Fossil Hunting on the Jurassic Coast

How is that fossil hunting can make you feel like a child?  There was just something that took me back through the years to a childhood growing up on the South Coast.  The waves were gentle today, the sky mostly blue with cotton wool clouds.  The pebbles are the same shades as those on the Sussex coast.  Perhaps that is what took me back.  It was a surprise to me when I moved to Somerset that the beach pebbles,  and the soil, could be so different. . 

Wandering on the Dorset Beach at Charmouth was reminiscent of the beach where I spent so much of my childhood.   Except for the cliffs!  The cliffs at Charmouth are crumbling,  falls are obvious, but each fall seems to bring a huge variety of fossils.  

Growing up on the South Coast,  there were few fossils, but we spent hours searching for lucky pebbles with holes.  I've never really discovered how the holes wear right through, but it just feels natural to me to search for them.  As a child I found very few, as an adult I find many, and I always think of my sister with each one 😊.

We arrived early after staying over last night in Seaton.  A good cooked breakfast set us up and walking boots on we ambled along the beach.  We were all surprised by how many people were there.  It's March, a fine day admittedly,  but goodness it must get busy in the summer.  Not only adults,  but school groups.  Our hopes of finding anything sunk.

I should explain that I also collect beach glass, it's also not easy to find and I'm easily pleased 😄.  So along with pebbles with holes, beach glass,  and some random fossils,  I'm pretty pleased with my horde this weekend. 

My fossil and beach glass collection from Charmouth. 

My lucky pebbles from Seaton 😄.  I'll string them and hang them in the summer house. 

Other half's fossil.  Maybe he goes for quality over quantity 🤔.  It just needs a bit work.

Fossil hunting at Charmouth. 

Charmouth Beach

Seaton on a Sunday evening in March was peaceful.  I knew that a small seaside town in March would be quiet.

The beach, where we picked up most of the lucky pebbles, was very pleasant.  

Finding somewhere to eat was not so easy, but after a stroll around the town we discovered Monsoon, a friendly Indian Restaurant with great food.

Seaton does have an historic electric tramway.  I suspect its mostly used by tourists, but it's someone's dream and tracks through Seatons Wetland, a nature reserve.   

Restored trams take you on a journey through the Wetlands. 

You can alight at various halts.

Sunset at Seaton. 

We’ve had a really great mini break, with family, on a small section of the Jurassic Coast.  I don't know how we had missed this area for so long, it's only an hour and a half from home.  We'll visit again,  I'm sure.