Fossil Collecting in Cleveland and Durham, Geological Location Guides

Fossil Hunting in Durham & Cleveland

Durham is perhaps more well known for its Permian fossil fish, although these are found at working quarries. At Cleveland, the continuation of the Jurassic formations from Yorkshire, provides a few locations around the Redcar area. Redcar itself is a child safe site, with rolled fossils. Saltburn has the tallest cliffs along the East Coast where trace fossils are most common.

Redcar

This location is mostly suited to children, with plenty of rolled fossils and fragments to be found in a safe environment. Simple pick them up along a shingle bank. Close to toilets, food and drink, and excellent parking.

Saltburn

The magnificent tall jurassic cliffs at Saltburn yield ammonites, belemnites, brachiopods and bivalves from the Cleveland Ironstone of the Lower Lias. The rocks here, however can be very hard and difficult to collect from.

Skinningrove

This new town may not be the most prettiest in Cleveland, but is an ideal location for anyone interested in trace fossils. Fossil ripple marks and worm tubes are quite frequent. Bivalves are also very common. There is a large number of rocks along the beach, making walking difficult.

Cliff	Fossils collected direct from cliff face
Foreshore	Fossils collected from the foreshore
Cliff/Foreshore	Fossils collected from the cliff and foreshore
Quarry	Location is a quarry or pit
Stream	Fossils collected from a stream or river bed,
Field	Fossils collected from a farm field
Cutting	Fossils collected from road or railway cutting.
Scree Slope	Fossils collected from hill or mountain scree slope.
Rock Outcrop	Fossils collected from rock outcrops.
Lake / Reservoir	Fossils collected from lake or reservoir banks.
Microfossils	Samples taken back for processing microfossils.