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Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park Theme (Long Version)

Hunting Dinosaur Fossils In Dorset

Awesome, a genuine piece of dinosaur in your hands. It really is a possibility...

Fossil hunting is not only for scientific types - it’s an enjoyable outdoor activity that can easily be done by everyone. Dorset, in the south of England, gives world-class fossil beds. Anyone can try hunting for dinosaur teeth or bone fragments there. Have you thought to get yourself to Dorset and try this exciting and absolutely free activity, you will never know what's going to turn up!

Dorset is home to The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site - ninety five miles of delightful coastline designated by UNESCO as having ‘outstanding universal value’. The rocks are truly special because they record 85 million years of Earth’s historical past, spanning the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. They are fossil rich.

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

You can easily while away several hours on the Dorset coastline looking for fossils. A great site for fossil hunting is actually Charmouth. The beach has easy accessibility, parking, a café and public lavatories. Charmouth is a nice village of below 2000 residents, boasting a large shingle beach. It has an interesting Heritage Coast Centre on the seafront with lots of insight on the natural history of the area. It is world renowned for fossils and appeals to serious collectors and beginners alike.

There are numerous fossils to be found throughout every season but the best time to look is actually during the springtime or the winter as there are much less people on the beach then, and the storms and extreme high tides help to reveal 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 especially good in the winter months. Waves lash the shoreline and come up over the sea wall, throwing large stones up at the same time. Surfers can be spotted too taking advantage 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 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 uncovered in the mud but most are so delicate that they break up if not treated with great care. To reach Stonebarrow you have to 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're lucky, it's possible you'll stumbled upon a really amazing 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 known as ‘Mary’.

It’s easy to get absolutely hooked on looking for fossils and it’s surprisingly relaxing too. Absolutely anyone can get involved, and kids seem especially good at it. You don’t need any special gear to look 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 work with a hammer you will require protective eyewear or glasses as rock fragments easily fly up in the air. Hammers should only be used to split loose rock and not to hack at the cliff face You may be better off simply looking along the shoreline anyway.

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

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

For great views of this distinctive 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 enjoy 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.