Helmsdale Fossil Hunting Guide
Discover reptile remains, giant corals, fish remains, ammonites at Helmsdale in Helmsdale, Highland. Complete guide with directions and geology.
Best place to collect Jurassic fossils in Scotland. The area is rich in reptile remains, giant corals, fish remains and occasional ammonite.
Location and Directions
Helmsdale can be found at Helmsdale Beach in Helmsdale, Highland, Scotland KW8.
On the A9 coastal route in Sutherland, ~40 miles north of Dornoch. Access beach from village harbor. Walk along foreshore northward past first headland where Kimmeridgian rocks begin. Fossiliferous site extends several kilometers. From Timespan Museum in village center, it’s a 6-minute walk to harbor and beach.
What Fossils You’ll Find
The most commonly found fossils at Helmsdale are ammonites from the Jurassic (Kimmeridgian, ~157-152 Ma) period, although reptile remains, giant corals, fish remains have also been found.
Geologic History
The site exposes the Boulder Beds and Kimmeridgian shales, cementstones, and conglomeratic Boulder Beds.
Helmsdale Boulder Beds are syn-rift deposits related to Late Jurassic rifting, accumulated along Helmsdale Fault at the foot of the submarine fault scarp. Three faces exist there: conglomerate from rockfall/debris flows, sandstone-mudstone turbidites, and sandstone, interpreted as earthquake-triggered debris flows and tsunami deposits. Between boulder beds, normal Kimmeridge Clay was deposited in deep sea conditions with ammonites in the Late Jurassic Kimmeridgian (~157-152 Ma) with Scotland at mid-latitudes in the northern hemisphere (~35-40°N). The climate during this period was characterized by warm productive seas supporting diverse life including large marine reptiles, abundant fish, giant corals. Active rifting occurred as the Atlantic opened.
Site History
Helmsdale is one of the best places to collect Jurassic fossils in Scotland. The boulder beds have fascinated geologists since the 19th century. A UK Fossils Network 2003 expedition found dinosaur vertebrae, giant corals, fish jaws. The Helmsdale Fault runs Helmsdale to Brora, providing one of the only opportunities to collect Jurassic fossils in northern Scotland.
Sources
- UK Fossils Network https://ukfossils.co.uk/2005/04/14/helmsdale/
- Bgs Earthwise
- Ougs East Scotland
- Helmsdale.org
- ScienceDirect
- accessed December 9, 2025
