The best fossil hunting beaches in the UK

Three things: soft, fossil-bearing rock that erodes steadily; a foreshore you can walk safely on a falling tide; and a supply of fresh material after storms. Fame matters less than people assume — several of the best British beaches are quiet.

• Charmouth, Dorset — the best all-round beginner's beach in Britain
• Lyme Regis, Dorset — ammonites, belemnites and two centuries of history
• Whitby, North Yorkshire — ammonites, belemnites and jet
• Runswick Bay, North Yorkshire — sheltered, sandy, full of nodules
• Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire — vast rock scars at low tide
• Compton Bay, Isle of Wight — dinosaur footprint casts on the foreshore
• Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex — the most reliable shark teeth in the south-east
• Herne Bay, Kent — London Clay within easy reach of London
• Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex — no cliffs, safe, and rich in Eocene material
• Dunraven Bay, Glamorgan — layered Lias cliffs and an accessible foreshore

Every one of these sites is tidal, and several have genuine cut-off risks. Check the tide, read the safety notes on the location page, and treat the cliffs as something to look at rather than something to approach.