"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.

Different tools will be required depending on if you plan to collect corals, fish remains or both, The Corals are in fairly soft Carboniferous rock, but the fish remains are in very hard Devonian rocks. Generally if collecting corals, all you need is a good eye as many of the smaller rocks can be simply picked off the foreshore containing good specimens.

Crack Hammers: If you are planning on looking for fish remains, You will need good quality crack hammer and Chrome chisels at Portishead, the rocks can be very hard.

Chisel Picks: For collecting corals at Battery Point, it is recommended to take chisel picks so that you can split any rocks. The rocks here are softer than the Devonian Rocks further along the bay.

Chisels: If you plan to collect fish remains. because the rocks are extremely hard, most normal chisels will blunt quickly. It is therefore highly recommended that Special Chrome Vanadium Steel Chisels are used. These are made from the highest quality steel and are coated for extra protection. They are also much sharper than normal chisels and will last much longer. As for the type of chisel, standard 1" or less are best, it is also ideal to take a small chisel around 1/2" for any delicate work and a splitting chisel to split layers.

Specimen Bags: These are ideal for Portishead. Sealable Clear Specimen Bags can hold your finds. These can be purchased from UKGE for low prices and can easily be re-used.

Geological Bags: Strong, Waterproof and durable geological bags that last years are ideal for any keen fossil hunter. These quality bags from Estwing are ideal for bringing back those heavy finds back home.

Safety Wear: Goggles or Safety Glasses are absolutely essential at this location when using hammers and chisels, rock splinters can pierce the skin.

Field Lenses: It is recommended to take a field lens so you can view the corals in more detail or to examine fish remains. It is not always possible to tell very small objects with normal eyesight. The most common type is the 10x.

Footwear: Hiking Boots are recommended for Portishead, although you should avoid the boggy areas of the salt marsh, stay around the edge's of the bay.