Left: A birthday party with a twist - fossil hunting at Peacehaven. Right: Ammonites discovered on a guided fossil hunt at Osmington Mills.

Looking for an exciting family adventure, individual experience or special gift? Our guided fossil hunts reveal evidence of life that existed millions of years ago. Whether it's your first time fossil hunting or you're looking to expand your subject knowledge, our fossil hunts provide an enjoyable and educational experience for all. The fossil hunts usually take place in Southeast England but we're happy to discuss private tours elsewhere.

Each fossil hunt is tailored to suit the individual or group's needs and level of experience and includes an opportunity to see and handle real fossils, an introduction to the geology of the chosen area followed by a guided fossil hunt.

Two types of fossil hunt to choose from

Private fossil hunt

Intended for individuals and families/groups interested in one to one guidance at a chosen location. Recent groups have included families with children studying dinosaurs/fossils as part of a school project, clubs/companies on team building days, children's parties, tourists interested in the local geology, or simply people wanting to learn something new. A selection of recent photos can be seen further down the page. Private fossil hunts start from £200 for up to 30 people and take place throughout the year. Please contact Roy Shepherd at events@discoveringfossils.co.uk to discuss your requirements.

Public fossil hunt

These events take place on specific days throughout the year (see below) and attract families and individuals seeking a shared fossil hunting experience. Regular participants are also welcome. Everyone has an opportunity to find fossils and most people come away with several. The cost per person is: Adults £12, Children (under 16) £6. A list of forthcoming public fossil hunts and booking instructions are outlined below.

Forthcoming public fossil hunts
 

Saturday 18th Feb '12 (12:00-3:00pm) BEACHY HEAD, EAST SUSSEX

Travel back 100 million years with fossil hunter Roy Shepherd to the Late Cretaceous Epoch, a time when predatory ammonites patrolled the warm seas that covered the area. The fossil hunt begins with an introduction to the local geology and demonstration of the fossils we might encounter, followed by a two hour hunt for fossils and 'Fool's Gold' along the beach. Full details will be provided to participants by email. Adults £12, Children (under 16) £6. Unsuitable for children under 4 years. THIS FOSSIL HUNT IS FULL: Please select an alternative date below.

Saturday 17th Mar '12 (10:00am-1:00pm) BEACHY HEAD, EAST SUSSEX

Travel back 100 million years with fossil hunter Roy Shepherd to the Late Cretaceous Epoch, a time when predatory ammonites patrolled the warm seas that covered the area. The fossil hunt begins with an introduction to the local geology and demonstration of the fossils we might encounter, followed by a two hour hunt for fossils and 'Fool's Gold' along the beach. Full details will be provided to participants by email. Adults £12, Children (under 16) £6. Unsuitable for children under 4 years. PLACES AVAILABLE: To book your please follow the booking instructions below.

Saturday 7th Apr '12 (4:00-7:00pm) PEACEHAVEN, EAST SUSSEX

Travel back 83 million years with fossil hunter Roy Shepherd to the Late Cretaceous Epoch, a time when giant predatory ammonites patrolled the warm seas and the nearest land was several hundred miles away! The fossil hunt begins with an introduction to the local geology and demonstration of the fossils we might encounter, followed by a 2.5 hour fossil hunt and tour of the giant ammonites. Full details will be provided to participants by email. Adults £12, Children (under 16) £6. Unsuitable for children under 4 years. PLACES AVAILABLE: To book your please follow the booking instructions below.

Saturday 5th May '12 (3:00-6:00pm) PEACEHAVEN, EAST SUSSEX

Travel back 83 million years with fossil hunter Roy Shepherd to the Late Cretaceous Epoch, a time when giant predatory ammonites patrolled the warm seas and the nearest land was several hundred miles away! The fossil hunt begins with an introduction to the local geology and demonstration of the fossils we might encounter, followed by a 2.5 hour fossil hunt and tour of the giant ammonites. Full details will be provided to participants by email. Adults £12, Children (under 16) £6. Unsuitable for children under 4 years. PLACES AVAILABLE: To book your please follow the booking instructions below.

Saturday 2nd Jun '12 (1:30-4:30pm) PEACEHAVEN, EAST SUSSEX

Travel back 83 million years with fossil hunter Roy Shepherd to the Late Cretaceous Epoch, a time when giant predatory ammonites patrolled the warm seas and the nearest land was several hundred miles away! The fossil hunt begins with an introduction to the local geology and demonstration of the fossils we might encounter, followed by a 2.5 hour fossil hunt and tour of the giant ammonites. Full details will be provided to participants by email. Adults £12, Children (under 16) £6. Unsuitable for children under 4 years. PLACES AVAILABLE: To book your please follow the booking instructions below.

Booking instructions for public fossil hunts only

The following instructions relate to our public fossil hunts only. If you'd prefer a private fossil hunt please email us at events@discoveringfossils.co.uk to discuss your requirements.

To continue and book places on a public fossil hunt please follow steps 1-4 outlined below. Registration begins by indicating by email which event you wish to attend and how many adult and child places you require. Upon receipt of your booking request we'll respond confirming availability, health & safety information, conditions of participation and a final cost. Payment can be made online or by personal cheque, full details will be provided in our email to you.

Step 1: Registering interest

Please send an email to events@discoveringfossils.co.uk indicating which public fossil hunt you'd like to attend and how many adult and child places you require. You'll usually receive a reply within 48 hours, however sometimes is can take a little longer. You must be 18 or over to register for a public fossil hunt; children are welcome when accompanied by a registered adult who accepts responsibility for them.

Step 2: Health & Safety and conditions of participation

The email reply you receive will include an attached document explaining the activities we'll be undertaking, the hazards we may encounter and how to reduce the risk of injury to yourself and others. Like many recreational activities fossil hunting is great fun, however it can also be dangerous. Please read the document fully and if you're happy to proceed and agree with our conditions of participation, complete and return the accompanying booking form along with your payment. If you'd like to view the health and safety information in advance please click here.

Step 3: Payment

Payment can be made online or by personal cheque. If paying by cheque please follow the instructions contained within the booking email you receive. Alternatively we're happy to arrange online payment using PayPal - you can pay with all major credit or debit cards. If you're unfamiliar with PayPal or would like to discuss an alternative payment method please state this in your initial registration email.

Step 4: Confirmation of booking

Upon receipt of your completed booking form and payment you'll receive a second email confirming your places and explaining precisely where and when to meet. Please also check your emails in the days leading up to the fossil hunt in case of any last minute announcements.

If you are in doubt about how to book places or have any questions please don't hesitate to email us at events@discoveringfossils.co.uk

Recent fossil hunt photos

Left: A family enjoying a guided fossil hunt at Beachy Head. Right: A beautiful 'Pecten' bivalve exposed on the surface of a beach pebble at Beachy Head.

Left: A giant ammonite discovered at Quantoxhead. Right: A group of children discover fossils at Peacehaven.

Left: The impression of an ammonite on the surface of a chalk boulder, discovered at Beachy Head. Right: A flint echinoid discovered at Beachy Head.

Left: Roy illustrates to a class of children how prehistoric life might have looked at Peacehaven. Right: Lucinda discovers a fossilised crab at Warden Point.

Left: David Bone introduces the local geology at a large Discovering Fossils event at Bracklesham Bay. Right: Digging for nodules at the Cotswold Water Park.

Left: A fossil hunt participant discovers a fossilised piece of wood at Herne Bay. Right: Roy demonstrates how to use a geologist's hammer at Seatown.

Left: The end of a successful fossil hunt at Folkestone. Right: A bag full of interesting finds including ammonites, belemnites and shark teeth from Folkestone.

Left: A family fossil hunting at Charmouth with some of their best finds. Right: Participants with an ichthyosaur vertebra at Charmouth.

Your feedback

Sarah Eede: 'Dear Roy. I am just writing to say thank you SOOO much for a fantastic fossil hunt yesterday. EVERYONE myself included had an absolutely AMAZING day and it was ALL that the children could talk about today!! They all seem to have bought the entire rock face into school with them and the parents and children were still excited even this morning. I seem to have been deluged with photographs from parents and they are ALL asking when the next hunt will be!!! When I have compiled all of the photographs I will send you a copy. It was a truly wonderful day and it seemed like we order the weather as well. I look forward to seeing you again soon. Kind regards Sarah'.

Guy Wilkinson: 'Dear Roy, I would like to thank you for a really most enjoyable day at Beachy Head and for all your care and attention to arrangements that made it possible. All members of the family, from youngest to oldest were really enthusiastic and unanimously agreed that it was one of the best days out ever! I particularly appreciated your strategy of delayed gratification - the leaving to the end the finding of the pyrite treasure trove! I am convinced that this kind of outing is really important for children (and indeed adults) and helps them to learn persistence and patience, encourages them to look closely at the natural world around them and enhances their sense of wonder when things are found. I have seen the photos and they are am excellent memento of the day. So a warm thank you from me and or best wishes to you and your wife for the coming arrival in June.'

Peter Balm: 'Hello Roy, thank you and Rob so much for a superb introduction into fossil hunting we so much appreciated both of your efforts in helping us find so many fossils which was far and beyond our expectations. We all had a wonderful afternoon, coming away with a greater knowledge and understanding of fossils and fossil hunting and the want to go on more fossil hunts as soon as possible. I very much appreciate Rob's generosity in giving Alex the large Ammonite he found, Alex could not stop talking about it on the drive home and the wonderful experience he had. Alex summed up all of our thoughts of the fossil hunt very adequately "It's the best day out I have ever had". Thank you Roy for your excellent communications and arrangements you made for us all giving us an experience we will never forget.'

Caroline Woods: 'I just wanted to send a BIG thank you for the wonderful day on Tuesday. The children loved it – and  can’t stop talking about it! They are also very proud of their fossils, and by the sound of it will be taking their parents back down there in half term! So thank you very much for all you patience, expertise and enthusiasm. It was a wonderful day and really brought history alive for them.'

Corey Fowler: 'Am currently in Edinburgh and the poor fellow who took me to the airport yesterday had to listen to me yammering on about fossil hunting... gosh, it is so much fun...wish I had been able to do it my whole life... Anyway, thanks a million for taking us.  You are such a wealth of information and don't act bored at all even though you must be tired of talking about it at times!'

Helen Short: 'A very belated thank you for a wonderful day. We all had a great time, and have been looking at, and talking about all the fossils that were collected. All the kids were inspired, and I am sure that we will do it again soon.  Please let me know if you would like any contributions from the children for your website. We would definitely recommend it.'

Nathalie Mineau: 'I wanted to thank you for the lovely day the children spend with you yesterday. My son Lucas came back from the trip yesterday with a box full of shells and great memories. Thank you again. Their teacher Caroline was full of praise for all the hard work you have put into it and your ability to make their whole experience fun. I am very sad I could not make it but am sure Lucas will want to take me back to the beach very soon.'

Jane Gaines: 'Thanks for a wonderful day yesterday. It was  so interesting and fun; I can't say I'm tired of ammonites yet, and  I'm so thrilled with what I was able to find yesterday.'

Sam Lucas: 'Just a quick thank you for such a great day. When you know what to look for and why a day on the beach is so much more interesting. The verdict from my son and his friend was “as good as Diggerland” which is high praise indeed.'

Timothy Byard-Jones: 'Just wanted to say thanks for running such an enjoyable fossil hunt on Saturday - my daughter and I both enjoyed it immensely. It was great having such a knowledgeable and approachable expert on hand to help point out locations and identify finds.'

Clare Blades: 'I just wanted to thank you for a fantastic day fossil hunting. Our party included a wide range of ages – from four to mid-60s – and everyone commented on what a great time they had had.  The day was well-organised and very informative. We were delighted with the fossils we found and the enthusiasm with which you taught us about them.'

Julie Constain: 'Thank you so much Roy, we had a brilliant time on our fossil hunt. Aeden has proudly shown friends and family the new additions to his collection. Thank you also for your offer of assistance with the project and we may have taken you up on that but the deadline was close and we had almost finished anyway. We handed it in yesterday and it has been very well received by all, I'll let you know what mark he gets!  Your assistance on our fossil hunt was integral to the section on 'how to find a fossil' so you actually did help already. Thanks again for a great day, best wishes.'

Annie Honjo: 'I want to say thank you for such a great day. It was a superb kick-off to my five days in Dorset, definitely a holiday to remember. I have spent hundreds of pounds flying to exotic locations where I have admittedly also had a good time, but this short break has been truly memorable. Thank you once again, for a great day that I will not forget in a hurry. I am determined to do another fossil-hunting day sometime in the future, perhaps in a different location.'

Sarah Caffyn: 'I wanted to get in touch with you to thank you for the most interesting and inspiring hours that Tom and I had with you last Sunday - you gave us both a wonderful insight into a completely new field and judging from the tapping and chipping that has been going on in the kitchen ever since, a new area of inquiry and intrigue has come into our home. Thank you too for bringing down all your specimens - a very useful way of consolidating what we had learnt and found - still hard to believe that we have such a rich source of interest so close by!'

Matt Starling: 'Just a quick note to say thank you very much for a really enjoyable and interesting day.  I was really impressed with the way you, and Lucinda, were able to pass on such a depth of knowledge, whether to an inquisitive five year old or to someone much older!  You have certainly motivated us to go fossil hunting again soon and we'll keep an eye on your website to do another day with you.'

Gary Davis: 'Thanks for this info and the photo. We had a great time with you on Sat. It was a bit hot that day for our son Justin, who has Autism, but he coped very well, given that and the length of time. We certainly would recommend you to others and we will consider it next year for Justin's birthday. I am sure we will be coming with you again in the future, thank you so much for the information and hands on experience. Its also nice to mix with friendly likeminded people. Your safety was excellent. It was a lot of fun. We were worn out on our return, it must keep you very fit!'

 

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