Fossil Hunting in Northumberland
The county of Northumberland has Carboniferous rocks. Most of these locations will yield brachiopods, crinoids, corals and plant remains. There is an excellent location for Carboniferous plant remains at Seaton Sluice. Beaches such as Howick and Beadnell have excellent quick access which are suitable for children to visit. There is plenty of fossils to collect here with a mixture of Limestone and Shale along the coast. |
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Seaton Sluice at the north end of Whitley Bay is an excellent chance to collect fossils from the Carboniferous coal measures. Coal itself can be seen in the rocks which are also rich in plant remains, corals and bivalves. An easy location to access and fossils are common. |
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Blocks of shale packed with Carboniferous brachiopods and more can be collected at Beadnell. The location is a great one to explore, with excellent access and also suitable for children. |
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Blocks of shale packed with Carboniferous brachiopods and more can be collected at Beadnell. The location is a great one to explore, with excellent access and also suitable for children. |
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A good location at which to find a range of Carboniferous fossils, including crinoidal limestone and corals, as well as plant remains and trace fossils in sandstone. |
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A good location at which to find a range of Carboniferous fossils, including crinoidal limestone and corals, as well as plant remains and trace fossils in sandstone. |
 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. |
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Fossils are common |
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Fossils often found |
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Fossils are not common |
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Fossils rarely found |
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Site protected, no collecting permitted, or no access to beach |
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Quaternary
Neogene
Palaeogene
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Cretaceous
Jurassic
Triassic |
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Permian
Carboniferous
Devonian
Silurian
Ordovician
Cambrian / Pre Cambrian |
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