"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.

Grafham is a bit of an unpredictable location, sometimes you can come away with nothing and other times buckets full. Much depends on beach conditions, but always take the right tools or one day your get caught out!

Crack Hammers: Sometimes Nodules can be found and to split these, you will need a good quality crack hammer.

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

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

Specimen Bags: These are ideal for collecting from the Oxford Clay, 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.

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