Prestatyn Hillside fossils and fossil collecting
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Low
By investigating the odd limestone block at the side of the path you are bound to come across a few fossils, but finds are generally low.
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Supervised Children
The circular walk described here is approximately 3 miles long, over undulating terrain. In places the path is not fenced and there are steep drops to the side. Children should be supervised. |
Poor Access
The walk is well maintained but its length and hilly nature may put some people off. |
Rock Outcrops
Fossils can be found in blocks of limestone that can be found next to the path in places. |
No Restrictions
Free access – the walk is along a well maintained and advertised path. |
A drink should be taken as the walk takes a couple of hours to complete. In places there are unguarded steep slopes next to the path. |
| Last updated: |
2008 |
| last visited: |
2008 |
| Written by: |
Joe Shimmin |
Other Locations similar to Prestatyn Hillside
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Prestatyn Hillside is an excellent location for corals, other similar locations for Carboniferous Corals are;Parkhouse Hill, Castleton, Portishead, Weston-Super-Mare in Avon. In Derbyshire, you can find corals from Monsal Dale
In South West Wales, you can also find Silurian Corals from Freshwater East, Marloes Sands. Mortimer Forest, Shadwell Quarry, Upper Millichope , Llanymynech Quarry, and Wenlock Quarry, Wenlock Edge
in the Shropshire District. Along the South West Coast, you can also collect Devonian Corals from Torquay along Hopes Nose and Daddy Hole. In Scotland, you can also find corals at St Monans. From Wales, Carboniferous Corals can be found at Lydstep Headland, West Angle Bay, Caim, Halkyn, Great Ormes Head, Red Wharf Bay, Prestatyn, Llangollen, and Manorbier Bay.
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Geological Tools
A map, bags and newspaper may be needed here. You should also take a drink and a mobile phone if possible.
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Occasional crinoid, brachiopod and coral fossils can be found in blocks along this walk. However, do not expect to come home with a large haul of fossils. Specimens should not be collected unless small and you should not hammer at larger blocks.
The views on this walk are stunning and make up for the low abundance of fossils.
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Limestone Outcrop
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Carboniferous, 330mya |
The Carboniferous Limestone Series at Prestatyn is of Visean age. It is part of the Clwyd Limestone Group, This is around 330 million years old. This is a diverse range of limestone facies with subordinate sandstone and mudstone units, and exhibiting local dolomitisation. Records the initiation and growth of a carbonate platform along the northern flank of the Wales-Brabant Massif.... [more]
How life in the oceans would have looked at Prestatyn Hillside 350mya
(C)opyright - Free Software Foundation (FSF)
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Stone Tumblers |
Microscopes |
Test Sieves for Microfossils |
If you are interested in fossil collecting, then you may also be interested in a stone tumbler (Lapidary). You can polish stones and rocks from the beach which
will look fantastic polished using a stone tumbler.
You can polish rough rock and beach glass whilst collecting fossils, on those days where you come back empty handed.
These are all high quality machines to give a professional finish to your samples. They can even be used for amber and fossils. |
At most locations, you can find microfossils. You only need a small sample of the sand. You then need to wash it in water and sieve using a test sieve. Once the sand is processed, you can then view the contents using a microscope.
We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereomicroscope for viewing microfossils. The best one we sell is the IMXZ, but a basic microscope will be fine. Once you have found microfossils, you will need to store these microfossils.
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Test Sieves are used when searching for microfossils. Microfossils can be found in many locations, and all you need is a small amount of sample such as clays, sands and shales, or if you have acid, limestone, oolite or chalk.
Our UKGE Store sells Endecotts Test Sieves, which are the highest in accuracy and extremely durable and long lasting. These Test Sieves are fantastic for microfossils. Endecotts Test Sieves come in a variety of sizes, frame material and types, they are certificated to EU Standards. |
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Parking can be found at the northern end of Prestatyn Hillside, as shown on an Ordnance Survey map.
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