Loc 8: Yarmouth

Following the success of our Hamstead trip earlier in the week, we decided to return but this time examined the coastline from Yarmouth to Bouldnor Cliff. The stretch of coastline that is rich in turtle, crocodile, mammal and bird remains is so long that it cannot all be done in one trip. Tidal conditions make this location difficult to access, especially since double tides regularly occurs and the sea doesn't go out very far at low tide. On our first visit, we went via Hamstead and walked to the halfway point in the middle of Bouldnor Cliff. Today we walked from Yarmouth to the middle of Bouldnor Cliff from West to East. The old method was to park at the view point and follow the coastal path down the beach. Unfortunately due to erosion, the coastal path from the viewpoint is now closed. Instead you have to park at Victoria Road (this road is unsigned and unmade, there is limited parking for one car only at the entrance). From here, the new redirected coastal path takes you to the foreshore.

This way is more difficult to access than at Hamstead, with a large number of trees on the beach making walking difficult. It is also in our experience less productive than at the Hamstead end but still yields remains. We did find a nice mammal limb bone, and a lovely crocodile vertebrae and two crocodile teeth. More turtle and croc remains were also found, there are two species of turtle here and we found the second species today ( Trionyx ) with the first being common (Emys). A small partial fish jaw was found in a small nodule and a fossil seed found in the plant debris bed which is a black coloured shale. Although this bed was not exposed, small pieces of this bed was found near foot of the cliff.

( Diplocynodon, Croc Vertebrae )

( Trionyx Turtle Shell)