"Whilst any good ironmonger can supply cold chisels and strong knives or trowels, he is very unlikely to have safe and suitable hammers in stock. The steel of ordinary domestic and many trade hammers is far too soft for use on most rocks. It will splinter and flying fragments of steel can cause nasty wounds, particularly to the eyes, not only of the hammerer but also of his companions." Fossils in Colour - 1967 - J.F. Kirkaldy, D.Sc. Formally Head of the Department of Geology, Queen Mary College London.

During scouring tides, fossils can be simply picked up from the foreshore, if you are after specific fossils from certain zones or no scouring has occurred, then you will need the correct tools.

Picks: A pick is very handy at Folkestone, it can be used for easily removing fossils from the gault clay and for clearing.

Trowels: Another handy tool for smaller fossils that are in situ. Trowels can be used to gently clear around the fossil.

Knives: Ideal for any micro fossils or small delicate finds. Knives can pick these out of the gault clay. Fossils from the gault can be very fragile and it is best to preserve them as quickly as possible.

Field Lenses: Folkestone can yield many tiny fossils including teeth which sometimes will require a magnifying lenses. It is not always possible to tell very small objects with normal eyesight. The most common type is the 10x.

Specimen Bags: These are ideal for collecting from the Gault, expecially for taking back samples. Sealable Clear Specimen Bags can hold your finds. These can be purchased from UKGE for low prices and can easily be re-used.

Geological Bags: Strong, Waterproof and durable geological bags that last years are ideal for any keen fossil hunter. These quality bags from Estwing are ideal for bringing back those larger finds or sample bags.

Footwear: Wellington Boots are the best type for footwear for Folkestone, the foreshore can be very muddy and slippery, especially during scouring tides.