A Hampshire seaside town has been ranked as the best spot for fossil hunting in south west England.

Barton-on-Sea in the southwest corner of the county was named the best spot for that region - despite technically being located in south east England..

This ranking was created by South Western Railway, which looked into 23 coastal locations across the UK to identify the best spots for fossil hunting.

Factors that were analysed included fossil find frequency (based on fossil abundance, rock type, and recorded finds), local weather conditions and accessibility.

These metrics were combined into an overall score out of 10 to determine the best locations for fossil hunting. 

Top 5 fossil hunting spots in the South West of England

According to the analysis from South Western Railway the best fossil hunting spots in the South West of England are:

  1. Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire - 8.57/10 overall score
  2. Charmouth, Dorset - 7.57/10
  3. Seatown, Dorset - 7.15/10
  4. Durlston Bay, Dorset - 6.10/10
  5. Lyme Regis, Dorset - 5.59/10

Discussing their reasoning, South Western Railway wrote: "Barton-on-Sea takes the top spot in the South West for fossil hunting, thanks to its rich geological history and stunning coastal views.

"The cliffs here are part of the Barton Beds, dating back to the Eocene epoch around 40 million years ago.

"With its high weather score of 8.87/10, picturesque surroundings, and easy accessibility, Barton-on-Sea is perfect for both families and seasoned collectors." 

To find Barton-on-Sea people can travel to New Milton train station and then take a bus or taxi down to the seaside.

Alongside that, Barton-on-Sea featured among the UK-wide top 10 for fossil hunting spots, as seen here:

  1. Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex - 9.40/10
  2. Folkestone, Kent - 9.32/10
  3. Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex - 8.76/10
  4. Seaford Head, East Sussex - 8.71/10
  5. Warden Point, Isle of Sheppey - 8.62/10
  6. Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire - 8.57/10
  7. Hastings, East Sussex - 8.39/10
  8. Seven Sisters, East Sussex - 8.37/10
  9. Herne Bay, Kent - 8.36/10
  10. Peacehaven, East Sussex - 7.85/10

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Walton-on-the-Naze in Essex came out on top in the overall list, with its "rich fossil finds and beautiful coastal scenery" helping contribute to that.

South Western Railway added: "The Red Crag formation, dating back millions of years, has produced an abundance of Paleogene fossils, including the remarkable find of a megalodon shark tooth in 2023.

"With a perfect fossil find frequency score of 5/5, this site is a must-visit for anyone keen to step back in time."