Finding fossils and more in England's Jurassic Coast

The writer’s sister Lauren and her husband Bob walking along the cliffs just west of Branscombe, in southern England, along the famous South West Coast Path. — Photos: STEVE WARTENBERG/AP

We were only about 2km into our four-day, 51.5km hike from Lyme Regis to Exmouth along the beautiful Jurassic Coast of southern England. Beneath us were the fossilised remains of sea creatures and birds dating back 150 million or more years. We were immersed in the forest, with cliffs to the right, the English Channel to the left.

“Where are you headed?” asked a hiker, who came up behind us at a brisk pace and stopped to chat.