"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.

The foreshore at Lothbeg often contains Kimmeridge clay it is always handy to take a pick, trowels and knives for this type of location.

Picks: When the clay is exposed on the foreshore at Lothbeg, a pick comes in handy, especially if any large bones are sticking our.

Trowels: Probably the best and most recommended tool for Lothbeg, trowels can making extracting fossils from clay much easier and lowers the risk of breaking the fossil.

Knives: Some of the smaller and more fragile fines are best got out with the aid of a knife to pick these out from the bed, or slice around.

Specimen Bags: These are ideal for Lothbeg. 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 fossil finds.

Footwear: Hiking Boots are recommended for Lothbeg because the shore can be slippery when clay is exposed.