Guided Fossil Walks
Our guided fossil walks are a fantastic way to explore the island’s prehistoric past and we’ve been delivering professional and award-winning experiences on the island for more than 5 years!
At Wight Coast Fossils we offer 6 different types of guided fossil hunting experiences, designed to cater to different interests, ages, abilities and budgets. So whether you’re after a relaxed family-friendly experience exploring dinosaur footprints at Compton Bay, or you’re an experienced fossil hunter looking for adventure on our wild coast, our fossil walks are for you!
Public Fossil Walks
Our public fossil walks take place at Compton Bay! These are public group tours that we run regularly during the school holidays, exploring this iconic island fossil site and beautiful beach. You’ll discover dinosaur footprints and search for fossils with our guide at a relaxed pace, well-suited for those looking for an introduction to fossil hunting or that have a general interest!
Private Fossil Walks
Private fossil walks are bespoke fossil hunting experiences with just you, your party and our guide, at an island fossil site of your choosing! These are perfect for a family-only fossil walk, especially if they have a keen interest in fossils! For avid fossil hunters we also offer specialist private experiences at more adventurous sites, suited to experienced collectors!
National Trust Fossil Walks
We’re proud to work closely with the island’s National Trust! At Compton Bay we run the National Trust’s official fossil walk programme, a great way for visitors to explore Compton’s famous fossil heritage and coastline, while making fossil finds of your own! A public group experience we run these walks during the school holidays and over select weekends!
Huxley’s Magic Fossil Walks
Rockpool Safari’s
South Coast Fossils
Join award-winning comedy magician and fossil tour guide HuxleyMagic for an unforgettable Magic Fossil Tour, from Compton beach or Fort Victoria! You will discover the island’s prehistoric past, walking in the footsteps of dinosaurs, all whilst being amazed with Huxley’s magic. These walks are a must for families, or those looking for something different!
Join our resident marine biologists Theo and Laura to discover the hidden world in our shallow coastal waters! From shark eggs, crabs and UV fluorescent sea anemones, these walks will give both islanders and visitors a hands-on educational experience with the rich diversity of marine life that lives on the Isle of Wight’s shores!
We are very pleased to have Joe on our team, who is founder of South Coast Fossils! Discover the secrets of Highcliffe, Dorset, uncovering relics of a ancient tropical sea, inhabited by sharks, fish and a huge diversity of marine molluscs! Joe offers public walks throughout the years, as well as bespoke fossil hunting experiences!
Please note:
All our walks take place on coastline settings, due to this participants must be physically capable of walking over unstable and occasionally slippery surfaces for extended periods of time. The walk may finish early should the guide determine it is necessary due to changing weather conditions or sea state on the day.
Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult and children must be supervised at all times by the responsible adult.
Participants must be wearing suitable footwear and weather appropriate clothing, trainers or ankle supported boots are ideal. The beaches are not suitable for prams, baby carriers or pushchairs.
All walks take place at tidal environments, with tidal action affecting the cliffs as well as beach access points, therefore participants must be aware that the access routes down to the beach can change on a regular basis and due to this, the guide may move the walk to start at a different access point to ensure the safety of participants.
To view our latest risk assessment please see the link below: