Reighton fossils and fossil collecting
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Medium
Fossils found here will mostly be from the Boulder Clay, and will be fossils such as Corals and Crinoids of the Carboniferous period, ammonites, molluscs and belemnites of Jurassic age, and Cretaceous echinoids. However, during scouring tides when the Kimmeridge Clay is exposed, you can find flat ammonites and shells.
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Suitable for Children
This location is suitable for children, but they may need help getting down, as the concrete path has badly slipped and cracked. The beach itself has soft sands and ideal for children. |
Fair Access
Free parking at the top of the cliff with a slipway down, and you can immediately start finding fossils as soon as you enter the beach. Unfortunately the slipway down has now badly slipped and has some deep gaps between the concrete path down and large cracks.
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Cliffs, Foreshore
You can find fossils in the scree, foreshore exposure and in the cliff face. The sea often washes out fresh material, so there is always plenty to look through. Most of the fossils found here will be from the boulder clay.
Often, especially after high tides, the sea will sieve the clay for you, taking all of the fine clay material away, and dumping all the rocks and fossils along the foreshore, making it easy pickings for fossil hunters. The best fossils are found by splitting rocks. |
No Restrictions
There are no restrictions at this site, hammering and collecting is permitted. However we ask that you follow our fossil code of conduct which can be found in the link below.
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Common sense when collecting at all locations should be taken. Take care when walking down the slipway and be sure to return before the tide turns. The tide often reaches the base of the cliff. Keep away from the cliffs at all times.
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Reighton
Tide Times
UK Tidal data is owned by Crown Copyright, and therefore sadly we are not allowed to display tide times without paying expensive annual contracts. However we sell them via our store, including FREE POSTAGE
Click here to buy a tide table |
| Last updated: |
2010 |
| last visited: |
2010 |
| Written by: |
Alister and Alison Cruickshanks |
Locations similar to Reighton
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In North Yorkshire, Reighton Gap and Cayton Bay also have Boulder Clay, but the best place for Boulder Clay fossils is the whole coastline South of Bridlington to Easington, known as the Holderness Coastline. Due to the rapid erosion along that part of the coast, access is always changing. But locations of Mappleton, Easington, Tunstall, Ulrome, Withernsea and Tunstall are accessible. If you enjoy collecting from Boulder Clay why not try the Suffolk Coast. There are plenty of locations to visit including, Happisburgh, Pakefield, Gisleham Quarry, or Corton.
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Most of the fossils found at Reighton, come from the Boulder Clay. These fossils are erratic's, in other words, they do not come from the actual deposits that they are found in. The fossils were brought down during the last ice age, dragged from the North trapped in giant ice sheets and dumped here.
You can find almost anything from the Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks of Yorkshire and also a number of Carboniferous rocks. Fossils include ammonites, belemnites, echinoid's, corals and mollusc's, being the most common, but also reptile remains if you are luckily. Whilst this makes it more exciting, you can never fully date these fossils as it is impossible to tell exactly what bed they are from.
Search the scree, slipped material and foreshore for fossils. Often the sea will do most of the work for you, acting like a giant sieve, and dropping all the fossils along the foreshore. The fossils can be well hidden, trapped in the clay and around rocks. Some of the best fossils are inside the rocks, so it is ideal to take a hammer to break these rocks. Look for the signs of fossil evidence. For example, there are a number of rocks full of worn ammonites on the outside. If you split these rocks using a splitting chisel, you will find many complete ammonites in excellent condition inside!
If you are luckily enough to have the Kimmeridge Cay exposed, which is often seen on the foreshore during scouring conditions, then flattened ammonites and bivalves can be found. The Kimmeridge exposed zones are those from the hudlestoni to lower pectinatus. Shortly after Boulder clay follows with the start of the Speeton Formation at Speeton.
The Boulder Clay at Reighton Gap often covers the Kimmeridge Clay
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Jurassic & Pleistocene |
The blue-grey Kimmeridge Clay is sometimes exposed on the foreshore at Reighton, but is often covered up with slipped Boulder Clay forming the cliffs. The Boulder Clay (which is a reddish, brown), was deposited during the Devensian glaciation period (Pleistocene age). Within these deposits, you will find many erratics, and it is these that contain the Jurassic, Carboniferous and Cretaceous fossils...[more]
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A block of shells from the Boulder Clay
Geological Tools
During scouring tides, fossils can be simply picked up from the foreshore, however picks and knives are handy to get fossils out of the clay.
A pick is handy for the Boulder clay, but generally, all you need is a good eye. Remember to wrap your finds. A hammer may also come in handy to break any rocks.
Trainers or walking boots will be fine, unless you are visiting after exceptionally high tides, where the clay may be quite sticky on the beach
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Stone Tumblers |
Microscopes |
Test Sieves for Microfossils |
If you are interested in fossil collecting, then you may also be interested in a stone tumbler (Lapidary). You can polish stones and rocks from the beach which
will look fantastic polished using a stone tumbler.
You can polish rough rock and beach glass whilst collecting fossils, on those days where you come back empty handed.
These are all high quality machines to give a professional finish to your samples. They can even be used for amber and fossils. |
At most locations, you can find microfossils. You only need a small sample of the sand. You then need to wash it in water and sieve using a test sieve. Once the sand is processed, you can then view the contents using a microscope.
We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereomicroscope for viewing microfossils. The best one we sell is the IMXZ, but a basic microscope will be fine. Once you have found microfossils, you will need to store these microfossils.
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Test Sieves are used when searching for microfossils. Microfossils can be found in many locations, and all you need is a small amount of sample such as clays, sands and shales, or if you have acid, limestone, oolite or chalk.
Our UKGE Store sells Endecotts Test Sieves, which are the highest in accuracy and extremely durable and long lasting. These Test Sieves are fantastic for microfossils. Endecotts Test Sieves come in a variety of sizes, frame material and types, they are certificated to EU Standards. |
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To the North of the village of Reighton, along the A165, you will see signs to the Reighton Sands Holiday Village. Take this road. 
