• According to a new study, Walton-on-the-Naze is the best place to find fossils in the U.K.
• The resort town is filled with shark teeth, fossilized wood, and ancient plant artifacts.
• Places such as Folkestone, Bracklesham Bay, Seaford Head, and Warden Point are also great places to hunt for fossils.

During large periods of Earth’s geological history, huge swaths of the United Kingdom were immersed beneath a prehistoric sea. Fast forward to today, the U.K., with its iconic limestone cliffs, is considered one of the most exciting places to hunt for prehistoric fossils in Europe. Recently, the British train company South Western Railway released a study rounding up the country’s best fossil destinations—and there’s one place in particular that you should plan to visit if you want to take up the hunt.

For its analysis, it took a look at 23 coastal locations and analyzed the odds of finding fossils at each, based upon factors such as fossil abundance, rock type, and recorded finds. It also took into account each destination’s “weather score,” based on average sunshine and rainfall. It then compiled a list of the 10 most enjoyable places to visit if you want to channel “Jurassic Park”‘s Alan Grant.

“The U.K.’s stunning coastline holds a treasure trove of prehistoric wonders waiting to be discovered. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or a family looking for a fun day out, the nation’s beaches and cliffs offer plenty of opportunities to find fascinating fossils from millions of years ago,” SWR said in its report. “With sites ranging from the towering white cliffs of East Sussex to the unique sandy shores of Dorset, there’s a fossil hunting spot for everyone.” 

After evaluating all the data, it named Walton-on-the-Naze in Essex the best place to find fossils in the U.K.

“Walton-on-the-Naze claims the top spot as the U.K.’s best fossil hunting location,” the company reported. “As well as being a popular seaside holiday spot, this town is renowned for its abundance of fossil finds, scoring a fossil find frequency of 5/5. The Red Crag formation is a hotspot for fossils from the Paleogene period, dating back 65.5 to 23 million years. Common discoveries include shark teeth, fossil wood, and plant fossils—including a megalodon shark tooth that was found in 2023.”

Coming in a close second is Folkestone in Kent. Your best chance of spotting a fossil here is at low tide when you “might even find pterosaur bone fragments, among other reptile bones” in the area’s gault clay (a type of sedimentary rock). 

Bracklesham Bay in West Sussex, which is “renowned for its Paleogene fossils dating back over 65 million years,” came in third place. In fourth is Seaford Head in East Sussex (head here for echinoids, belemnites, and bivalves), while Warden Point on the Isle of Sheppey rounded out the top five.