Guided Fossil Hunting Expeditions of Charmouth & Lyme Regis
on the Stunning Geological Jurassic Dorset Coast
Join a Fossil Walk in Charmouth or Lyme Regis.
Guided fossil walks and fossil hunts from Lyme Regis and Charmouth led by local journalist Nigel Clarke, author of:
"Lyme Bay Fossils Jurassic Beach Guide" (48,560 copies sold to date).
New Mary Anning book available on kindle. At last the book is finished. I will be printing a hard copy but an edition can be down loaded to a Kindle Reader. Search for the title:
"Mary Anning. A life on the rocks.
To Book a Private Fossil Walk for a Group or Individual Family please phone: 07808-321438 or 01297-561577
"Turn up and Go" Fossil Walks are held on a regular basis during school holidays and normally start in Charmouth.
See below for details of where to meet etc.
Diary - January 2012
There has been some movement in the shingle of the beach which has exposed more fossils on the beach at Charmouth. The wet weather has caused a few mud slides. I am always amazed at how the storms push the shingle from one part of the beach to another and this year so far we have had some strong winds and big storms. Lots of belemnites anda few ammonites.
When I have not been leading Fossil Expeditions, I have been working on a new book about our local Fossil Hunter Mary Anning which is now available on Amazon as a Kindle book. The Ichthyosaur Skull she and her brother Joseph discovered and extracted 200 years ago is on display at Lyme Regis Museum to celebrate the anniversary.
The Lyme Regis Annual Fossil Festival 2012
The Lyme Regis Fossil Festival takes place in 2012 from the 1st - 4th May.For full details on the event, go to www.fossilfestival.com
The Fossil Festival is the highlight of the Fossil year, with lectures on palaeontology by leading experts and displays of locally found fossils. It is also the time that the Natural History Museum of London, embarks to the seaside for their annual exhibit at the Festival.
Further details will be posted here.
"MARY ANNING 1799-1847"
A LIFE ON THE ROCKS
At last I have finished the Mary Anning book, although at present it is only available on the Amazon Kindle reader. Lots of sweat, mistakes and time. Load down a sample of the book and have a look at it. I enjoyed doing the research and I will be taking it to a printed copy. The book went live this week 1st November. (Yippee four copies bought, well it has to start some where). I have now put further books up on the Kindle "An Account of Weymouth,Portland and The Chesil," a Guide to Bath and a history of the Monmouth Rebellion. I have also put on a Lyme Regis (West Dorset & East Devon) Tide Table 2012. The tables have not loaded as I would have liked but it is available online. The tables contain predictions for Portland,Lyme Regis and Exmouth.
Nigel Clarke - January 2012
Fossil Walks - When and Where?
If you would like to book a private fossil hunting walk to fit in with your own schedule, please contact me to discuss a date and time at your convenience.
Contact details are: 07808 321438 or 01297 561577
or email: nigel@njcpublications.co.uk
Where Do We Meet? This is important....
Charmouth:
The fossil walks meet at the Cafe on the Beach at Charmouth, which is located on the east side of the River Char.
Cross over the bridge from the carpark. I will be there about 20 minutes prior to the start. I will give a 20 minute talk about the fossils in the area around Charmouth and Lyme Regis, then it's down to the beach to go hunting ammonites and belemnites.
Fossil hammers can be hired at the cafe if required.
Please - no dogs, as they are banned from Charmouth Beach all year.
Lyme Regis:
The walk meets by the Anchor in the carpark at Cobb Gate, near the Town Clock and bus stop.
Fossil Walks & the English Weather
The fossil walks are subject to the weather. If the rain is coming down in huge amounts and the occasional tree sails by in the wind, then I doubt I will be taking a group. If in doubt please telephone me on 07808-321438 to confirm. (Even ammonites do not like heavy rain).
Low Water Predictions Charmouth
I publish tide tables and have listed the times of low water on this site for the coming month for Charmouth. The times of low water are the only period that you can walk along the beach to Lyme Regis. There is a safe window of about 1 hour either side of low water otherwise you will have to walk back along the beach to Charmouth. In Lyme, there is a connecting bus service back to Charmouth or taxis are available. Alternatively, it is possible to trudge over the cliffs back to Charmouth.
Cost of a fossil walk/ hunt is: £2.50 per child and £5.00 per adult
Your Guide, Nigel Clarke, is an established and award winning local journalist, author and historian, who regularly contributes to magazines and newspapers. He has been a fossil guide on the beaches of Charmouth and Lyme Regis for over twenty years.
Nigel also leads a short historical walk that explains the history of the Cobb at Lyme Regis, its fossils and hidden carvings.
A visit to the Aquarium can also be arramged to include a talk about the fish, local sealife, crabs and other crutaceans.
Nigel has given talks to local groups and at local museums and is able to provide educational talks or walks for local schools and tourists. He has an extensive knowledge of the cliffs and walks of this Jurassic coastline, is an active member of the Lyme Regis Coastguard Team and has dived many of the local shipwrecks, susequently publishing an award winning book on the subject:
The "Shipwreck Guide to Dorset and South Devon" details over 200 shipwrecks off the coast, together with GPS data and depth.
To see the extensive list of local publications please click on the linkbelow: www.nigelclarkepublications.co.uk.
Black Ven taken from Stonebarrow 17th December 2010.
Fossil Coast Charmouth
(First ever snow ascent of Stonebarrow).Spot the polar bear competition. Please place a cross where you think the bear is!
