Weston-Super-Mare Fossils and Fossil Collecting
Your Avon Geological Guide and Geology Info

Weston-Super-Mare is a fascinating geological location, underwater Volcanoes during the Carboniferous period buried all life forms and preserved them in the rocks now exposed on the foreshore and cliff. Well preserved corals, bryozoans, Algae, Bivalves and Brachiopods can be found.

Fossils are plentiful along the foreshore in the rocks, but please be aware of the SSSI Restrictions at this site.

(Not Suitable for Families/Children)

This coastline has very difficult terrain, the rocks are sharp and coarse. This location is for the fossil enthusiast/professional and is not suited for the beginner or families.

Although parking is easy and access to the shore is not that difficult, their is firstly a short walk along boggy salt marsh to get to the cliff and then once that is achieved the whole coastline is hard going.

Foreshore, Cliff

The corals and crinoids are mostly found on the rocks around the foreshore but can also be seen in the cliff face. The rocks are extremely hard.

Other Similar Locations

Kinghorn and Elie are similar to Weston-Super-Mare, having carboniferous volcanic rocks mixed with tuff and basalt flows.

Weston-Super-Mare is an excellent location for corals, other similar locations for Carboniferous Corals are;Parkhouse Hill, Portishead in Avon. Mortimer Forest, Shadwell Quarry, Upper Millichope , Llanymynech Quarry, and Wenlock Quarry, Wenlock Edge in the Shropshire District and Castleton in the Derbyshire district.. Along the South West Coast, you can also collect Devonian Corals from Torquay along Hopes Nose and Daddy Hole. In South West Wales, you can also find Silurian Corals from Freshwater East, Marloes Sands. In Scotland, you can also find corals at St Monans. From South Wales, Carboniferous Corals can be found at Lydstep Headland, West Angle Bay and Manorbier Bay.

For Corals from Younger period, the Coralline Crag at Ramsholt makes ideal collecting.