WHERE TO SEE DINOSAUR FOOTPRINTS AND HUNT F OR F OSSILS IN THE UK

Do you know your ammonites from your ichthyosaurs? Head out to fossil-rich stretches of the UK coastline for palaeontology tours, bracing beach walks and quirky museums. Words: Nora Wallaya

The very first dinosaur to be scientifically described and named was found in Oxfordshire. The discovery of the large carnivore, Megalosaurus — unearthed by geologist William Buckland in 1824 — marked a pivotal moment in our nation’s fascination with palaeontology. The riches of subsequent digs in the UK and overseas have educated and amazed museum-goers throughout the country ever since.

But there are also treasures to be sought in the great outdoors, away from the crowds, as the UK offers fertile ground for responsible fossil-hunting. For example, the relics of the Mesozoic Era are revealed by the natural eroding of cliffs and coastlines, their stories at constant risk of being lost to the sea.

It’s why you’ll find fervent fossil collectors scouring beaches — take Daisy Morris, for example. The five-year-old Isle of Wighter’s curiosity led to her groundbreaking 2009 discovery on the island’s Atherfield Beach: a new species of pterosaur (a flying lizard). The prehistoric beast was thereafter named Vectidraco daisymorrisae, in her honour.

More recently, in the summer of 2020, suspected dinosaur footprints were revealed by furloughed youth worker Kerry Rees while strolling on Penarth Beach. Should researchers confirm the new tracks, they’d represent the third set of dinosaur footprints uncovered in Wales, all in the same region — the Vale of Glamorgan.

With such exciting finds at our fingertips, it’s no wonder certain parts of the UK are sought out by those with a penchant for prehistoric treasure. Read on to discover the best destinations in the UK for uncovering traces of the lost world. READ MORE ONLINE AT NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.CO.UK/TRAVEL