Speeton fossils and fossil collecting
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 Take the 'New Road' off the A165 to reach the B1229. From here, a road leads down to the village of Speeton and you can park along the road at the bottom of the village and walk to the beach.
Alternatively you can park at the Holiday Village at Reighton Gap and then proceed along the beach until you reach Speeton. This is mostly the best option.
UPDATE: The descend to the beach in 2009 has been washed away, and is now very seep. We do not recommend families to this location, other than via Reighton.
GRID REF: 54.16254°N, 0.23310°W
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Sometimes suitable
This location is sometimes suitable for children. The problem is the site changes frequently, with times of excellent access and other times of poor access with a steep decline. There is a lovely sandy beach for children to play, which extends quite a way out. This is an ideal day out for the family, but access may have to be made from Reighton. |
Good Access
Access to Speeton CAN BE fairly quick and easy, with parking facilities. The problem is that this location frequently changes. It is generally a short walk to the shore, and from here you can almost start collecting right away.
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Cliffs, Foreshore
Most of the fossils can be found on the foreshore especially after storms or scouring conditions, but fossils are also commonly found in the cliff and scree slopes. |
No Restrictions
There are no restrictions at this site, hammering and collecting is permitted. However we ask that you follow our fossil code of conduct which can be found in the link below.
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Common sense when collecting at all locations should be taken and knowledge of tide times should always be noted. The Speeton Clay can be very sticky and you should take care not to get stuck in the clay.
The cliffs are always crumbling, cliff falls are common especially after heavy rain, so please keep away from the base of the cliff where it overhangs.
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Speeton
Tide Times
UK Tidal data is owned by Crown Copyright, and therefore sadly we are not allowed to display tide times without paying expensive annual contracts. However we sell them via our store, including FREE POSTAGE
Click here to buy a tide table |
| Last updated: |
2008 |
| last visited: |
2008 |
| Written by: |
Alister and Alison Cruickshanks |
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Geological Tools
During scouring tides, fossils can be simply picked up from the foreshore, however picks and knives are handy to get fossils out of the clay.
In general you don't need any tools, but we do recommend taking paper to wrap your finds and something to put your finds in such as our field collecting boxes which can be collected from our store.
When cleaning your fossils, an old toothbrush will come in very handy to wash away the clay.
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Locations similar to Speeton
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Most of the fossils at Speeton can be found by searching at the base of the cliff and scree slopes especially after heavy rain or winter high tides. Heavy rain washes fossils down from the clay and these can be picked up at the base. Sometimes the foreshore can be scoured out and this also makes excellent collecting opportunity. Sometimes fossils can be seen sticking out of the cliff face, but the vast majority are found at the base or foreshore.
You can also visit the chalk both the red chalk and white chalk. Search the foreshore boulders for fossils such as Echinoid's and Belemnites.
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Cretaceous, 100 mya |
The Speeton Clay is part of the Aptian to Middle Albian from the Cretaceous. At Speeton the Speeton Clay formation is split into 4 beds, Bed A, B, C and D. Beds D Start from just past the Reighton Gap holiday camp past New Closes cliff, Beds C start from Black cliff up to Speeton Beck and Beds B and A start from Speeton Beck up to Red Cliff hole. The entire formation is usually slipped, so it is often very difficult to pinpoint any particular horizon without finding the relevant fossils...[more]
Speeton Clay (Right), Chalk and Red chalk (Middle), Glacial left
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There is a huge variety of fossils found at Speeton, of course from the famous Speeton Clay, but also from the Red Chalk. Fossils from the Speeton Clay include many Ammonites, the uncoiled Aegocriocers are quite common. Endemoceras regale, Nautilus and many small pyritised Ammonites are often found. It is not just Ammonites that make the Speeton Clay so interesting, Belemnites , many different types of shells and remains are found. The Speeton Shrimp "Meyeria ornata" is one of the most talked about though many other important finds such as Icthyosaur bones and other reptile remains do crop up from time to time.
The Red Chalk both yields the occasional Ammonites, Belemnites and shells, their is a small exposure to the North of the Speeton Clay.
Ammonites from Speeton....[more]
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Stone Tumblers |
Microscopes |
Test Sieves for Microfossils |
If you are interested in fossil collecting, then you may also be interested in a stone tumbler (Lapidary). You can polish stones and rocks from the beach which
will look fantastic polished using a stone tumbler.
You can polish rough rock and beach glass whilst collecting fossils, on those days where you come back empty handed.
These are all high quality machines to give a professional finish to your samples. They can even be used for amber and fossils. |
At most locations, you can find microfossils. You only need a small sample of the sand. You then need to wash it in water and sieve using a test sieve. Once the sand is processed, you can then view the contents using a microscope.
We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereomicroscope for viewing microfossils. The best one we sell is the IMXZ, but a basic microscope will be fine. Once you have found microfossils, you will need to store these microfossils.
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Test Sieves are used when searching for microfossils. Microfossils can be found in many locations, and all you need is a small amount of sample such as clays, sands and shales, or if you have acid, limestone, oolite or chalk.
Our UKGE Store sells Endecotts Test Sieves, which are the highest in accuracy and extremely durable and long lasting. These Test Sieves are fantastic for microfossils. Endecotts Test Sieves come in a variety of sizes, frame material and types, they are certificated to EU Standards. |
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