REVIEWED LOCATION

Monmouth Beach, Lyme Regis — Fossil Collecting Code Beach Rockhounding Status & Field Guide

A classic Lyme Regis fossil beach with ammonites, belemnites, fossil plants and occasional vertebrate remains. Current local visitor guidance explicitly supports fossil hunting while requiring the collecting code and cliff safety.

Conditional statusVery high evidenceapproximate map precisionCurrent review cycle freshness
Important: Never climb or dig the cliffs; follow the West Dorset Fossil Collecting Code.

What is here

Lower Jurassic ammonites, belemnites, fossil plants and marine vertebrate remains

Materials / interest: Ammonites, Belemnites, Fossils, Plant Fossils

Collecting and access

Collect loose or fallen beach material in accordance with the West Dorset Fossil Collecting Code; do not dig into cliffs or remove in-situ features such as the ammonite pavement.

Search the loose beach on a falling/low tide; the ammonite pavement is for viewing in situ.

Detailed status
conditional
Permission
Not flagged
Permit
Not flagged
Fee
Not flagged
Guide
Not flagged
Booking
Not flagged
Surface collecting
yes
Hammering
conditional
Digging
no

Safety

Strong undertow, unstable cliffs, landslides and rapid tidal cut-off can occur.

Review status

Access reviewed: 2026-09-13 · Sources reviewed: 2026-09-13 · Next scheduled review: 2027-01-11.

Recheck access, closures, permissions and current source instructions before field travel.

More reviewed places in United Kingdom

Charmouth Beach — Jurassic Coast Loose-Fossil CollectingCompton Bay — Responsible Loose-Beach Dinosaur Fossil SearchRobin Hood’s Bay — Yorkshire Coast Loose Fossil SearchWren's Nest NNR — Loose-Scree Silurian Fossil CollectingSpyway Dinosaur Footprints — Protected In-Situ Trackway ViewingWhite Park Bay — North Antrim Loose Fossil Beach

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