Bezienswaardigheid
Lyme Regis Fossil Beach (Ammonite Pavement)
door 18 locals aangeraden,
Tips van locals
Julia
September 15, 2022
Great for fossil hunting. You can walk to Charmouth along the beach if the tide is right
Gillian
May 6, 2020
Lyme Regis, part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site - hunt for fossils or just chill out and enjoy the fresh sea air.
Lucy
February 24, 2022
At the western end of Monmouth Beach in Lyme Regis heading towards Seven Rock Point and Pinhay Bay, you’ll find a spectacular graveyard of fossils known as the Ammonite Pavement. Here the remains of thousands of ammonites, an extinct group of marine molluscs, are embedded in the limestone ledge. The rocks record a time 199 million years ago, when marine ecosystems were returning to normal after the Late Triassic period mass extinction. The main species is the dinner plate-sized ammonite, Coroniceras. Most of the ammonites have a well-preserved outer coil and a crushed middle. Some of the remains stand proud of the limestone where the softer rock has been eroded away. The ledge is exposed at low tide and extends from the base of the cliffs. Many of the surrounding boulders contain large fossil ammonites. According to the Natural History Museum, the fossil ledge is the only one of its kind in the world - nowhere else features so many big ammonites, which are up to 70 centimetres in diameter. The Jurassic Period began 200 million years ago when sea levels rose and transformed the Triassic desert into a shallow tropical sea. With the new marine habitats came a profusion of marine life and many of the animals living at the time are preserved as fossils. One site in particular shows the potential for our Jurassic rocks to contain a spectacular abundance of fossils – the ammonite pavement. Taking a short walk west along Monmouth Beach at low tide will bring you to a number of limestone ledges, washed clear by the sea. On the surface of one of them are hundreds of large fossilised ammonites. No one really knows why there are so many in this particular layer and no photograph can do it justice – it has to be seen to be believed. If you do visit it is important not to try and collect these ammonites as they are protected!
At the western end of Monmouth Beach in Lyme Regis heading towards Seven Rock Point and Pinhay Bay, you’ll find a spectacular graveyard of fossils known as the Ammonite Pavement. Here the remains of thousands of ammonites, an extinct group of marine molluscs, are embedded in the limestone ledge. The…
Paul
June 18, 2021
Paul's tip: park at the top of town if you're energetic - and walk down to avoid the parking charges. (Remember to leave some energy in reserve for the walk back up!)
Selena
September 8, 2021
Walk along the beach and find a fossil or two 😊
Lyme Regis Fossil Beach (Ammonite Pavement) in ervaringen op Airbnb
Leer deze bezienswaardigheid kennen tijdens ervaringen op Airbnb: activiteiten in kleine groepjes en geleid door locals
Locatie
Lyme Regis, England