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PUBLIC FOSSIL WALKS
Embark on a captivating journey through time with our guided public fossil walks in Lyme Regis, expertly led by Chris Andrew, a seasoned educator and passionate fossil collector. Our public fossil walks along the Jurassic Coast offer an opportunity for individuals and groups to learn to find fossils on the beaches of Lyme Regis. Our knowledgeable guide, Chris ensures that the content not only educates but also keeps participants of all ages engaged with a generous dose of humour, creating a fun and inclusive atmosphere.
Book your spot today to uncover the secrets of the past while enjoying the picturesque landscapes of the Jurassic Coast. You will learn about famous Lyme Regis fossil hunter, Mary Anning, and follow in her footsteps to find fossils on the foreshore. Chris kicks off the walk with a hands-on session before everyone ventures out onto the beach to see what the tides reveal for the day.
Our public fossil walks are suitable for ages 7 and above, providing an engaging and educational experience. While younger children are very welcome to join us, the content may go over their heads a little.
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Maximum of 22 people on a walk
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Assumes little or no prior knowledge of fossils or geology
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Approximately 3-3.5 hours (please allow for 4+ hours for your parking ticket - the traffic wardens in Lyme are very keen!)
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Suitable for families, friends, couples and individuals
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Led by an expert guide and fossil enthusiast
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Find your own fossils and have them identified as you go (and enjoy having them found for you by Chris)
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Fun, informative and the best way to start finding fossils in Lyme
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Great value for money
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Dog friendly
Meeting point: Anchor on the sea front, opposite the Rock Point Inn and next to Cobb Gate Car Park (with the clocktower).
This what3words address refers to a 3 metre square location. Tap the link or enter the 3 words into the free what3words app to find it. https://w3w.co/debut.reform.legs
Itinerary Summary
Approximately 1 hour
The session will start with fossil handling and a talk. We will then walk along the sea wall chatting about geology and Mary Anning, followed by a short health and safety talk about the hazards of collecting.
THE TALKY BIT
Approximately 2 hours
Collecting on the beach. We will walk slowly along the beach looking for fossils. You will have your guide on hand who will be spotting fossils, and there to identify any finds and answer questions. There will be a short ending chat about what’s been seen and tips for if you come back on the beach in following days. You can then choose to stay on the beach for a bit longer and make your own way back, or walk back with me.
THE WALKY BIT
Detailed Itinerary. What to expect.
A fossil walk lasts around 3-3.5 hours. We begin with a 45 minute chat about fossils. This is probably the most useful thing we do. It teaches you what to look for, and what you might expect to see on the beach. I also try to teach you what Lyme was like 200 million years ago, why it’s a brilliant place to collect fossils and some of the things that make a fossil interesting and important. Few people leave the beach with an ichthyosaur skull or a fantastic big ammonite. However, many small fossils tell amazing stories, you will get far more pleasure from the things you find if you know a bit about them.
After the talk we walk along the sea front (either to the east or west). Most walks will go out to the east, and the richest collecting areas start when the seawall ends. As we walk along, I will tell you a bit about Mary Anning, especially as we go past the Mary Anning statue. I will also point out some of the geological features you can see in the cliffs, assuming we have a clear day. At the end of the sea wall we will have a short chat about health and safety prior to going on the beach.
On the first part of the beach we will be walking along the base of Church Cliff. We will avoid the base of this sheer cliff due to the danger of rock falls. But I will point out interesting things as we go past. Exactly what you see will depend on prevailing weather conditions. Especially in winter rockfalls and mudflows occur, storms rearrange rocks on the beach and in calm periods sand can cover the interesting geology. We will start seriously looking for fossils at the end of church cliff, the area with the remains of a big landslip that occurred in 2008. Exactly how far we walk depends on the prevailing weather conditions and which bits of the beach are best for collecting.
As we collect I will point out interesting rocks on the beach, both fossils and not fossils. You will also get to ask about what you find and see. The beach will be uneven, with plenty of trip hazards. There will also be slippery patches of mud and green algae. With care you can avoid many of these hazards, but young children will require supervision. As we are looking for fossils the pace of walk will be gentle with plenty of stops.
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