Where to find fossils in ayrshire

The rocks you need to split are easy to identify, being black when weathered. The rocks at Shalloch to the south of Girvan to Whitehouse, including Woodland Bay, contain fossil graptolites and trilobites. Girvan is a well-documented area for fossils and is one of the most popular areas to collect in Scotland.

This foreshore location is easy to access, but you will need the correct tools. This track is now used by cyclists, runners and walkers, and is a lovely walk. The old railway has boards along its way, detailing how coal was mined, and providing information about the old railway.

In the middle of the walk are two very large spoil heaps that contain fossil plants from the Carboniferous shale. This is a disused Carboniferous limestone quarry, within a small wood. It is very rich in fossils. Studies indicate important changes in the palaeo-environments of the deposits and in the varied macrofossil assemblages from the surrounding Carboniferous sediments, which are of similar age.

Due to the importance of the site, keep collecting to a minimum. The River Tyne is a long and beautiful river. Its tributaries wind their way down from the glacially eroded Lammermoor and Pentland Hills. The river gains volume as it crosses the alluvial plain, cutting through the carboniferous country rock, transporting minerals and fossils along the way. This working quarry is highly productive, especially for bivalves and brachiopods from Carboniferous marine shale deposits.

Corals are also very common here. This is a very productive little quarry that is easy to access. It is an occasionally worked quarry, which is fully accessible from the trackway.

This means fresh faces and scree are available to search through. Take plenty of paper for bags of finds, but, be warned, it involves quite a long walk. This is an area extremely rich in Silurian fossils, but which is also a challenging place to collect fossils from. The locations discussed in the guide are suitable for those who are used to exploring and walking. However, it is a beautiful landscape, with many different types of fossils to be collected.

In fact, the area is famous for its rich diversity of fossil species, some of which are unique. When visiting the village of Dalmellington, you cannot help but see the huge spoil heap. This is now disused, but contains plenty of material to search through, including black shale that is rich in fish remains. Plant remains can also be found.

Ardwell Bay, south of Girvan, is the best coastal location in the area for finding fossils. Graptolites are the most common, with orthocone fragments and trilobites also being quite common. Graptolites — The prolific preservation of small, marine planktonic organisms called graptolites throughout southern Scotland has helped scientists date British rock strata. Stromatolites — Fossilised microbial deposits called stromatolites are the oldest lifeforms found in rocks across Scotland.

We are very grateful for the assistance of science writer Lara Reid on a voluntary basis in compiling this section, with the support of other members of the Scottish Geodiversity Forum. Brought to you by the Scottish Geology Trust - please support our work! Skip to main content. Follow me on Twitter Connect with me on LinkedIn. Search for:.