Lepe fossils and fossil collecting
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 From Totton, take the A326, heading to Hythe. If coming off the M27, you can bypass Totton, follow the A326. As you bypass Hythe, you will cross a series of roundabouts, the last one will have a signpost pointing to the “Lepe Country Park”. Follow the signs to this park.
Once you get to the Lepe Country Park, you will notice that it is both a big and popular area. As you approach the country park, a sign indicated that the country park is to the left. However, this will take you to the upper part of the park and will involve a long walk. Instead, follow the road down taking you to the coast. Here a park car park gives less walking, with a café and toilets.
Either walk East to visit the elephant bed, or west for the Pleistocene gravel cliffs and microfossils. The gravel cliffs are a fair walk from the park, past the house next to the sea, all the way until you come to the cliffs.
GRID REF: SZ 45170 98530
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Fossiliferious separian nodules of Bracklesham age are washed onto the shore from off shore Deposits. Both Lepe and Chilling Cliff can occasionally yield fossil molluscs but the best deposits are those from below beach level and are full of brachiopods, and other molluscs. Pleistocene remains can be found washed from the gravel beds. |
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This is a very poplar location, many elephant bones have been found here along with other fossils. Try to visit during the Autumn, Winter or Spring and especially after high tides. This is when both bones can be found and fossils from the underlying clay. Go east for Pleistocene remains and Headon Hill microfossils, and west for the elephant bed.
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Older Children
This location is suitable for older children, as the walk can be a little too far for younger children. The toilets and café onsite are ideal for family visits and the area has an information centre and plenty of walks. |
Foreshore
Fossils are found on the foreshore, washed from the foreshore peaty bed. Fossils can also be found in the clay deposits during scouring conditions. Elephant remains are most likely to be found. |
SSSI
This location is an SSSI for its geological importance, Hammering or Digging the In situ deposits is not permitted, but at this location most of the fossils are found washed after tides along the foreshore. Fossils can be collected at this site, so the SSSI status should not restrict any collectors.
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During the summer months, the sea rarely reaches the cliff, but during the winter months, it is possible to get cut off by the tide. Make sure you visit during a falling tide. Please note at the Western end, that the cliffs are very unstable, so keep away from the base. Also at the western end, along the coastal footpath, there is quite a big drop from the path to the beach, so keep children well away from the edge. |
Lepe
Tide Times
UK Tidal data is owned by Crown Copyright, and therefore sadly we are not allowed to display tide times without paying expensive annual contracts. However we sell them via our store, including FREE POSTAGE
Click here to buy a tide table |
| Last updated: |
2011 |
| last visited: |
2011 |
| Written by: |
Alister and Alison Cruickshanks |
Locations similar to Lepe
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The famous “elephant bed”, is actually at the opposite end of the cliffs. From the car park, walk East to Stansore point (this is actually just past the most eastern end of the car park). Along the foreshore, a black peaty bed yields many mammals including the famous elephant remains. This bed is not always exposed and can often be covered up with sand. You will need wellington boots here just in case the bed is exposed. Search along the foreshore for any bones exposed in the clay. Mammals found can be mammoth, land snails, gastropods, bivalves and various flora including buttercup, oak tree, maple and the common bramble.
To the western end of the car park, fossils can be found in the many blocks both along the footpath to the cliffs and foreshore. Corals and gonatites from the Carboniferous Limestone, molluscs from the Bembridge Limestone and a dinosaur footprint was also discovered in Perbeck rocks.
Once your each the Pleistocene cliffs, and only during favourable scouring conditions, microfossils can be collected from the foreshore clays, which are the Headon Hill Formation.
Headon Hill Formation on foreshore
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Pleistocene, Eocene |
The exposures at Lepe Cliff, are of Devensian Gravel (Pleistocene). Below the gravels, the Headon Hill Formation (clays) can be seen, although not always exposed. Of interest are large defence rocks along the footpath and also exposed on the foreshore just past the car park. The rocks are of Bembridge Limestone, Purbeck Stone and Carboniferous Limestone. In fact, gonatities and corals can be seen in the Carboniferous Limestone, molluscs from the Bembridge Limestone and even a dinosaur footprint in the Purbeck Stone! At the eastern end of the car park, an ipswhichian interglacial deposit yields elephant remains, exposed on the foreshore as a black peaty bed. ...[more]
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Tools are not needed at this location, as fossils are found along the foreshore. However, those interested in microfossils may wish to bring a trowel and sample bags to collect the clay. |
Metal Polishing |
Meteorites |
Microscopy |
Metal Barrelling Machines are used for de burring, polishing, cleaning or removing surface scratches from metal and jewellery.
These are ideal for cleaning or polishing a variety of metals including brass, silver, steel and gold. They can be used for silver clay and other hobbies.
The machines have a barrel with special fins inside, which helps turn the metal round, to polish or debur. We sell a variety of different sized machines from hobby to commercial. |
Meteorites can be found all over the world. Often, large pieces are broken down either naturally or by hand, or sliced and sold as small fragments, each fall is well documented. Meteorites are very collectable, especially ones of Mars or Moon rocks.
We sell Meteorites, which are in stock and mostly come in a display boxs. Our meteorites are from all over the world and include Mars and Moon Meteorites, and rocks from outer space. For more information, please see our meteorite page.
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At most locations, you can find microfossils. You only need a small sample of the sand. You then need to wash it in water and sieve using a test sieve. Once the sand is processed, you can then view the contents using a microscope.
We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereomicroscope for viewing microfossils. The best one we sell is the IMXZ, but a basic microscope will be fine. Once you have found microfossils, you will need to store these microfossils. |
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