Our private fossil walks are designed for those looking for a more in-depth, exclusive or simply personal Isle of Wight fossil hunting experience. Whether you’re after a family fossil walk on your island holiday, or you’re an experienced fossil collector after a specialist experience, our private walks are an excellent opportunity to come face to face with the island’s prehistoric past across a range of fossil sites!
Locations
We offer private fossil walks at a range of fantastic locations across the Isle of Wight! From walking through the footprints of a herd of Iguanodon at Compton Bay to diving beneath the Cretaceous seas at Shanklin, our locations are selected to allow you to explore and encounter the diversity of our island’s fossil-hunting fame!
Compton Bay
Our most popular fossil walk along a beautiful stretch of National Trust coastline! Compton Bay focuses on the world-famous 130-million-year-old dinosaur footcasts and trackways found at Hanover Point! Learn how the footprints formed and the different species of dinosaur tracks we can encounter and search for dinosaur fossils!
Shanklin Chine
115 million years ago, shallow sandy coastal seas covered what is now the Isle of Wight! The cliffs at Shanklin are formed from this Cretaceous seabed, and our fossil walk at Shanklin Chine focuses on the beautifully preserved fossil shells, ammonites, fossil driftwood and the very rare remains of dinosaurs that can litter the beach here!
Chilton Chine
Embark on a guided tour of the world-famous 130-million-year-old Wessex Formation at Chilton Chine! Discover why the Isle of Wight’s Wessex Formation is the richest rock in Europe for the discovery of dinosaurs, gain an insight into life on the fascinating ancient floodplains that once existed here and hunt for your own dinosaur fossils!
Fort Victoria
34 million years ago, during the Eocene, the Isle of Wight lay on a sub-tropical coastal plain, home to alligator-infested wetlands and ancient mammals. Travel back to the late Eocene and discover the fossils of alligators, turtles, fish, and mammals, learning why the Isle of Wight is one of the most important Eocene fossil localities in Europe!
Pricing
1 hour – £65.00 per group (up to 5 people)
1.5 hour – £75.00 per group (up to 5 people)
Please note that Fort Victoria and Shanklin Chine are 1 hour only.
(For groups larger than 5 there is an additional £5.00 per person).
Specialist Experiences
For experienced fossil collectors, we also offer bespoke private tours at Atherfield, St. Catherine’s Point, Bembridge and Hamstead. These are fantastic and ‘off-the-beaten’ track island fossil sites, producing some of the Isle of Wight’s most iconic fossils, including some found nowhere else in Britain!
As fossil hunters ourselves, we know the challenges of navigating new sites, and a private experience with us will ensure that you make the most of your time on the island’s coastline!
Please note: Participants must be physically fit due to the terrain of sites such as St Catherine’s Point and Atherfield, alongside the long walking distances required to reach these localities.
Duration: 2-4 Hours
Pricing: £80 – £250 (Depending on site, group size and duration)
For more information on the sites we offer, please contact us at: info@wightcoastfossils.co.uk