fossil collecting at Kimmeridge Bay, Dorset



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Kimmeridge Bay Fossil Collecting Guide

Fossils and Fossil Collecting in Kimmeridge Bay
Your Complete Geological Guide

One of the most dangerous locations for fossil hunting, the tides have cut many people off in the past. Kimmeridge is rich in ammonites, reptiles and shells, but does have a long walk if planning to look for fossils along the coastline from Kimmeridge Bay to Chapmans Pool area.


Kimmeridge Bay - Dorset
Last updated: [26/02/08]  last visited 2001
Jurassic
Written by Alister and Alison Cruickshanks
Fossil Collecting at Kimmeridge Bay
(View of Kimmeridge Bay) - 2001

Information for Fossil Hunting at Kimmeridge Bay

Kimmeridge Bay has more reptile remains than any other Kimmeridge Clay location in the UK. It also has some excellent ammonites, but most of these are found between Kimmeridge Bay and Chapmans Pool. This is often too dangerious for most people to visit, so this guide concentrates onthe bay. There are still some lovely fossils to be found within the bay, but hammering is not allowed.

(Unsuitable)

Because Kimmeridge Baycan be very dangerious for collecting fossils due to tides and also regular cliff falls, it is not recommended for children.

TO

Kimmeridge Bay is a remote location, it is fairly easy to find and has its own car park, but if planning to walk from Kimmeridge Bay to the more productive beds, then this really is one of the hardest locations in Dorset to access. In some headlands along the coastline, the sea doesnt actually retreat fully, so you would have to take your shoes and socks off to get past.

Cliff and Foreshore

Fossils can be found on the foreshore or within the cliff face. Collecting from the cliff face is dangerous and not recommended, most fossils can be collected from the foreshore, especially in areas of shingle.
ACCESS
RIGHTS
This site is part of the Jurassic World Heritage Coastline. Please follow the
Fossil Code of Conduct.

Please follow our national fossil collecting code

A UK Fossils & Discovering Fossils initiative (c) 2006

Other Locations similar to Kimmeridge Bay

Other locations with Kimmeridge Clay are, Chapmans Pool, Kimmeridge Bay, Lothbeg, Portgower, Helmsdale, Balintore and Eathie, in Scotland, or Wyke Regis, Bowleaze Cove and Ringstead in Dorset.



! SAFETY NOTES FOR FOSSIL HUNTING AT KIMMERIDGE BAY!

Kimmeridge is one of the most dangerous places to collect along the Dorset coast. The tides always hit the base of the cliff and can easily cut you off. The walk is such a long way round several headlands, that Tide Times are ESSENTIAL and DOUBLE Check. Be aware of double tides too. If you plan the whole walk from Kimmeridge Bay to Chapmans Pool, you will have little time to collect and should reach your destination BEFORE the tide starts to turn. The tides come in very quickly.

At Kimmeridge Bay Particularly, falling shale is frequent, hard hats should be worn and you should try to keep away from the base of the cliff. Please note HAMMERS are not allowed at Kimmeridge If you do take a hammer, be warned that lumping rocks will cause rocks and shale to fall from the cliff.

The Beach at Kimmeridge is VERY slippery. During the last trip (2001), we had planned to photograph the entire coastline from Kimmeridge Bay to Chapmans pool. Whilst taking Photos at Kimmeridge Bay, the photographer slipped on the foreshore covered in algae breaking the expensive camera. We managed to recover the photos you see on this page however.

Fossil Ammonite from Kimmeridge Bay
Fossil ammonite from Kimmeridge Bay


Stone Tumblers (Lapidary)


Stone Tumblers are used for tumbling and polishing rough rock, stones and pebbles including those found on the beach and glass.

Whilst collecting fossils, on those days where you come back empty handed, you could collect rocks, stones and glass from the beach and tumble then at home.

These are all high quality machines to give a professional finish to your samples. The tumblers can be used with a variety of grits, most commonly Silicon Carbide Grit and Cerium Oxide. We have a wide range of rough rocks for sale too.

Microfossils are much easier to collect because they are so small that the vast majority of collections only concentrate on large finds. These small finds can simply be found by taking small samples of sands, crags, clays and soft rocks and examining them under a microscope.

We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, both for the study of fossils, but also educational and professional for use in the laboratory. We have Stereo microscopes, Compound Microscopes, Polarising Microscopes and Monocular Microscopes.


We have thousands of Test Sieves for Particle Analysis.

Endecotts Sieves: For accurate dependable results you can't buy a better test sieve than Endecotts. At every stage of manufacture each test sieve is individually inspected.

High Precision Tecan manufactures precision apertures as small as 3 microns for a wide array of applications such as filtering, sieving and nozzles. Its high-performance, ASTM/ISO compliant test sieves satisfy the most demanding fine particle grading requirements.

Metal Detectors


We have a wide range of metal detectors and motion detectors.

Our metal detectors are of a very high quality and are british made by the Viking Company.

Why not take a metal detector when your fossil hunting! you never know what you may find.


We sell a wide range of compasses to both explorers, students to boat owners.

Some field compasses have build in clinometers so you can calculate the height of cliffs.

Our compasses are high quality. They are an essential part of the explorers kit.


All of our fossils are genuine and have been checked carefully, we only buy from reputable sources.

We have a wide range of fossils from low cost budget fossils to expensive stunning display pieces.

Our fossils are of a very high standard and they come from all over the world.

 



Images, Graphics & Content - (C)opyright 1998-2005 Alister Cruickshanks.
UK Fossils Management - Alister Cruickshanks & Roy Bullard
UK Fossils Curator - Ian Cruickshanks
UK Fossils is a division of CWA Design and run in conjunction with UKGE. Whilst we try to ensure that all content is accurate and up to date we cannot guarantee this. UK Fossils takes no responsibility in the accuracy of this content, nor takes any liabilities for any trips, events or exchanges between visitors using either the discussion board or the UK Fossils planner. Any posted trips and events by UK Fossils are personal and not arranged by UK Fossils, therefore visitors should seek their own personal insurance cover. Please remember to always check the tide times.
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