FIVE MORE PLACES TO EXPLORE

1 Runswick Bay WHITBY, NORTH YORKSHIRE Where fossil hunters still flock

A few miles north of Whitby, Runswick Bay is a rich treasure trove for fossils when the tide is right – ammonites in particular. The Yorkshire coast is a magnet for palaeontologists, both professional and amateur. You can also admire many of its fossils in nearby Whitby and Scarborough Rotunda museums. discoveryorkshirecoast.com

2 Natural History Museum CENTRAL LONDON Where ancient fossils are on show

The Natural History Museum’s collection of marine reptile fossils features a great many discoveries from the Jurassic Coast of Dorset, including several finds made by Mary Anning in the early 19th century near her hometown of Lyme Regis. nhm.ac.uk

3 Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre DORSET Where a sea-reptile resides

Visit this year and you’ll come face to face with the ichthyosaur that starred in the BBC documentary Attenborough and the Sea Dragon, not to mention scores of fossils discovered in the heart of the Jurassic Coast. The centre also runs guided fossil hunting walks. charmouth.org/chcc

4 Oxford University Museum of Natural History OXFORD Where 375,000 fossils are gathered

This museum boasts a sizeable collection of fossil specimens from right around the globe. The collection includes specimens gathered by William Buckland, the noted palaeontologist (and associate of Mary Anning) who was born at Axminster near Lyme Regis. oum.ox.ac.uk

5 Llantwit Major VALE OF GLAMORGAN, SOUTH WALES Where shellfish are plentiful

One of the most southerly points in Wales, the beach at Llantwit Major offers different fossils than nearby south-west England. Ammonites are less common than in Dorset or the north Somerset coast, but shellfish – such as brachiopods and gastropods – are numerous and comparatively easy to find. visitwales.com