Soudley Valley fossils and fossil collecting |
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Soudley Valley is a geological trail, taking you through the geological features of the Forest of Dean. One of these locations features a spoil heap of carboniferous coal measures, where you can find plants. This guide concentrates on this location. |
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Low
This location is now picked over by so many collectors, that the chance of finding any decent fossil plants is low. If however, you have never collected carboniferous plants before, then there are still plenty of fossil roots lying around in blocks full of them.
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Suitable for Children
This location is suitable for children, although it may be a too far for them to walk. There is a walk up the top of a large hill, although the climb isn’t too bad. Take care that some areas of spoil, contain the giant wood ants. Keep children away from these nests. |
Good Access
The location is easy to find, there is enough space for two cars at two different area to pull in along the road and the trackway is near. It is however a bit of a walk to the site, which wouldn’t normally be too bad, but it is up hill for most of the way. |
Spoil Heap
This location is an old spoil heap, which is the waste material from the quarries that were only after the coal seams. Because of this, you cannot tell any zones and you never know what you might find. |
Geologial Trail
This is part of a geological trail, and along an official route. You are free to collect from the scree slopes. There is a very helpful guide book, available from our store at the bottom of this page, that contains full directors and details of this trail. |
Common sense should be followed at all locations, follow our safe and sensible collecting guide. There are no real dangers at this site. The spoil heaps are not that steep and access to the site is along a main trackway. |
| Last updated: |
2010 |
| last visited: |
2010 |
| Written by: |
Alister and Alison Cruickshanks |
 
A pick will be very handy at this location, for pulling blocks out of the spoil and for splitting, but a spade might also be useful for getting to the unpicked through material!
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Locations similar to Soudley Valley
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Nearby in the Forest of Dean, Whitecroft Spoil is much more productive. You can also try Little Haven, Nelton Haven in wales, Writhlington, Whitehaven in Cumbria, Offerton in Cheshire, Besom Hill in Lancashire or New Hay Quarry in Lancashire which is very similar or try Jurassic plant remains from Yorkshire, Scalby Ness, Hayburn Wyke, Filey, Cloughton Wyke and Gristhorpe Bay. In Scotland, you can also try Joppa Shore, Anstruther, East Wemyss, or Crail.
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The Forest of Dean is the most important coal mining area of the UK, and has contained some of the best seams of coal. The whole forest is covered with evidence of past mines, quarries, shafts and spoil heaps.
The Soudley Valley Trail, takes you through the whole of the Carboniferous, from the limestone, dolomite, sandstone and shale. It is the Carboniferous shale that this guide concentrates on, which is Site number on the official trail.
Once you arrive at this site, you will see a large open area where the waste material from mining was dumped. This contains shale in which you can find fossil plants. Unfortunately, since this is an official trail, it has been heavily picked over, and the only finds that you are now likely to find are roots and a calamites stems. Having said that, if you are luckily enough, you can find high fossiliferious blocks of fossil leafs, which includes a variety of ferns.
There are mounds around the open area which can be searched. Those on the right are more productive. It is best to dig into the spoil to uncover fresh material that stands a good chance of not being picked over by other collectors.
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Carboniferious, 310mya |
Carboniferous mudstone and shale, with clearly visible coal seams. This section is in a road cutting only a few metres away from the parking area.
This location is an old spoil heap, which is the waste material from the quarries that were only after the coal seams. The source of this spoil is from the Colford High Delf Coal Seam, which is the most important and productive seam in the Forest of Dean and rests below the Pennant Sandstone that can also be seen in a cutting at the back of this dumping area. This sandstone does not contain any fossils.....[more]
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Fossil leafs can be found, but are becoming hard to find ...[more]
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Soudley Trail
Official Geological Trail
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Geology Explained in the Forest of Dean |
Test Sieves for Microfossils |
 This official booklet, covers the full geological guide to the Soudley Trail. Looking at nine sites of geological interest to the area covering the full scope of geology. It includes this spoil heap, with plenty of information on the Soudley Valley. There are maps and geological diagrams included in this booklet. The booklets are available from our own store at UKGE.
Free UK Delivery. BK0242: £1.95. Click to buy
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 This book explains the geology in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley including locations to visit, fossils to find and is full of excellent diagrams and drawings. William Dreghhorn was a remarkable educator, author and illustrator, but above all he will be remembered as an enthusiastic teacher of geology. This book, originally written in 1968 has been republished.
FREE UK DELIVERY - Click to buy
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Test Sieves are used when searching for microfossils. At Soudley Valley, you can find many small teeth and bones in the famous bone bed. The bone bed at Soudley Valley is packed with microfossils which when broken down can be viewed under a microscope.
Our UKGE Store sells Endecotts Test Sieves, which are the highest in accuracy and extremely durable and long lasting. These Test Sieves are fantastic for microfossils. Endecotts Test Sieves come in a variety of sizes, frame material and types, they are certificated to EU Standards. |
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