Folkestone Fossil Collecting and Geological Guide to Kent and thousands of photos

Fossils and fossil collecting in
Folkestone, Kent
Location summary information for collecting fossils in Folkestone, Kent

Folkestone

The best location for collecting fossils from the Gault, highly rich in fossils. Famous for its wide variety of ammonites. Many other fossils can be found such as Shells, Crabs, Crinoids, Belemnites, Echinoid's & more. Folkestone also has chalk cliffs for variety.

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Location Information
	Folkestone is highly fossiliferious but most fossils are very fragile, so ensure you wrap them well and treat as soon as you get home or treat onsite. The best time to collect is during scouring conditions or storms when fossils can be found lying on the foreshore.
	(Not Suitable for Children) Unfortunately, hard greensand blocks from beds below Gault make this location very difficult for children, the rocks can be very slippery and dangerous. Extreme care should be taken. It is best to collect from both the Northern or Southern ends where there are less rocks during scouring conditions.
	*You can park at the cliff top, and then walk down to the beach, it is a fair walk down to the beach and especially hard during after heavy rain when rainfall makes the steps very slippery.*
	Foreshore, Cliff Most of the fossils can be found on the foreshore especially after storms or scouring conditions, but fossils are also commonly found in the cliffs, if you know the zones and are after particular fossils from certain horizons, then you may wish to consider taking a trowel or pick to collect directly from the cliff. For anyone just interested in finding all types of fossil, the foreshore is the best place.
ACCESS RIGHTS	SSSI Please click here to download the SSSI Report, including restrictions and information.

Grid Reference

British National Grid	TR 24411 36723
Degrees	51.08590°N, 1.20292°E

! IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTES !

Common sense when collecting at all locations should be taken and knowledge of tide times should always be noted.

During winter months it can sometimes be very sticky. The tide always hits the headlands of Folkestone, so be careful on the tides. At the headlands from the Warren, care must be taken when climbing over the rocks, these are very slippery and dangerous. Cliff falls are common, ensure that no cliff face is overhanging if looking at the base of the cliff on the scree slopes. The scree slopes themselves can be dangerous as one can sink in the soft clay.

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