Beginner’s Guide to Fossil Hunting in Penarth, Wales
Before we went fossil hunting in Penarth, we thought it was something only an expert could do and didn’t realise how simple it could be.
If you are anything like us, then fossils have always been a source of intrigue. For Liam especially, finding a dinosaur fossil has been a dream of his ever since he was little.
While we didn’t hit the jackpot on this trip like these lucky guys, we did find lots of other cool fossils that made it totally worthwhile and lots of fun.
If you want to try something new, and fancy yourself as a fossil hunter, then keep reading our beginners guide to fossil hunting in Penarth, Wales to get lots of useful tips.
How to get there
Penarth is a beautiful Victorian sea-side town on the Welsh coast. Its shores offer a bit of quiet respite from the bustling city of Cardiff which is unbelievably only five miles away.
This makes it a perfect spot if you are visiting the Welsh capital or like us, doing a road trip of Wales.
Along with its historic pier, esplanade, and shopping options, Penarth is also well known as being one of the top places in the UK to find fossils.
The easiest way to get here is by car, although arriving by train and bus is possible too. There is plenty of free parking along the esplanade if you arrive early enough.
If you plan on coming on a warm summer’s day, then your free parking options may be limited but there are a couple pay and display car parks that you can use instead.
Although this site is very popular and people have been collecting fossils here for years, there will still be plenty for you to find.
Where to find fossils
Once you are parked up and raring to go, head down the ramp to the left of Penarth Pier and walk the short distance across the sandy beach until you come to the rocky part of the beach.
Before you go any further there’s a couple things to be wary of:
- This beach is overlooked by large cliffs. Always be vigilant for falling rocks and avoid getting too close if you can help it.
- The rocks you are walking across can get extremely slippy, especially if the tide has just gone out.
This beach goes all the way to Cardiff Bay Barrage about one mile away and fossils can be found along its entire length.
On our trip, we only went about a third of the way along as we were constantly stopping to investigate!
The easiest way to find fossils is simply getting down close to the rocks. You don’t need a hammer or chisel as you will find lots in plain site on the surface of the rocks.
It only took us ten minutes from the time we arrived at the beach to find our first fossil. By simply flipping over a medium sized rock we were greeted with a few sticking straight out.
While a dinosaur has been discovered here before, your finds will mostly consist of brachiopods, bivalves and ammonites. This may not be as romantic as a dinosaur, but you need to remember that whatever you will be millions of years old and you are perhaps the first person to ever see it.
Although we only walked a short distance, we spent two hours constantly searching. The time flew by and because we were there early, the only other people we met were a few dog walkers.
Tips
1. Arrive early, the town can get busy towards midday
2. Watch out for rocks falling down from the cliffs
3. While tools will help you, they aren’t a requirement to find fossils
Accommodation
Due to its small size and popularity, accommodation in Penarth can be quite expensive. During peak times you may also find the selection can be limited so its recommend to book well in advance.
If there is nothing available in Penarth, then consider staying in Cardiff and making the short trip over.
Booking.comLet us know in the comments below if you plan on trying your luck or if you found something cool!
