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Today at Folkestone (Copt Point), Kent
FairBig tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
Why: A big 0.4 m low tide falls towards evening.
Safe window: 6:01pm – 9:01pm
Leave the beach by 9:01pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Big tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
Why: A big 0.4 m low tide falls towards evening.
24° · mostly clear · Low tide: 8:01pm (0.4 m) · Wind up to 28 km/h · Waves 0.7 m
Safe window: 6:46pm – 9:46pm
Leave the beach by 9:46pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Big tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
Why: A big 0.3 m low tide falls towards evening.
25° · clear · Low tide: 8:21am (0.4 m), 8:46pm (0.3 m) · Wind up to 25 km/h · Waves 0.5 m
Safe window: 7:28pm – 9:47pm
Leave the beach by 9:47pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Big tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
Why: A big 0.3 m low tide falls towards evening.
22° · clear · Low tide: 9:05am (0.4 m), 9:28pm (0.3 m) · Wind up to 28 km/h · Waves 0.4 m
Safe window: 8:07pm – 9:46pm
Leave the beach by 9:46pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Big tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
Why: A big 0.5 m low tide falls towards evening.
22° · clear · Low tide: 9:45am (0.6 m), 10:07pm (0.5 m) · Wind up to 18 km/h · Waves 0.5 m
Safe window: 8:23am – 11:23am
Leave the beach by 11:23am — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: Low tide falls mid-morning, though it is not an especially big one.
21° · overcast · Low tide: 10:23am (0.9 m), 10:45pm (0.9 m) · Wind up to 19 km/h · Waves 0.5 m
Safe window: 9:00am – 12:00pm
Leave the beach by 12:00pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: Low tide falls at lunchtime, though it is not an especially big one. No recent storms, so expect a picked-over beach.
23° · clear · Low tide: 11:00am (1.3 m), 11:22pm (1.4 m) · Wind up to 28 km/h · Waves 0.4 m
Safe window: 9:36am – 12:36pm
Leave the beach by 12:36pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: Low tide falls at lunchtime, though it is not an especially big one. No recent storms, so expect a picked-over beach.
19° · overcast · Low tide: 11:36am (1.8 m) · Wind up to 20 km/h · Waves 0.3 m
At East Wear Bay, search the Gault clay foreshore at low water — ammonites sit proud of the washed clay surface after the tide has rinsed it. Firm gravel patches are the safe footing; wrap fragile finds immediately.
Gault clay ammonites are small, brown or pearly, and fragile — wrap them as soon as you find them. Glossy black fish teeth and coiled 'ram's horn' shells also wash onto the foreshore. Identification: Folkestone Museum, or photograph finds for the Natural History Museum's identification service.
This coast is a protected site (SSSI). What does that mean?
Allowed: Surface-collecting loose fossils from the beach and foreshore is permitted.
Never allowed: No digging into the Gault clay cliffs or landslips at this SSSI.
Important finds: Notable finds can be reported to Folkestone Museum.
Rules can change — check locally before you collect.
Detailed location guide at UK Fossils →
Parking near the Martello tower / Wear Bay Road, East Cliff.
Café at the Martello tower area in season; full facilities in Folkestone.
Paths down to East Wear Bay; the fossil-rich Gault clay foreshore is exposed at low tide.
The Gault clay is deep, sticky and can trap boots — keep to firm ground. Landslipped undercliff is unstable; the tide reaches the base of the point, so return before it turns.
Fossil Forecast