Girvan (Shalloch) fossils and fossil collecting |
Low
The chance of finding fossils is low because the shale is nearly always covered with sand. Fossils are not found in the larger limestone blocks.
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Foreshore Rocks
Rocks are found on the foreshore, although the fossiliferous shale is nearly always covered up making this site quite unproductive. |
No Restrictions
There are no restrictions at this location, but please follow the Scottish Fossil Code below, and also our own UK Fossils Code of Conduct. |
If you collect fossils in Scotland, the advice on best practice in the collection and storage of fossil specimens, set out in the Scottish Fossil Code, applies to you. The Code may be viewed and downloaded from www.snh.org.uk/fossilcode.
 
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Girvan is usually a fairly safe area, although the tide somteimes reaches the small embankment, this can easily be climbed and it is not possible to be cut off here. The rocks can be quite hard so care should be taken when using sharp tools. |
| Last updated: |
2010 |
| last visited: |
2008 |
| Written by: |
Alister and Alison Cruickshanks |
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At the southern end of the beach at Girvan is some rocks that are Ordovician in age, these are part of the Shalloch Formation. Often the shale beds are covered up with sand, but during favourable scouring conditions, you can find graptolites in this shale beneath beach level. The hard unfossilifeious limestone can be seen at this end of the beach.
If you are using Girvan as a basecamp to visit other locations in the area, then it is worth a trip on the local beach to see if there is any shale around, but, we would highly recommend visiting Woodland Bay. Both sites can be done in one trip, visiting Girvan beach first and then walking further south to the next bay which is Woodland Bay.
The rocks are Girvan are from the Shalloch Formation
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Ordovician, 450mya |
The rocks on the beach at Shalloch are of the Ordovician-Ashgill aged, Shalloch Formation. This is a series of interbedded greenish grey mudstone shale and fine grained greywache with thin limestone’s in place. Within shale is where the graptolites are found.
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Related Books |
Microscopes |
Geology Tools |
The best guide available for this area is the small booklet on Girvan published by the Geological Survey and available from our online store. It is a sheet explanation and covers the geological formations around Girvan in great detail, along with the fossils found and further locations not featured on this website.
Click here for this book.
The standard geological map of Girvan is also an excellent buy showing you exactly where the best beds are, and is related to from the sheet explanation. |
At most locations, you can find microfossils. You only need a small sample of the sand. You then need to wash it in water and sieve using a test sieve. Once the sand is processed, you can then view the contents using a microscope.
We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereomicroscope for viewing microfossils. The best one we sell is the IMXZ, but a basic microscope will be fine. Once you have found microfossils, you will need to store these microfossils.
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This guide looks at the rocks on the south of the beach at Girvan. Although girvan is famous for fossils, these are from the neighbouring bays, the actual beach at Girvan is rarely productive as the beds are below beach level. 
