Kent · Kent
Fossil hunting at Herne Bay
London Clay on the north Kent coast, producing shark teeth, fossil wood and crabs.
Representative photography of this stretch of coast, not a photograph of the site on a particular day.
What can you find?
- Shark teethSmall, glossy, triangular teeth weathered out of Eocene and Pliocene beds.Identify →
- Fossilised woodDriftwood and tree remains replaced by minerals, sometimes as jet or lignite.Identify →
- GastropodsFossil snails, coiled into a cone rather than a flat spiral.Identify →
- BivalvesFossil shellfish with two matching valves, common on most marine sites.Identify →
About the site
The coast between Herne Bay and Reculver exposes the Eocene London Clay, one of the richest fossil clays in Britain. Shark teeth, fossil wood, crustaceans and shells wash out of the foreshore and collect in the shingle.
The beach is flat and safe, the walk east towards Reculver is pleasant, and the finds are small but frequent. It is the most convenient serious fossil site for anyone travelling from London.
Planning a visit
- Geological period
- Eocene (London Clay), around 54–50 million years old
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Suitable for children
- Yes, with supervision and attention to the tide and cliffs.
- Best time to go
- Low tide after winter storms, which expose fresh clay on the foreshore.
- Tides
- Work a falling tide; the productive foreshore is covered at high water.
- Access
- Level promenade along much of the frontage with ramps to the beach.
- Parking
- Car parks along the Herne Bay seafront and at Reculver.
- Walking and terrain
- Beach access immediate; 3 km along the coast to Reculver.
- Location type
- Beach
- Collecting
- Surface collecting on the beach is generally accepted. Do not dig into the cliffs or sea defences.
Safety
- Low cliffs east of the town are soft and can slump — keep clear.
- Foreshore clay is slippery.
- Do not become stranded on the far side of a rising tide.
What to bring
- Sieve
- Wellies
- Kneeling mat
- Small pots for teeth
Nearby fossil locations
- 01Warden Point, Isle of SheppeyKent · KentShark teeth · Fossilised wood · Plant fossils · GastropodsModerateBeach, CliffExplore location →
- 02Folkestone WarrenKent · KentAmmonites · Bivalves · Gastropods · BelemnitesModerateBeach, Cliff, Geological siteExplore location →
- 03Walton-on-the-NazeEssex · EssexShark teeth · Gastropods · Bivalves · Fossilised woodEasyFamily friendlyBeach, CliffExplore location →