Discover the Isle of Wight and Explore the Dinosaur Capital of the United Kingdom
- Wayne Munday
- 53 minutes ago
- 10 min read
Sip back and discover the Isle of Wight only a short ferry trip just off England’s southern coast and one of Europe’s richest dinosaur fossil destinations. Often called the "Dinosaur Capital of the UK" this UNESCO Biosphere also holds fossil sites like Compton Bay, Yaverland, and Brook Bay where visitors can discover dinosaur bones, fossilised footprints and prehistoric plants from the Early Cretaceous Wealden Group. This small island of 380 Km2 has an exceptional fossil record that has yielded over 25 dinosaur species. Many local dinosaur finds can be seen at the Dinosaur Isle Museum or you if you a feeling lucky you can decide to hunt for them yourself at a number of accessible beach locationsat low tide. Spanning from the Barremian to early Albian stages between 129 – 113 million years ago the island’s fossiliferous Wessex and Vectis Formations tell a story of diverse ecosystems where once theropods, ornithopods, thyreophorans, crocodiles, turtles, pterosaurs, and early mammals roamed. Major discoveries include spinosaurids like Riparovenator, tyrannosauroids like Eotyrannus, and armoured dinosaurs like Polacanthus. The Lower Greensand Group and Gault Clay mark a transition to marine conditions where ammonites, bivalves and shark teeth can now be found on the beach. Guided fossil walks, family-friendly beaches and the Dinosaur Isle Museum in Sandown makes the Isle of Wight a must-visit destination that combines deep time with scenery and a sense of adventure.
Early Cretaceous Isle of Wight
During the Early Cretaceous the Isle of Wight had a warm semi-arid climate with intermittent rainfall, droughts and episodes of flash flooding and wildfires covering a mix of open plains and forests. These conditions encouraged a diverse range of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to thrive supporting dinosaurs, crocodiles, turtles, small mammals, lizards, amphibians, fish and even pterosaurs.
The Isle of Wight’s geology reveals a low-relief terrain where meandering rivers and forested floodplains supported a diverse range of dinosaur species.
Isle of Wight's Fossiliferous Rock
The Wealden Group consists mainly of river and floodplain deposits and is split into the two key formations of the Wessex Formation and Vectis Formation on the Isle of Wight. The Wessex Formation dates from 129 - 125 million years ago and was formed in a seasonally dry subtropical environment dominated by meandering rivers and broad floodplains.
Its reddish mudstones, sandstones and paleosols are often interrupted by charcoal layers derived from periodic wildfires. These conditions, including seasonal droughts followed by floods that favoured the rapid burial of organic material so preserving an exceptional variety of fossils including dinosaurs, plants other vertebrates and flora.
Overlying the Wessex Formation is the Vectis Formation that dates to between 125 – 124 million years ago. The Vectis Formation indicates an environmental transition into a coastal lagoon. The Grey-green mudstones and limestones indicate a rising sea level whose brackish water was inhabited by both freshwater and estuarine species.
Sitting on top of the Wealden Group is the Lower Greensand Group dating to between 120 - 113 million years ago and represents a major marine transgression where warm shallow seas flooded southern England during part of the Mid-Cretaceous Greenhouse Interval a period of intense global warmth caused by very high atmospheric CO₂ levels; the absence of permanent polar ice sheets; sea level rise and ocean temperatures rising.
The Lower Greensand Group of sands and marine sandstones is rich in the greenish mineral called glauconite. This slow forming mineral Glauconite is a authigenic mineral in that it forms in-situ in shallow low energy marine environments on continental shelves where slow sedimentation and low-oxygen conditions allows it to form by coating or replacing particles with iron- and potassium-rich clay. The Lower Greensand Group contains a diverse number of marine invertebrates such as ammonites, bivalves and echinoids.
The Isle of Wight Dinosaurs
Among the theropods, the bipedal carnivores and omnivores include some of Europe’s largest predators, notably the spinosaurids a group of large semi-aquatic fish-eaters represented by Riparovenator milnerae (“riverbank hunter”), Ceratosuchops inferodios (“horned crocodile face”) and the related Baryonyx walkeri. The Isle of Wight also yields fossils of tyrannosauroids such as the fast and lightly built Eotyrannus lengi (“dawn tyrant”), and neovenatorids like Neovenator salerii an apex predator of its era.
Smaller theropods include dromaeosaurs and other maniraptorans who were agile hunters likely preying on small mammals, lizards and insects. Fossil fragments suggest the presence of small coelurosaurs that may have adorned various feathers or feather-like structures.
The second major dinosaur group comprises the herbivorous ornithopods, often bipedal, including the robust Iguanodontids such as Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis and the distinctively large thumb-spiked Iguanodon bernissartensis along with the smaller swift-running Hypsilophodon foxii.
Among the Thyreophora a group of small to quite large armoured short legged plant-eating dinosaurs including ankylosaurs like Polacanthus foxii have been found characterised by their spiked and plated armour. Interestingly, it is also suggested that a genus of stegosaurs once inhabited the Isle of Wight with a partial fossilised jaw fragment of a Regnosaurus.
In addition to dinosaurs the Isle of Wight's fossil record includes pterosaurs like Vectidraco, crocodilians such as Hylaeochampsa and Bernissartia, turtles including Hylaeochelys and a variety of fishes and amphibians. Fossil plants including conifers, cycads, ferns, horsetails and some of the earliest angiosperms are found on the Isle of Wight. The presence of charcoal layers also indicates frequent wildfire events.
Fossil Hunting on the Isle of Wight
The coastline of the Isle of Wight exposes a near continuous fossil record with several notable locations that still today yield surprises.
Fossil Hunting at Compton Bay
Compton Bay on the Isle of Wight is among the most celebrated fossil hunting locations with fossils exposed in rocks of the Wealden and Lower Greensand Groups. At low tide visitors can find three-toed or tridactyl dinosaur footprints preserved in the rock ledges especially near Hanover Point. These tracks are are protected and must remain in place. Fossil hunters frequently discover rolled or loose dinosaur bone fragments, fossilised wood, freshwater molluscs, oyster shells and flint sea urchins scattered across the shingle of the shoreline. Compton Bay has convenient access from a clifftop car park and a stairway is at Compton Chine. Fossil walks guided by local experts are occasionally available. Best to explore the beach at low tide, stay away and avoid unstable cliff bases and only collect fossils from the loose material. Responsible collecting and environmental stewardship are essential.
Fossil Hunting at Brook Bay
Brook Bay, on the southwest coast of the Isle of Wight and is a quieter yet rewarding fossil-hunting site featuring Early Cretaceous rocks from the Wealden and Lower Greensand Groups. These formations yield a diverse range of fossils including dinosaur bones, three-toed footprints, crocodile teeth, fossilised wood and freshwater molluscs. Rolled bone fragments are often found in the beach shingle, especially after storms and heavy tides. While the colourful clay and sandstone cliffs regularly expose new material their instability makes collecting from them unsafe and visitors are advised to search for loose fossils on the foreshore instead. Brook Bay is accessible by coastal paths.
Fossil Hunting at Brighstone Bay
Brighstone Bay is on the Isle of Wight’s southwest coast between Compton and Atherfield and is also regarded a quieter location exposing fossils from the Wealden Group. The bay’s soft multicoloured clays and sandstones were formed in freshwater floodplains and swampy environments. They frequently erode to reveal fossils including Iguanodon bones, fossilised wood, crocodile and turtle remains, plant debris, and freshwater molluscs. Rolled dinosaur bone fragments are common in the beach shingle, and occasional dinosaur footprints appear on foreshore ledges at low tide. Though access is more limited than other locations Brighstone Bay is reachable via footpaths and car parks and offers a peaceful experience suited to more experienced fossil hunters. Visitors are urged to collect responsibly taking only loose fossils and avoiding cliff disturbance while reporting notable finds.
Fossil Hunting at Atherfield Bay
Atherfield Bay is on the southwest coast of the Isle of Wight and offers a marine-focused fossil hunting experience whose Early Cretaceous Lower Greensand and Gault Clay formations were deposited in a shallow warm sea. Atherfield Bay yields marine fossils such as ammonites, bivalves, belemnites, oysters, corals, ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, turtles and occasional shark teeth. Less common are dinosaur bones. The cliffs are soft and unstable and visitors are advised to collect only loose fossils from the beach away from the cliffs Access is via nearby car parks and keep aware of the tide times to remain safe.
Fossil Hunting at Cowleaze Chine
Cowleaze Chine offers a secluded fossil hunting experience and is known for its rich deposits from the Lower Cretaceous Wealden Group. The site yields a variety of fossils including fossilised wood, bone fragments, crocodile teeth, plant fossils, dinosaur bones and distinctive dinosaur footprints from species such as Iguanodon and evidence of Polacanthus a medium-sized, heavily armoured herbivorous dinosaur. Marine fossils like ammonites and belemnites can also be found. Its sheltered nature makes it especially productive after wet weather when erosion washes fossil bearing material from the cliffs. Access is via footpaths from nearby car parks. Fossil hunters are advised to check tide times and wear suitable clothing and footwear.
Fossil Hunting on the East Coast of the Isle of Wight
The eastern part of the Isle of Wight, particularly around Sandown and Bembridge, reveals a different geological story. Here, the Wessex Formation and overlying Vectis Formation are still Early Cretaceous in age but now transition into a younger Eocene and Oligocene beds of both terrestrial and shallow marine fossils.
Fossil Hunting at Yaverland
Yaverland is located only a short distance from the Dinosaur Isle Museum in Sandown on the Isle of Wight. Yaverland is both popular and an accessible fossil hunting site ideal for families and beginners. The cliffs and foreshore expose layers of the Wessex and Vectis formations, which yield a diverse range of fossils including dinosaur bones in particular Iguanodon and Hypsilophodon remains as well as marine reptiles like turtles and crocodiles, as well as fish scales, fossilised wood, plant debris and marine fossils of clams, shark spines, and coral. Many fossils are found on the foreshore often revealed after high tides or after heavy rain when erosion exposes new material. While fossils can be collected from loose surface material on the beach. Visitors are advised not to dig into the cliffs due to their instability and protected status. Ample parking and nearby amenities make Yaverland a convenient spot for fossil hunting but caution is recommended by checking tide times and reporting any significant finds to Dinosaur Isle.
Fossil Hunting at Whitecliff Bay
Whitecliff Bay, located on the east coast of the Isle of Wight near Bembridge, exposes a well-preserved geological sequence that spans from the Upper Cretaceous Chalk to the late Eocene Palaeogene. Unlike the island’s dinosaur rich sites in the southwest, Whitecliff Bay offers a contrasting fossil hunting experience focused on younger marine deposits from the Paleocene, Eocene, and Oligocene epochs, dating back approximately 34 - 56 million years. At the southern end of the bay, steeply dipping strata of the Chalk Formation from the Upper Turonian to Campanian stages and contain sponges such as Porosphaera. Above this lies the Reading Formation marked by reddish, mottled silty clays and marls that yield silicified echinoids and microfossils. This is followed by the fossil-rich London Clay Formation known for its shark teeth, worm tubes, marine molluscs, and septarian nodules. Overlying units include the Bracklesham Group especially the Earnley Sands, which produce molluscs like Turritella, Venericor planicosta, and the large foraminifera Nummulites laevigatus. Higher still is the Barton Group that yields Nummulites prestwichianus and Nummulites rectus, and the Headon Hill Formation, which contains a variety of gastropods and bivalves. The bay’s accessible foreshore makes it suitable for beginners and families although reaching the beach involves descending steep steps so be careful.
Fossil Hunting on the North West of the Isle of Wight
While the southern and eastern coasts dominate the fossil scene, the northwest corner of the island offers a unique window into ancient ecosystems.
Fossil Hunting at Thorness Bay
Thorness Bay is situated on the sheltered northwest coast of the Isle of Wight and is a tranquil and less visited location with a remarkably rich fossil record accessible by footpaths or nearby camping sites. Its geological sequence notably includes a Limestone known for its exceptional preservation of over 250 fossil insect species alongside a diverse fossil flora comprising more than 120 species. The Eocene sediments across the bay also yield carbonised plant material such as leaves, stems, and seeds and are often revealed after landslides or heavy rainfall. Vertebrate fossils are equally notable with remains of crocodiles, turtles, fish and mammals found in the marl. In addition, the area occasionally produces prehistoric artefacts, including Neolithic flint tools.
The Isle of Wight stands as one of the most significant fossil hunting destinations in Europe and offers a unique window into an Early Cretaceous ecosystem. The isles fossiliferous rock is dominated by the river formed Wessex Formation and marine lagoonal Vectis Formation and chronicles a time of shifting climates, dynamic river systems and coastal lagoons that supported an extraordinary diversity of life including dinosaurs, crocodilians, turtles, pterosaurs and some of the earliest flowering plants. The later marine deposits of the Lower Greensand Group and younger Paleogene strata further extend this record capturing the island’s transition through major environmental shifts including global greenhouse conditions and marine transgressions. Today, the Isle’s coastal cliffs and beaches such as Compton Bay, Yaverland and Atherfield continue to yield new discoveries while the Dinosaur Isle preserves its paleontological heritage. The Isle of Wight offers an accessible journey into deep time shaped by science, natural beauty and centuries of discovery.
So what are waiting for? Go and pack your bags!
This blog should answer the following questions
Discover the Isle of Wight: Dinosaur Capital of the UK
Iconic Landmarks and Events: The Needles and Cowes Week
Outdoor Activities: Hiking, Cycling, and Village Life on the Isle of Wight
Early Cretaceous Climate and Ecosystems of the Isle of Wight
Geological Overview: The Wealden Group and Key Formations
The Wessex Formation: Rivers, Floodplains, and Wildfires
The Vectis Formation: Transition to Coastal Lagoons
Lower Greensand Group: Marine Transgression and Glauconite Mineral
Major Dinosaur Groups Found on the Isle of Wight
Theropods: Europe's Largest Predators and Feathered Hunters
Ornithopods: Herbivorous Dinosaurs of the Wessex Formation
Thyreophorans: Armoured Dinosaurs and Their Fossil Evidence
A Diverse and Dynamic Fossil Record Beyond Dinosaurs
Key Fossil Localities on the Isle of Wight
Fossil Hunting on the Southwest Coast: Compton Bay to Atherfield
Compton Bay: Dinosaur Footprints and Fossil Finds
Brook Bay: Sauropods, Theropods, and Crocodile Teeth
Brighstone Bay: Fossilized Wood and Rare Discoveries
Atherfield Bay: Marine Reptiles and Early Cretaceous Seas
Cowleaze Chine: Secluded Fossil Hunting Spot
Fossils of the East Coast: Sandown, Yaverland, and Whitecliff Bay
Yaverland: Family-Friendly Fossil Hunting Near Dinosaur Isle Museum
Whitecliff Bay: Eocene and Oligocene Marine Fossils
Northern Fossils and Ancient Flora: Thorness Bay’s Unique Finds
Responsible Fossil Collecting and Conservation on the Isle of Wight
Brighstone, Brook Bay, and Hanover Point: Historic and Scientific Importance
Atherfield Point: Lower Greensand Marine Deposits and Fossils
Conservation and Scientific Research on the Isle of Wight Fossil Sites
A Legacy of Scientific Exploration and the Dinosaur Isle Museum
The Isle of Wight’s Role in Understanding Dinosaur Evolution and Paleoecology