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Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park Theme (Long Version)

Try Fossilling In Charmouth

Awesome, a genuine piece of dinosaur in your own hand. It's a possibility...

Fossil hunting isn't just for scientific types - it’s an exciting activity that can easily be done by the whole family. Dorset, in the south of England, offers you superb fossil beds. Anyone can have a go at searching for dinosaur teeth or bone fragments there. Why not get yourself to Dorset and try this satisfying and free activity, you will never know what's going to turn up!

Dorset is home to The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site - 95 miles of delightful coast designated by UNESCO as possessing ‘outstanding universal value’. The rocks are certainly special since they record 85 million years of Earth’s historical past, spanning the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous time periods. They are fossil rich.

The Jurassic coastline is England’s only natural World Heritage Site and it is a gem. It extends from Exmouth in East Devon to Studland in Dorset, home of the famed Old Harry Rocks.

You can easily while away hours on the Dorset coastline in search of fossils. A great destination for fossil hunting is definitely Charmouth. The seashore has easy access, parking, a café and public lavatories. Charmouth is a nice village of less than 2000 residents, featuring a large shingle beach. It has an interesting Heritage Coast Centre on the seafront with plenty of facts about the natural history of the area. It is world famous for fossils and interests serious collectors and amateurs alike.

There are numerous fossils can be found throughout every season but the very best time to look is actually throughout the spring or the winter as there are less people on the seashore then, and the storms and extreme high tides help to expose new fossils. Explore 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.

Charmouth is particularly good in the winter. Waves lash the coastline and come up over the sea wall, tossing big stones up at the same time. Surfers can be spotted too making the most of the waves.

The most prevalent fossil at Charmouth is the ammonite. They lived in the sea between 240 - 65 million years ago and belong to a group of predators called cephalopods. Living relatives include the octopus, cuttlefish, squid and nautilus. It’s amazing to discover these beautiful spiral shells and to be the very first person to hold them so many years after their death. Also 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 biggest coastal mudslide area in Europe. Ammonite impressions can be discovered in the mud but most are so delicate that they break up if not treated very carefully. To reach Stonebarrow you must cross a small bridge over the river. Stonebarrow is good for ‘fools gold’ ammonites and crinoids - ‘sea lilies’ which are relatives of starfish.

If you are lucky, you might stumbled upon a really impressive find. Any significant finds must be registered with the World Heritage Team (01305 225101). After heavy rain in 2000 local collector Tony Gill found the fossilised remains of a 5m long icthyasaur, now known as ‘Mary’.

It’s easy to get absolutely hooked on hunting fossils and it’s remarkably relaxing too. Absolutely anyone can get involved, and kids seem particularly good at it. You don’t need any special gear to start looking for fossils but if you are planning a couple of hours of fossilling it helps to have strong shoes as well as a strong bag to put your finds in. If you are using a hammer you will need 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 hunting along the shoreline anyway.

Don't forget that rocks can fall anytime. Check the tides and only set out along the coast during a falling tide. Mudslides also occur, especially after wet weather so keep an eye out and don’t take stupid risks.

If you want a specialist on hand, guided walks along the coastline can easily be booked from the Heritage Centre.

For wonderful views of the special coastline, the nearby Golden Cap headland in between Charmouth and Seatown is the highest view on the south coast. At 191m above sea level it's really a great Vantage Point from which to appreciate the stunning Jurassic Coast of Dorset.

If this has got you interested in trying fossilling, why not take a look at some holiday cottages (try searching online for holiday cottages Dorset) and book a few days in Dorset.