Lyme Regis

The town of Lyme Regis is located in Lyme Bay on the western edge of Dorset where the river Lym enters the sea. It has four main beaches and to either side the shore is backed by high unstable cliffs rich in fossils. Lying just inside the famous Cob, Town beach is the most popular, and has (imported) sand backed by a pebble bank. RNLI lifeguards patrol during the summer. Dogs are not allowed from 1st May until 30th September. Dogs are allowed on the other beaches.

Monmouth Beach is to the west, and is mostly pebbles, where a limestone layer called the Ammonite Pavement is rich in fossils.

The coastal path westwards from Lyme Regis passes for about 4 miles through a region of dense woodland called the Undercliff, where layers of porous chalk sit on top of non-porous clay - the whole sloping towards the sea. Landslips are common, and there are few ways off this path until Axmouth. The shore along this section is mostly pebbles backed by steeply-sloping wooded cliffs, and there are only one or two places where there is access to the shore from the coastal path.

The town itself has plenty of pubs, tea-rooms, cafes and small shops. The main A3052 is very narrow, and has a traffic-light controlled single-track section. Congestion is to be expected during peak times.