Free · Printable · UK-checked
Free Metal Detecting Resources
Printable guides, templates, checklists and journals to help you get permission, research land, record and care for your finds, and detect responsibly. Every one free to download.
Free Starter Pack
Metal Detecting Permission Starter Pack
Getting permission is the biggest hurdle for most new detectorists. This free pack gives you four polished, ready-to-use resources: a permission letter, a finds split agreement, a first-visit checklist and thank-you templates. Everything you need to approach a landowner the right way.
Permission & Landowners8 resources
Templates and checklists for getting permission and building good relationships with landowners.
Permission Letter Template
A polite, ready-to-edit letter for approaching farmers and landowners.
Finds Split Agreement
Agree how finds and any reward are shared, before you begin detecting.
Private Land Agreement
Access, land care, guests, finds and privacy in one agreement.
Approach Scripts
Wording for asking permission in person, by phone, email or message.
Permission Tracker
Track contacts, follow-ups, permissions and visits in one place.
Landowner Finds Report
Share a clear visit summary of where you searched and what you found.
Journals & Logbooks3 resources
Printable journals and record sheets for logging your trips, finds and settings.
Metal Detecting Journal
A printable A5 starter journal for trips, finds, settings and memories.
Printable Finds Logbook
Record every find with photos, measurements, settings and ID notes.
Research & Site Journal
Record old-map clues, features, search priorities and results per site.
Finds Identification & Care5 resources
How to photograph, identify, clean and store your finds without causing damage.
Land Research & Field Planning5 resources
Old maps, LiDAR and field features, plus how to plan and search a permission.
Beginner & Family6 resources
First-outing essentials, plus safe and fun detecting with children.
Detecting With Children
Plan a safe, short, enjoyable trip with younger detectorists.
Buying Guides2 resources
Compare machines and inspect a second-hand detector before you buy.
Law & Responsible Detecting4 resources
Know the law across the four nations, report finds properly, and detect responsibly.
Potential Treasure Action Checklist
The steps to take when a find may be Treasure.
Useful Apps & Websites
A hand-picked list of genuinely useful tools for detectorists. We are not paid to list these; they are simply the ones worth knowing.
Research & Mapping
The official database of finds recorded by the public, over 1.5 million objects with photos. The best place to research what turns up in an area and to help identify finds.
National Library of Scotland Maps
Free, superb historic maps side by side with modern ones, covering all of Britain. An essential and free research tool.
OS mapping, including historic layers, for planning where to detect and checking access. Subscription for full features.
Turns any 3-metre square into three words, handy for recording exactly where a find came from, privately, and for meeting up.
UK research app with LiDAR, historic and satellite maps, a PAS finds overlay and a permissions marketplace. Powerful; some features are paid.
Look up the soil type for any ground in Britain, useful for judging preservation and conditions.
Recording & Community
The National Council for Metal Detecting: membership, insurance, and the code of conduct. Important for responsible detecting and cover.
A long-running UK detecting community and forum, good for advice and identification help.
An app for logging finds, tracking your route, and building photo records of each object.
Safety & Conditions
Check the weather before every trip, especially exposed farmland and coast.
Tide Times
Always check tides before beach or foreshore detecting. Tides are a real hazard, plan around them.
New resources added regularly
Grab what you need today. Pop your email in when you download and we will send a copy to your inbox so you never lose it, plus the occasional useful guide. Your choice, always.
