Fossiling in Lyme Regis

With Thursday's winds howling outside I think it's just as well that we went to Lyme Regis last week (10th - 13th January) and not in the recorded 70+ mile an hour gales! Even so, last week there were huge rollers crashing up onto the beach as we embarked on the new experience of fossil hunting.

Lyme Regis is at the heart of the Jurassic coast, and to compliment the OU fossils course, we booked a three night trip staying in the Royal Lion Hotel, (excellent value, lovely room, and superb food) to try my hand at discovering the long past.

We spent two days on the beaches including a great afternoon in the company of Ian a local geologist and fossil hunter, who showed us where to look and how to find the fossils and release them from the rocks. Our collection is mostly of ammonites from approximately 190 million years ago, but some we have are much younger being only 100 million years old!
The picture shows some of our discoveries.

We found large ammonites in the rocks.

Lyme Regis is a quaint seaside town, a ready-made setting for period dramas and is well known for being the backdrop of the film The French Lieutenants Woman, and is the setting for a new adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion.

On our journey down, we made a quick visit to Stonhenge and a nostalgic return visit to our honeymoon hideout of Shaftesbury! Was it really that long ago?!!!! A really great few days delving in the past!!!!