Conditions guidance only. Cliffs are dangerous — never dig in or stand near them.
Check tide times locally and tell someone where you're going.
Safety page
Leave the beach by 1:01pm — 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 at lunchtime.
Low tide: 12:01pm (0.5 m) · Wind up to 19 km/h · Waves 0.9 m
Thursday 16 July
Fair
Safe window: 10:48am – 1:48pm
Leave the beach by 1:48pm — 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 at lunchtime.
Low tide: 12:20am (1.0 m), 12:48pm (0.4 m) · Wind up to 19 km/h · Waves 0.6 m
Friday 17 July
Fair
Safe window: 11:33am – 2:33pm
Leave the beach by 2:33pm — 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 at lunchtime.
Low tide: 1:04am (1.0 m), 1:33pm (0.5 m) · Wind up to 29 km/h · Waves 1.0 m
Saturday 18 July
Fair
Safe window: 12:17pm – 3:17pm
Leave the beach by 3:17pm — 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 mid-afternoon.
Low tide: 1:47am (1.1 m), 2:17pm (0.7 m) · Wind up to 29 km/h · Waves 1.4 m
Sunday 19 July
Fair
Safe window: 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Leave the beach by 4:00pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Low tide falls mid-afternoon, though it is not an especially big one.
Low tide: 2:29am (1.3 m), 3:00pm (0.9 m) · Wind up to 27 km/h · Waves 1.5 m
Monday 20 July
Quiet day
Safe window: 1:45pm – 4:45pm
Leave the beach by 4:45pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Low tide falls mid-afternoon, though it is not an especially big one. No recent storms, so expect a picked-over beach.
Low tide: 3:11am (1.5 m), 3:45pm (1.2 m) · Wind up to 26 km/h · Waves 1.2 m
Tuesday 21 July
Quiet day
Safe window: 2:32pm – 5:32pm
Leave the beach by 5:32pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Low tide falls mid-afternoon, though it is not an especially big one. No recent storms, so expect a picked-over beach.
Low tide: 3:56am (1.8 m), 4:32pm (1.6 m) · Wind up to 22 km/h · Waves 0.8 m
Where to look
Work the clay-streaked beach at the south end of Filey Bay after scouring tides — small ammonites, belemnites and crushed shell patches weather straight out of the Speeton Clay onto the sand. Keep to the firm beach and off the wet clay flows.
What fossils look like here
Ammonites and belemnites weather out of the soft clays; crushed white shell patches often mark productive spots. Jet is matt black and feather-light. Free identification: the Rotunda Museum in Scarborough — the birthplace of English geology — welcomes enquiries.
Limited parking in Speeton village near the church.
Facilities
None — nearest facilities in Filey.
Access
Long path down through the fields and cliff to the south end of Filey Bay.
Hazards
The Speeton Clay forms deep, boot-swallowing mud flows after rain — keep to the firm beach. Remote corner of the bay; watch the tide against the cliffs.