Isle of Wight · Isle of Wight
Fossil hunting at Brook Bay
Wealden beds and the remains of a fossil forest, immediately east of Compton.
Representative photography of this stretch of coast, not a photograph of the site on a particular day.
What can you find?
About the site
Brook Bay continues the Wealden exposure east of Compton. At very low tides the remains of fossilised tree trunks — the Pine Raft — can be visible on the foreshore, and bone fragments and fossil wood occur in the beach material.
The bay is quieter than Compton and worth the extra walk for anyone already on this stretch of coast.
Planning a visit
- Geological period
- Early Cretaceous (Wealden Group), around 130–125 million years old
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Suitable for children
- Not recommended for young children at this site.
- Best time to go
- Low spring tides after winter storms.
- Tides
- Foreshore exposures depend entirely on tide state — go at low water.
- Access
- Steps and an uneven path to the beach.
- Parking
- Small car park at Brook Chine.
- Walking and terrain
- Roughly 300 m to the foreshore.
- Location type
- Beach, Cliff
- Collecting
- Loose material only. Report significant finds to Dinosaur Isle.
Safety
- Unstable cliffs.
- Slippery foreshore.
- Watch the returning tide.
What to bring
- Boots
- Tide table
- Camera
Nearby fossil locations
- 01Compton BayIsle of Wight · Isle of WightDinosaur fossils · Fossilised wood · Plant fossils · BivalvesModerateFamily friendlyBeach, CliffExplore location →
- 02Yaverland, SandownIsle of Wight · Isle of WightDinosaur fossils · Fossilised wood · Plant fossils · BivalvesEasyFamily friendlyBeach, CliffExplore location →