(The foreshore of Helmsdale, searching for fossils) - 2003

Helmsdale is unpredictable, the foreshore contains patches of kimmeridge shale's with cement stones above, and then mixed deposits of both. The geology is certainly strange and has mystified geologists for years. The best areas to search are those where bands of cement stone and shale has been clearly separated, look out for gigantic corals which are found in situ or simply lying around the foreshore. You often have to dig the corals out of the clay. Corals are also often well hidden with other rocks and sea weed, not just in the fully exposed clay areas.

The fossilferious beds stop at a headland where they change to very black coloured unsmooth rocks, this area is unfossilferous, you need to continue past this, where the beds begin again noted by the bands of shale and cement stone and patches of bolder beds. Here, the fish beds are well exposed with fish remains, vertebrae and other bones in a thin thick 'crust' resting on top of Kimmeridge Shale. You can split this later and often, bones and fish fragments are found underneath.

Fish bearing 'Crust' on top of Kimmeridge Shale

(Kimmeridge Clay exposed on foreshore) - 2003