FAQ
What is sand collecting?
Sand collecting is a pastime attracting an ever increasing number of enthusiasts who share a passion for collecting small samples of sand which are then usually stored in clear bottles for display.
Why did you start collecting sand?
Since a very early age I've always been interested in geology and collecting rocks, fossils and the like, and simply decided one day to start collecting sand as well. Why? It costs very little although transport costs can soon mount up, it gets me outdoors in the fresh air exploring new places and there's no end to how many different samples I can collect.
What is the purpose of this website?
This website was created to allow me to share my experiences, my passion for sand collecting, any useful hints and tips I come across and also to help promote the hobby of sand collecting.
Is it not a bit strange to collect sand?
Well, you do get some strange looks when you mention to people that you collect sand and you also get some equally strange looks when actually collecting in the field. If you are uncomfortable, just tell people you are collecting sand as part of a research study for your PhD in Palaeoarenology - the study of fossil sand.
Do you just collect sand?
Yes, mostly sand but also anything else that looks interesting such as colourful clays, stone dust from quarries, coal dust from mines and even fuel ash from a coal-fired power station. Anything similar so long as it's less than 2 mm in size. I also "make" my own sand by collecting small samples of sandstone and crushing them to produce sand.
When did you start collecting sand?
I started collecting sand in early November 2006 after a visit to a local sand and gravel pit where I collected ten different samples. By the end of December 2006 I'd collected 247 different samples of sand.
What equipment do you use?
My sand-collecting bag, actually an old fishing tackle bag, holds an bundle of 90 x 115 mm self-seal polythene bags, a standard 60 ml plastic measuring container, a couple of old spoons, a small bricklayer's pointing trowel, an assortment of polythene bags and some permanent marker pens. I also carry a digital camera, along with spare battery and media card.
What size of sample do you collect?
When collecting sand I always collect a minimum of 120 ml, more than I actually need to fill the 10 ml test tubes I use for my primary collection. This gives me an allowance for sieving out stones, organic matter and larger bits of shell, etc and for drying shrinkage and spillage.
What do you do with left over sand?
Some of the left over sand is used to create a display collection. About 60 ml of the sample goes into small clear plastic containers for open display in the shed. The remainder of the sand is bagged and goes into the archive, stored in a collection of plastic storage boxes. Not all samples are used for open-display, only a selection of the more interesting and colourful one's.
How many samples do you collect?
That really depends on the type and size of the location but generally an individual location such as a beach might typically produce between 5 to 10 samples. A sand and gravel pit might provide 10 samples, occasionally as many as 20. On average a good days collecting, taking in 5 to 8 locations would give me a collection of around 40 samples or so.
Where do you collect your sand?
I collect sand from beaches, dunes, rivers, streams, caves, mines, sand and gravel pits, quarries, mountains, ponds, lochs and anywhere else I come across sand. My collecting is mostly restricted to south-east Scotland, including West Lothian, Midlothian, East Lothian and the Scottish Borders. However, I'm also collecting from a few of the neighbouring regions, such as the Kingdom of Fife, Dumfries & Galloway and over the English Border into Northumberland with future plans to travel throughout Scotland.
Is sand collecting expensive?
Generally speaking, sand collecting is not an expensive hobby as the materials you collect is generally free. Equipment costs such as sampling bags and storage containers can vary widely and really depends on what you purchase. Perhaps the most costly item would be travel - fuel costs soon mount up if you collect regularly from further a field. For those who trade sand, you have postage and packaging costs to consider.
Would you like me to send you sand?
While that would be very kind of you, I'm only collecting sand that I can actually gather personally myself. My personal opinion is that if you are going to collect anything you should actually collect it yourself.
How do you house your main collection?
I display my sand samples in 10 ml clear polystyrene test tubes. Each has a printed label on the side. They are housed inside a purpose-built display cabinet with 15 shallow drawers. The tubes are laid flat for easy viewing. The remainder of the samples are archived in the original sampling bags kept inside plastic storage boxes. All my sand collection is kept in a large shed in the garden.
Do you have any samples to swap?
While I do collect more sand than required for display, I do not have any plans to exchange samples. As I only collect sand that I can physically collect myself, exchanging sand is not something I'm interested in doing.
What collecting guidelines do you follow?
There are three that I follow at the moment. One is that I only collect sand that I can gather personally in the field myself. The second is that I'm restricting my collection to sand samples from the British Isles, particularly Scotland and the North of England - essentially locations that are within a days driving distance. The third relates to the range of samples I collect, basically anything between fine silt and course sand.