Metal detecting in the UK, explained properly
Independent UK guides to metal detecting: the best detectors and kit for beginners, beach detecting, and the law on permission and treasure.
How to Get Permission to Metal Detect on Private Land
How to find land and ask a farmer for permission to metal detect in the UK, what to put in a finds agreement, and the checks to do before you start.
Read the guideMetal Detecting Kit List: What You Actually Need
The metal detecting kit you actually need for your first outing, what can wait, and roughly what it costs, with a UK beginner's budget in mind.
Read the guideMetal Detecting Laws in the UK: Permission, Treasure and Where You Can't Go
The UK law on metal detecting explained: landowner permission, what counts as treasure, reporting within 14 days, scheduled monuments, and the different rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Read the guideThe Best Beach Metal Detectors in the UK (2026)
The best metal detectors for UK beaches: why wet salt sand is tricky, waterproof versus water-resistant, and where you're allowed to detect on the coast.
Read the guideThe Best Metal Detectors for Beginners in the UK (2026)
The best metal detectors for beginners in the UK, from £150 to £410: what to look for, how much to spend, and which suit UK fields and beaches.
Read the guideThe Best Pinpointers for Metal Detecting in the UK (2026)
Why a pinpointer is the first accessory to buy, and the best metal detecting pinpointers in the UK from about £40 to £120.
Read the guideWhat to Do If You Find Treasure (UK Guide)
Found something that might be treasure? Step by step: what to do on the spot, reporting within 14 days, the coroner's inquest, valuation and how rewards are shared.
Read the guideWhere Can You Metal Detect in the UK?
Where you can and can't metal detect in the UK: beaches, farmland, parks, rivers, woodland, National Trust land and scheduled monuments.
Read the guide