I run private fossil hunting trips from either Lyme Regis or Charmouth the sessions last for 2 1/2 hours and include a short safety brief beforehand and a short talk about the area. Before heading down the beach you will be able to familiarise yourself with some of the most common fossils found along the Jurassic Coast. The cost of the sessions start at £120 for a party up to 6 people, If you have a larger party there is an additional charge of £10 per extra person, up to a max party size of 10 people 

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Meeting for the guided fossil walks is in Lyme Regis or Charmouth depending on where you would like to collect and full details are sent out after booking.

 

Any fossils that you find yourself are yours to keep! If I spot and ichthyosaur I may be keeping it, but if you are on the walk and you find something like that while searching, then that will be yours! finders keepers :)

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There is a wealth of fossil material which can be picked up straight from the beach without the use of a hammer which is ideal for parties with small children, I always carry my full kit and I am always keeping my eye out for juicy rocks to whack. 

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While on the walk I'll be teaching you what rocks to look out for and the signs which might give clues as to what might be inside, this will hopefully give you a good base knowledge so if you come again you'll have a much better idea of what to look out for while on the beach, upping your chances of making a find of a lifetime.

 

Having an experts brain on tap for 2 hours will knock years off your fossil collecting journey. I am an experienced fossil preparator so if you find something special I can advise on how to go about getting them professionally prepared.

 

My aim for the walk is for you to come away with an appreciation for our amazing coast line and its awesome history (and a bag of fossils!) and have gained knowledge that will give you the confidence to identify what you are seeing on the beach.

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For availability please email me direct at info@thefossilacademy.com or use the contact form on the home page.

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Fossil walks are very tide dependant, tides run on a cycle of neap tides (when there is very little movement of water) and spring tides (when there is a greater movement of water) so in lay mans terms, during the neap tides there is very little beach to collect on which means you are forced to search in the danger zone near to the base of the cliffs. For this reason you will find that guides (including myself) don't run walks during this period. 

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Spring tides after a huge storm are the perfect conditions for fossil collecting.

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Walks are subject to being cancelled due to very bad weather, persistent winds over 35mp, lightening storms and heavy snow will make the conditions too unsafe to run the walks. I keep my eye on the weather leading up to a booked session and will always keep you informed. Bit of rain is fine though.