Elsewhere
Today at Compton Bay, Isle of Wight
FairBig tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
A big 0.6 m low tide falls towards evening.
Safe window: 3:25pm – 6:25pm
Leave the beach by 6:25pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Big tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
A big 0.6 m low tide falls towards evening.
Low tide: 5:25pm (0.6 m) · Wind up to 27 km/h · Waves 0.8 m
Safe window: 4:29am – 6:48am
Leave the beach by 6:48am — the tide will cut off your route back.
Big tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
A big 0.3 m low tide falls first thing.
Low tide: 5:48am (0.3 m), 6:09pm (0.7 m) · Wind up to 23 km/h · Waves 0.6 m
Safe window: 4:32am – 7:32am
Leave the beach by 7:32am — the tide will cut off your route back.
Big tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
A big 0.4 m low tide falls first thing.
Low tide: 6:32am (0.4 m), 6:53pm (0.8 m) · Wind up to 18 km/h · Waves 0.5 m
Safe window: 5:16am – 8:16am
Leave the beach by 8:16am — the tide will cut off your route back.
Big tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
A big 0.5 m low tide falls first thing.
Low tide: 7:16am (0.5 m), 7:39pm (0.9 m) · Wind up to 21 km/h · Waves 0.4 m
Safe window: 6:03am – 9:03am
Leave the beach by 9:03am — the tide will cut off your route back.
Big tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
A big 0.7 m low tide falls first thing.
Low tide: 8:03am (0.7 m), 8:28pm (1.0 m) · Wind up to 18 km/h · Waves 0.3 m
Safe window: 6:51am – 9:51am
Leave the beach by 9:51am — the tide will cut off your route back.
Low tide falls first thing, though it is not an especially big one. No recent storms, so expect a picked-over beach.
Low tide: 8:51am (0.8 m), 9:21pm (1.1 m) · Wind up to 22 km/h · Waves 0.3 m
Safe window: 7:45am – 10:45am
Leave the beach by 10:45am — the tide will cut off your route back.
Low tide falls mid-morning, though it is not an especially big one. No recent storms, so expect a picked-over beach.
Low tide: 9:45am (1.0 m), 10:21pm (1.2 m) · Wind up to 26 km/h · Waves 0.2 m
From Hanover Point westward, search the dark shingle and clay-washed gravel at low tide — dinosaur bone rolls in the beach gravel looking like heavy black pebbles. The three-toed footprint casts on the foreshore at low water are the free show.
Dinosaur bone is black to dark brown with a spongy, bubbly texture — often mistaken for a worn pebble until you feel how heavy it is. Ammonites usually show as a curved ridge poking out of grey rock. Free identification: Dinosaur Isle at Sandown identifies finds in person and runs guided fossil walks.
This coast is a protected site (SSSI). What does that mean?
Allowed: Loose fossils from the beach may be kept for personal collections.
Never allowed: No digging into the cliffs (SSSI), and dinosaur footprint casts must be left in place for everyone to see.
Important finds: Report significant finds to Dinosaur Isle, Sandown.
Rules can change — check locally before you collect.
Detailed location guide at UK Fossils →
National Trust car park at Hanover Point.
Seasonal food van at the car park; toilets at Compton Farm end in season.
Steps down to the beach; dinosaur footprint casts show near Hanover Point at low tide.
Soft crumbling cliffs slump after rain — keep off them. The bay narrows at high water: check the tide before walking far in either direction.