Finding fossils? And a few days away...where shall we go?

[Blu]

DS is obsessed with finding fossils, so we are looking for a self-catering cottage (or caravan) for a short break in April. Where is the best place to base ourselves, with access to:
One or two sure-fire fossil finding beaches
Other interesting attractions (e.g castles / natural features, not theme parks)
Nice little towns / villages
Scenery
Beach cafes
Indoor back-up attractions (museum / gallery) in the event of non-stop wind and rain.

We are looking for something economical, not a luxury hotel or anything involving a spa.

Bridport? Lyme regis? IoW?

Lyme Regis is fab.

Just been to Robbin Hood's Bay and found some fantastic ammonites on the beach

I am hoping Lyme regis will be good for this. Have just booked a summer holiday there on the basis of mnetters' rcommendations

If you go to Bridport on a Saturday (market day), there's a fab Turkish food stall with yummy Baklava and really nice breads.

Oh I like Watchet mp. It always makes me think of the town in Under Milk Wood. I like it's slightly rundown old-fashioned charm. Much nicer than WSM and Burnham which pretend to be something else entirely.

Best fossils are at Kilve beach IMO - a bit further east from Watchet.

Ditto Kilve beach (good fossils)with a lovely tearoom nearby along the lane (set out in a lovely lady's garden in summer and spring and her dining room in winter! I've never eaten such huge, yummy scones with jam and cream.

The rock pools on the limestone are great fun for kids and adults alike!

another vote for Staithes/Robin Hood's Bay and Yorkshire's Jurassic coast. At Sandsend there are some fossilised tree stumps on the rocks below the cliffs. We thought they were odd little circular pools, but then noticed the tree rings. Fascinating stuff.

We found a lovely ammonite and a couple of bi-valves, just lying on the rocks in Staithes. We also got lots of odd bits of fossils as well.

Have a look at Seadown Holiday Park camping /caravans /and large caravans (or holiday homes as they call them now!) to hire ..it is 2 mins walk from the beach where you can find many fossils very easily... you can walk along the beach (check the tides) to Lyme and get the bus back brilliant.
If a cottage is what you are after then I suggest www.lymebayholidays.co.uk
Have fun .

robin hoods bay, some of my best memories as a kid are fossil hunting there

Blu, have you thought about Youth Hostels? I'm just about to go off (with another MNetter and several of our uni friends, partners and kids) to the Lulworth Cove Youth Hostel - we've taken it over for the weekend. By April it would probably be open to individual families again - you can get family rooms, or maybe your DS is just about old enough to have a room to himself? Anyway, they're pretty attractive price-wise!

We are going to Isle of Wight in april for fossil hunting. Its our family hobby

Though its here I'd rather go.

I love Whitby! Every time Ive been there Ive found fossils - just pick up chunks of slate on the beach, and drop them on a rock, and they will split.

Most will have a fossil in - Ive found fish, ammonites and leaves

where are kilve and watchet? Never heard of 'em

West Somerset. Near Minehead which might put you off , but also near Exmoor and the Brendon hills which are lovely.

Enjoy policy, we live half a mile up the hill from the youth hostel, make sure that you get in by 11pm or they will lock you out

Thanks sophie - I think the plan is to stay in most nights and sink several vats of wine between us. Are there any decent pubs within walking distance?

North Yorkshire, or Dorset Coast-Kimmeridge, Worbarrow Bay-park at Tyneham-derelict village-although you are restricted along this coast due to tanks firing.

And Isle of Wight of course.

oooh, PolicyWonk thanks for the Youth Hostel tip...will definitley investigate that!

The Castle Inn is the closest to you and the best one on the village.

Thanks sophie. If you're in there on Saturday night and you notice some gobby women and embarrassed men, you'll know you've stumbled on a nest of MNetters...

Is it this weekend?

Yup!