Chapmans Pool fossils and fossil collecting
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 Drive to Worth Matravers, you will pass a car park with toilets, continue through the village all the way, until it passes a farm, keep going and you will see a car park.
Park here, and follow the footpath to Chapmans Pool. It is a VERY long walk down. Once on the beach head west.
In 2008 they are still building a new footpath down, this may still be unfinished and therefore please take care. The new footpath avoids the old slippery steep slope which was quite dangerous for walking. This location is not easy to access and is only recommended for the more serious fossil hunters!
GRID REF: 50.59544°N, 2.04745°W
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Not for children
Because Chapmans Pool can be very dangerious for collecting fossils due to tides and also regular cliff falls, it is not recommended for children. |
Very Poor Access
Chapmans Pool is a remote location, it is fairly easy to find and has its own car park, but if planning to walk from Chapmans Pool to the more productive beds, then this really is one of the hardest locations in Dorset to access. In some headlands along the coastline, the sea doesnt actually retreat fully, so you would have to take your shoes and socks off to get past. |
Cliff and Foreshore
Fossils can be found on the foreshore or within the cliff face. Collecting from the cliff face is dangerous and not recommended, most fossils can be collected from the foreshore, especially in areas of shingle. |
No Hammers
This site is part of the Jurassic World Heritage Coastline. Please follow the Fossil Code of Conduct. Access is permitted SSSI -
NO HAMMERS ALLOWED AT THIS SITE
The cliffs are so dangerous that the slightest noise can cause a cliff fall, fossils are found washed up on the foreshore and so hammers are not required. |
 
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West of chapmans is one of the most dangerous places to collect along the Dorset coast. The tides always hit the base of the cliff and can easily cut you off. The walk is such a long way round several headlands, that Tide Times are ESSENTIAL and DOUBLE Check. Be aware of double tides too. If you plan the whole walk from Chapmans Pool to Chapmans Pool, you will have little time to collect and should reach your destination BEFORE the tide starts to turn. The tides come in very quickly.
Falling shale is frequent, hard hats should be worn and you should try to keep away from the base of the cliff. Please note HAMMERS are not allowed at Chapmans If you do take a hammer, be warned that lumping rocks will cause rocks and shale to fall from the cliff. |
Chapmans Pool
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
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Accommodation
Higher Spence
Farm Cottage, beautiful location 3 miles Charmouth. Double and Family rooms En Suite.
Contact: Christine Nutkins
Tel: UK (01297) 560556
Tel: International +441297 560556 Address: Higher Spence, Wootton, Fitzpaine, Charmouth, Dorset.
Email: higherspence@eurolink.ltd.net Website: (Typing "Higher Spence into your search engine)
Dorset coastal cottages
We are a holiday agent for 120 carefully selected and inspected cottages within 10 miles of Dorset's spectacular World Heritage Coast and Path. All are old, many are beamy and thatched, most have open fires or logburners plus central heating. Rents include electricity, gas etc. and all linen/towels.
Rentable by the week or 3 day Short Break all year round!!
Please call: 0800 9804070 for a Brochure or visit our website on www.dorsetcoastalcottages.com
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£10/Year or 'FREE' for return links from accommodation website pages. |
Last updated:
last visited:
Written by: |
28/05/08
2008
Alister and Alison Cruickshanks
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The best fossils are those found within the boulders on the quarry floor. It is highly unlikely you will find fossils within the cliff face. Fossils are best photographed at this location and left for other to view. ....[more]
Searching for fossils at Chapmans Pool
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Jurassic, 150mya |
When walking down the footpath from Chapmans Pool car park and over the farm field, you may notice some yellow/white rock fragments scattered along the fields, this is the portland stone and indeed this forms the crest of Chapmans Pool. Landslips however make the actual bed inaccessible.
The flat ammonite Pavlovia rotunda are from the Pavlovia Zone, there are plenty of these as this particular bed is some 30m thick at Chapmans Pool. Rotunda Nodules are also present here, being above this zone, but they are quickly snapped up by local collectors as they contain some excellent ammonites...[more]
Flat ammonite Pavlovia rotunda common at Chapmans Pool
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CHAPMANS POOL (The pool where you park):
At Chapmans Pool, the flat ammonite, Pavlovia rotunda is extremely common. It can be seen within the cliff, fallen boulders and exposed on the foreshore clays. We do not recommend collecting this ammonite, it is too fragile and best left for others to see. Instead, try to find nodules (Rotunda Nodules) as these contain superb ammonites. The small ammonite above was found in a small nodule, which was taken home for preparation. Larger ammonites have been found loose, fallen out of boulders and many fragments lay scattered along the beach.
FRESHWATER STEPS (1.5 miles from the pool):
The foreshore and cliff yields the crinoid Saccocoma which is pyritised. Freshwater steps is the main collecting location at Chapmans Pool and is of equal distance from Chapmans Pool and Kimmeridge Bay. In the cliffs, many reptilian remains including plesiosaurs, icthyosaurs, crocodiles, pterosaurs and chelonians have been found.
Ammonite from Chapmans Pool
ichthyosaurs Vertebrae
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TOOLS: HAMMERS ARE NOT ALLOWED, and we do not recommend that you use them. Hard Hats should be worn. CONTAINERS: Bags and containers are suitable, take plenty of drink and food if planning the full walk. ...[more] |
Other Locations similar to Chapmans Pool
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Stone Tumblers |
Microscopes |
Test Sieves for Microfossils |
If you are interested in fossil collecting, then you may also be interested in a stone tumbler (Lapidary). You can polish stones and rocks from the beach which
will look fantastic polished using a stone tumbler.
You can polish rough rock and beach glass whilst collecting fossils, on those days where you come back empty handed.
These are all high quality machines to give a professional finish to your samples. They can even be used for amber and fossils. |
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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Test Sieves are used when searching for microfossils. Microfossils can be found in many locations, and all you need is a small amount of sample such as clays, sands and shales, or if you have acid, limestone, oolite or chalk.
Our UKGE Store sells Endecotts Test Sieves, which are the highest in accuracy and extremely durable and long lasting. These Test Sieves are fantastic for microfossils. Endecotts Test Sieves come in a variety of sizes, frame material and types, they are certificated to EU Standards. |
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