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Today at Folkestone (Copt Point), Kent
FairWhy: Heavy rain in the last two days may have washed fresh material out of the cliffs. Low tide falls at lunchtime, though it is not an especially big one.
Safe window: 9:49am – 12:49pm
Leave the beach by 12:49pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: Heavy rain in the last two days may have washed fresh material out of the cliffs. Low tide falls at lunchtime, though it is not an especially big one.
15° · mostly clear · Low tide: 11:49am (2.7 m) · Wind up to 22 km/h · Waves 0.5 m
Safe window: 11:17am – 2:17pm
Leave the beach by 2:17pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: Heavy rain in the last two days may have washed fresh material out of the cliffs. Low tide falls at lunchtime, though it is not an especially big one.
15° · overcast · 9mm rain · Low tide: 12:21am (2.8 m), 1:17pm (2.8 m) · Wind up to 27 km/h · Waves 0.8 m
No safe daylight window
Why: Winds gusting around 86 km/h forecast — not a day to be under cliffs.
14° · drizzle · 5mm rain · Low tide: 2:02am (2.8 m), 2:55pm (2.6 m) · Wind up to 56 km/h · Waves 1.4 m
Safe window: 2:02pm – 5:02pm
Leave the beach by 5:02pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: A recent southerly blow should have brought fresh cliff material onto the beach. An early-autumn blow like this restocks beaches after the quiet summer. Low tide falls mid-afternoon, though it is not an especially big one.
13° · mostly clear · 6mm rain · Low tide: 3:28am (2.5 m), 4:02pm (2.1 m) · Wind up to 43 km/h · Waves 0.9 m
No safe daylight window
Why: Winds gusting around 108 km/h forecast — not a day to be under cliffs.
14° · overcast · 19mm rain · Low tide: 4:27am (2.1 m), 4:54pm (1.6 m) · Wind up to 69 km/h · Waves 1.5 m
Safe window: 3:39pm – 6:20pm
Leave the beach by 6:20pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Why: A recent southerly blow should have brought fresh cliff material onto the beach. An early-autumn blow like this restocks beaches after the quiet summer. Low tide falls towards evening, though it is not an especially big one.
14° · overcast · 15mm rain · Low tide: 5:16am (1.6 m), 5:39pm (1.1 m) · Wind up to 43 km/h · Waves 0.8 m
No safe daylight window
Big tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
Why: Winds gusting around 77 km/h forecast — not a day to be under cliffs.
17° · drizzle · 4mm rain · Low tide: 5:00am (1.2 m), 5:22pm (0.7 m) · Wind up to 50 km/h · Waves 0.8 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