A short holiday/educational trip - part two.

Lyme Regis has many, many, many fossils.  On Wednesday evening, we persuaded the girls away from the small sandy (imported from France we later learned) beach to have a bit of a fossil hunt on our own.  We didn't find very much, mostly imprints of ammonites, but it was still fun.

On Thursday, A, K & M went to The Fossil Workshop with the previous evening's finds, where they confirmed our suspicions of what they were, and they also went to the beach.  In the afternoon we went for a walk, having found a National Trust leaflet with a few circular walks among the information in the cottage.  It was very hot and really rather steep in places, but the (optional extra to the circular walk) climb to the top of Golden Cap was definitely worth it for the views.  Nana didn't join us for the extra bit, but the trig point was handy to rest the camera on and use the timer for a family photo of the four of us.

On top of Golden Cap.

There was some moaning from M, who has the shortest legs, but the very good ice-creams we got in Seatown helped.

Friday was the much anticipated fossil walk.  It was really good!  The two main leaders, Chris and Paddy, very clearly know their stuff and shared their knowledge and enthusiasm really well.  There were a number of brief talks at various points on the way to the beach, about what to look for and where, as well as information about the landscape both in terms of the geology and otherwise.  There was an old rubbish tip on the top of the cliff, as well as the cemetery, both of which having provided things other than fossils to be found on the beach below.  The weather was terrible, for fossil collecting that is, as it was dry and calm, although fortunately given the lack of shade it wasn't too hot.

We worked our way along the beach and were told what we were most likely to find in the different areas and it was impossible to not find something to see and of course collect.  The experts found lots, which they gave to the children and indeed adults.

Best find of the walk (by Chris).

What to look for - ammonite end on.

K's crinoid tentacle section find, along with others in a big rock.
(Correction - K tells me it's a 'stem' not a tentacle, although they were animals)

Fossilised tree trunk - it went right through the rock to the other side.

Chris talking, while Paddy split some nodules in the hope of finding fossils.

We have brought quite a few things home with us....

Our haul!

Fossilised wood on the right, with oyster shells to the left.

Coprolite aka poo!

M's haul of belemnites.

Tiny mineralised ammonites.

More ammonites.

Cretaceous sponge.

After returning back to the cottage for a rest and a cuppa, we went for another round of mini-golf, before having pizza and a final visit to the beach.

Saturday morning we finished packing before heading into the town, to return to The Fossil Workshop, where they cleaned up one of the ammonites from the fossil walk (which they will do for free if it was found on one of their walks).

Arnioceras ammonite - before clean up...

...and after.

Then it was time to head home after a lovely short break.  We have talked about returning already, possibly to do another fossil walk at a better time of year when the weather is 'better' i.e. worse!