Hastings fossils and fossil collecting |
|
Not for children
Access to the beach can be difficult for younger children now that the old official way down is badly eroded. The foreshore is also very rocky. Keep away from the base of the cliffs.
|
Fair Access
Access to the foreshore at Hastings is easy to find, being right next to a very large car park, where there are toilets and several food outlets/shops. You don't have to walk very far, but, be warned that the beach can be very rocky and access can be difficult, due to the heavily eroded ramp and steps.
|
Foreshore, Cliffs
Most of the fossils at Hastings can be found on the foreshore, especially after storms and scouring conditions. However, fossils are also commonly found at the base of the cliff in the scree slopes. Extreme care must be taken and hard hats should be worn at all times if collecting near the base of the cliff.
|
No Restrictions
There are no restrictions at this location, but please follow our own code of conduct for all locations.
|
Hastings
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
|
As always, common sense when collecting should be used and you should check tide times before going, as the sea always reaches the base of the cliff at high tide. Note that many people each year are cut off by the tide. The other important thing to note is the danger of falling debris from the high cliffs. Stay away from the foot of the cliff and, if you are breaking rocks, do so well away from the cliff, as hammer vibrations can cause debris to fall. Hard hats should be worn.
|
| Last updated: |
2012 |
| last visited: |
2012 |
| Written by: |
Alister and Alison Cruickshanks |
| Edited by: |
Jon Trevelyan |
Other Locations similar to Hastings
|
For other similar locations, try nearby Bexhill, and Cooden.
You can also collect from Fairlight, a similar age and just up the coast. Looking for more good fossil hunting trips? Why not try the following locations which are all very good for finding fossils...
Whitby, Bracklesham, Kettleness, Eastbourne, Hope, Staithes
Quantoxhead, Fishguard, Abereiddy, Whitehaven, Aust, Hunstanton,
|
|
  |
|
|
  |
|
|
There is a wide variety of fossils to be found at Hastings, from dinosaur bones (mostly fragments) to complete fish. Small teeth are quite common, especially sharks’ teeth, such as Hybodus. The most common fish is Lepidotes, the scales of which can be found in the rocks and clay.
Keep an eye open for dinosaur footprints, the most common being from Iguanodon. These are quite hard to find, but look for three indentations, where it looks as if something has pressed into the soft rock. In addition, you can find crocodile bones and teeth (other reptile remains have also been found here), a number of different bivalves and gastropods, and a few varieties of plants (especially Equisetites, which is a horsetail).
Success at Hastings is often subject to beach conditions. The ideal time to visit is after exceptional high tides and storms. A good scour will clear away the shingle and allow you to search the foreshore for bones, shells, teeth and plants. Fossils can generally be found anywhere along the foreshore. You should search around the areas of clay and examine the rocks, because most of the bones and fish remains are found in these hard blocks. Many small teeth can be collected from the clay, especially at Rock-A-Nore itself. Search in the clay and mud of the scree slopes, especially after heavy rain. In these conditions, fossils are washed out and often just waiting to be picked up.
Iguanodon footprints are common at Hastings, but hard to identify.
|
 |
Cretaceous,130mya |
The high sandstone cliffs at Rock-A-Nore are part of the Upper Ashdown Formation and are overlain by shales and sandstones from the Wadhurst Clay. These are from the Wealden Group from the Valanginian Age of the Lower Cretaceous. The Ashdown formation is split into two parts, with the majority of the cliff at Rock-A-Nore made up of the Ashdown Sandstone, but, as you walk towards Ecclesbourne Glen (where there is a large waterfall), the Fairlight Clay is exposed in the lower part of the cliff and foreshore........[more]
|
 
Many fossils can be found on the foreshore and in the scree slopes, but the best fossils are normally found in the hard rocks on the beach. For this reason, you will need to bring a hammer and chisel to extract them. |
|
Estwing Geological |
Meteorites |
Microscopy |
For high quality, steel hammers, Estwing are the best make. They are solid forged. Estwing Geological Hammers come as either Chisel or Pointed picks. We sell Estwing Hammers via our webshop and Estwing Geological Pointed Picks.
We also sell the classic British Geological Hammer in Hickory, Steel or Fibre Glass Handles. As well as over 10,000 related geological tools, equipment, books and maps via our store. UKGE, specialising in Geological and MIcroscopy tools and equipment. |
Meteorites can be found all over the world. Often, large pieces are broken down either naturally or by hand, or sliced and sold as small fragments, each fall is well documented. Meteorites are very collectable, especially ones of Mars or Moon rocks.
We sell Meteorites, which are in stock and mostly come in a display boxs. Our meteorites are from all over the world and include Mars and Moon Meteorites, and rocks from outer space. For more information, please see our meteorite page.
|
For viewing the tiny teeth and microfossils from Hastings, we have a wide range of microscopes for sale, a Stereomicroscope will be needed for viewing these fossils. The most popular is our IMXZ which comes with zoom control, but a basic microscope will be fine.
At most locations, you can find microfossils. Often, only a small amount of sample is needed. You then need to wash it in water and sieve using a test sieve. Once it is processed, you can then view the contents using the microscope.
|
|
|
The cliffs at Hastings are best accessed from the large car park at ‘Rock-A-Nore’. Simply follow the Hastings seafront eastwards and head towards the ‘Old Town’. This is also the road to the well-known fishing tackle shops. Nearby, there are toilets and several food outlets/shops.
