Rockhounding Spots in the United Kingdom
Browse 96 mapped rockhounding locations across 23 UK counties and council areas. Every county page lists named spots, rocks and minerals, coordinates, and what to check before you collect.
Access rules differ across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Most land is private, so when in doubt, ask the landowner before you collect.
- Mapped spots
- 96
- Counties and council areas
- 23
- Minerals to search
- 80
Mapped spots
Counties and council areas
Minerals to search
Browse by county or council area
Each card shows how many spots we have mapped and the minerals most often listed there.
- Cumbria11 spotsQuartzGalenaBarytes
- Derbyshire11 spotsCalciteFluoriteBaryte
- North Yorkshire9 spotsAmmoniteBelemnitePyrite
- Dorset7 spotsAmmoniteBelemniteIron Pyrite
- Highland7 spotsAnalcimeCalciteChabazite
- Cornwall6 spotsQuartzCassiteriteChalcopyrite
- Devon6 spotsQuartzCassiteriteHematite
- Gwynedd5 spotsPyriteChalcopyriteCopper
- Angus4 spotsAgateChalcedonyJasper
- Causeway Coast and Glens4 spotsAmmoniteChalk FossilsAnalcime
- Ceredigion3 spotsGalenaPyriteQuartz
- Fife3 spotsAgateQuartzAmethyst
- Isle of Wight3 spotsDinosaur BoneAmmoniteIron Pyrite
- Somerset3 spotsAmmoniteGryphaeaIchthyosaur
- South Ayrshire3 spotsAgateChalcedonyJasper
- Dumfries and Galloway2 spotsGoldCaledoniteGalena
- Durham2 spotsBaryteCalciteFluorite
- Mid and East Antrim2 spotsAgateAmmoniteAnalcime
- Flintshire1 spotCalciteChalcopyriteGalena
- Isle of Anglesey1 spotAzuriteChalcociteChalcopyrite
- Northumberland1 spotBaryteGalenaWitherite
- South Lanarkshire1 spotCaledoniteGalenaGold
- Staffordshire1 spotAzuriteBaryteCalcite
Near major cities
All cities →Rock and fossil collecting spots within 60 miles, an easy day trip.
Rockhounding access in the UK
Read guide →Permission first
There is no general public right to collect on private land, and most UK land is private. Mine dumps, quarries, and fields usually need landowner permission before any collecting.
Beaches and foreshore
Beaches and public foreshore (much of it Crown Estate) generally tolerate casual pebble collecting. Watch the tides, never dig into cliffs, and check local bylaws.
Protected sites
SSSIs, National Nature Reserves, and scheduled monuments are protected. UK national parks are mostly private land inside a designation, so the same permission rules apply there.
Interactive map
Open map →See every UK spot on one map, filtered by mineral and access.
United States
U.S. spots →Thousands more collecting spots across the U.S., grouped by region and county.
Canada
Canada spots →Canadian collecting spots grouped by region, with minerals and access notes.
Australia
Australia spots →Australian collecting spots grouped by state and territory, with licence notes.
UK rockhounding FAQ
Is rockhounding legal in the UK?+
Do I need permission to collect rocks in the UK?+
Where is the best rockhounding in the UK?+
How many UK rockhounding spots does RockHoundR map?+
Plan rockhounding trips in the app
The RockHoundR app turns this list into a map you can filter, save, and use offline. Geology, weather, and field notes are built in.
