Fascinating Finds
Charmouth
Fossil Hunting
The rocks that make up the cliffs at Charmouth and Lyme Regis are rich in fossils of animals that swam in the Jurassic seas. This part of the coastline erodes rapidly resulting in thousands of fossils being fed onto the beaches from the landslides in the surrounding cliffs, especially after winter storms. The remains that have been found here since the eighteenth century represent one of the richest slices of life in Jurassic times anywhere in the world!
Visit the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre and join a guided fossil hunting walk from here or from the Lyme Regis Museum, the safest and best way to hunt for fossils. Just east of Lulworth Cove is the extraordinary ancient fossil forest and in this area dinosaur footprints and trackways have been discovered. You can see Dorset fossils exhibited at the Dorset County Museum.
Always consult tide tables before collecting fossils; it is advisable that you hunt for fossils on a falling tide. You can find further details on Dorset tide times by following the link below.
BE SAFE! - Follow the Fossil Hunting Code
