toilets. Charmouth itself is a nice village of below 2000 residents, boasting a big shingle beach. It has an interesting Heritage Coast Centre on the seafront with lots of facts on the natural history of the region. It is well-known for fossils and appeals to serious collectors and amateurs alike.
There are plenty of fossils can be found throughout every season but the perfect time to look is actually throughout the springtime or the winter months as there are much less people on the beach then, and the stormy weather and extreme high tides help to expose new fossils. Hunt in the shingle and on the tide line, especially as the tide starts going in. Focus on a small area and keep your eyes peeled.
I particularly enjoy Charmouth during the winter. Waves lash the coast and come up over the sea wall, hurling big stones up at the same time. Surfers can be spotted too making the most of the waves.
The most common fossil at Charmouth is the ammonite. They lived in the sea between 240 - 65 million years ago and belong to a class of predators known as cephalopods. Surviving relatives include the octopus, cuttlefish, squid and nautilus. Its amazing to discover these beautiful spiral shells and to be the first person to hold them so many years after their death. Additionally in plentiful supply are belemnites. They first appeared around 208 million years ago and are relatives of the ammonites.
At one end of Charmouth beach is Black Ven and at the other is Stonebarrow. Black Ven is the largest coastal mudslide area in Europe. Ammonite impressions can be uncovered in the mud but most are so fragile that they break up if not treated very carefully. To reach Stonebarrow you have to cross a little bridge over the river. Stonebarrow is good for fools gold ammonites and crinoids - sea lilies that are relatives of starfish.
If you are lucky, it's possible you'll stumbled upon a really remarkable find. Any significant finds must be registered with the World Heritage Team (01305 225101). After heavy rainfall in 2000 local collector Tony Gill found the fossilised remains of a 5m long icthyasaur, now named Mary.
Its easy to get hooked on looking for fossils and its surprisingly relaxing too. Absolutely anyone can get involved, and kids seem particularly good at it. You dont need to have any special gear to start looking for fossils but if you are planning a few hours of fossilling it helps to have sturdy footwear and a strong bag to put your finds in. If you use a hammer you should have protective eyewear or glasses as stone fragments very easily fly up in the air. Hammers should only be used to break up loose stone and not to hack at the cliff face You may be better off just looking along the shoreline anyway.
Keep in mind that rocks can fall at any time. Check the tides and only set out down the coast during a falling tide. Mudslides also occur, especially after wet weather so be on the lookout and dont take foolish risks.
If you want an expert with you, guided walks along the shoreline can easily be booked from the Heritage Centre.
For wonderful views of this special coastline, the nearby Golden Cap headland between Charmouth and Seatown is the highest view on the south coast. At 191m above sea level it's a great vantage point from which to admire the marvellous Jurassic Coast of Dorset.
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