Kilve Beach
A rocky foreshore on the Quantock coast, known for ammonites and rock pools, with a car park, toilets and tea room, and a tide that can cut the beach off.
At a Glance
Beach Type
rocky
Parking
Available
Access
Moderate (steps/path)
Swimming
Swim with caution
Facilities
Activities
Fossils on a rocky shore
Kilve is a shore of rock, not sand. It is a wave-cut beach, and the cliffs are layered with oil-bearing shale and blue, yellow and brown lias. The rocks date to the Early Jurassic, roughly 195 to 200 million years ago. Visitors look for ammonites, clams, scallops and oysters, and occasionally ichthyosaur remains.
This is the centre point of the Blue Anchor to Lilstock Coast SSSI, a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest listed for its nationally important exposures and fossils. The Quantock Hills National Landscape asks visitors to collect fossils responsibly, following the fossil collecting code. Photographs leave the shore as you found it, and the Quantock Hills team on 01823 451884 can advise on what you may take home.
Rock pools and the tide
At low tide the pools between the jutting rocks hold crabs and anemones, which makes Kilve a good rock pooling beach. The same tide is the main danger. High tide can cut the beach off, and the Bristol Channel’s large tidal range means people can get trapped at the bottom of cliffs by an incoming tide, as the council warns. Check tide times before you leave the car park, and wear shoes with grip: the beach is very rocky and can be slippery when wet.
Parking, toilets and getting down
The Kilve Beach car park charges for parking. It has toilets, including an accessible one, and a tea room at the entrance. An accessible track runs from the car park to the beach, though the rights of way through the car park have uneven ground and slopes, and the shore beyond it is rough. The English Coast Path passes through the car park. Kilve village has a shop and a pub.
Dogs and what else is nearby
Dog rules on this stretch of coast are set by Somerset Council, so read the council’s public spaces protection orders page and any signs before you go. Kilve has industrial history too: a red brick oil retort built in 1924, after the cliff shale was found to be rich in oil, still stands as a Grade II listed building, the remains of a venture that could not raise enough capital.
For the nearby harbour town, see Watchet.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- Can you take fossils away from Kilve?
- The beach is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The Quantock Hills team asks that fossils are collected responsibly, in line with the fossil collecting code. For current advice before you take anything, call the Quantock Hills team on 01823 451884.
- Are there toilets at Kilve Beach?
- Yes. There are toilets at the car park, including an accessible toilet, and a tea room at the car park entrance.
- Does the tide cut off Kilve Beach?
- It can. At high tide the beach can get cut off, so check tide times before you go.
- Do you have to pay to park at Kilve?
- Yes, charges apply at the Kilve Beach car park. Check the current charge on the [Quantock Hills page](https://www.quantockhills.com/places-to-visit/kilve-beach) before you go.