A favourite coastal destination for hundreds of years, Lyme Regis is the epitome of a bustling English seaside town, full of olde-worlde charm, fascinating history, gorgeous beaches, pretty winding streets to explore and beautiful coastal views. The Victorian influence here is significant, from its impressive promenade to iconic fossil hunters such as Mary Anning.
Nestled on the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Jurassic Coast, natural history is vitally important here. You’ll find fossils everywhere, to be admired in museums and also those waiting to be discovered on the beaches, offering you a unique experience and holiday memento.
Needless to say, this iconic Dorset town has plenty to offer during your stay, wherever your interests lie. Here are just a few of our favourite things to do when visiting Lyme Regis…
Dinosaurland Fossil Museum
With over 30,000 fossil specimens on display, this is the place to go for fossil fans and any lover of natural history. The Dinosaurland Fossil Museum is a beautiful example of museums of the past with its traditional style, showcasing the beauty of the local Jurassic marine fossils (with the occasional Chinese dinosaur and Russian trilobite), which range from minuscule microfossils to huge ichthyosaurs (as discovered by Mary Anning, who was actually baptised in the museum building), and even a 73kg mound of dino dung.
The museum takes you through our natural history timeline, lovingly curated by owner Steve, who started with just 113 specimens back in 1995. Whether you want to learn how to find your own fossils or see what others have uncovered, this is the place to be.
Fossil hunting
Even today there’s still plenty of opportunity to find fossils along the coast, especially between Lyme Regis and Charmouth, where the ever-shifting cliffs reveal new earth, gravel, and shingle to rummage through. Mary Anning, as mentioned above, was a local palaeontologist who collected incredible fossils found here, and is considered one of the leading figures in the study of fossils. Aged 12, she discovered an ichthyosaur, fuelling a fossil craze amongst people who descended onto Lyme Regis to hunt for themselves.
It’s a great way to spend an afternoon, especially if there has recently been a storm, so head to Monmouth Beach for the very best palaeontological pursuits - just make sure to keep an eye on the tide and keep away from the base of the cliffs. If you’re looking for some tips, book yourself onto a fossil-hunting tour with Lyme Regis Museum.
Lyme Regis Marine Aquarium
This is a great family-run aquarium situated down by the Cobb, and it’s a fabulous choice for little ones who want a peek into life beneath the waves. With a great display of local fish and denizens of the deep, you’ll find bass, blennies, lobster, sea scorpions and starfish to name just a few, and you’ll have the chance to interact with them too. You can hand feed mullet, hold a starfish, and see crabs and lobsters up close while learning all about them from the knowledgeable and passionate staff on hand.
While certainly not the largest aquarium (visits probably won’t last more than an hour), Lyme Regis Aquarium is a great place to learn about all our native sea creatures in a fun and engaging way, and you’ll definitely leave better informed than when you arrived, making rock-pooling all the more enjoyable in the future. The aquarium is open daily, and if you book ahead online, you’ll save 10% on the ticket price.
Shoreline Sauna
For a luxurious treat, book yourself in for a visit at Shoreline Sauna, a wood-fired, Nordic sauna nestled in a corner of the beach with stunning views over the harbour and the Jurassic Coast towards the Golden Cap (it’s the perfect place to unwind after trekking up Dorset’s famous coastal summit). Run by sauna aficionado Nick, the gorgeous barrel-shaped sauna offers the opportunity to immerse yourself in heat and steam, and there’s a goosepimple-inducing cold plunge bath too.
It’s a great way to spoil your body and mind while holidaying in Dorset, especially when combined with dips in the sea. With the opportunity to book it for private hire or to join in a communal sauna session, there’s something for every budget. As well as the sauna, you can indulge in handmade body scrubs, aromatic essential oils, and leaf whisks made of locally-foraged branches of oak, birch, fern and even elderflowers, depending on the season. This is an adults-only treat, and you’ll need to bring your own towels with you.
The Town Mill
If you head to the artisan quarter in Lyme Regis, you’ll discover the ancient Town Mill, which has provided the town with flour since at least the 12th century. The medieval watermill is still running to this day, saved from dereliction by local volunteers and a restoration project called the Town Mill Trust, which raised over £500,000 to get the wheel turning again. Today, it provides artisanal, stoneground wholemeal flour for the community, and you can buy their flour (as well as baking kits and gifts) from the shop.
While visiting, you can take yourself on a tour of the mill, which runs over three floors, and take a peek at the working watermill for free, and there’s a pretty garden to loiter in too. For would-be millers, you can book your own family mini milling session where you’ll make your very own bag of flour to take home with you. The Town Mill also serves as a creative centre with art galleries, artist studios, a Spanish-inspired café, cookery school and even a brewery on site.
The Cobb
Built as a breakwater to protect the town and its ships, the Cobb is actually a Grade I listed harbour wall. The earliest known mention dates back to 1294, but it is thought to have existed earlier. Suffering major damage over the years, it’s been rebuilt several times, such as in 1377 when it was swept away by a storm, leading to the mass destruction of many boats and 50 houses. Following a storm in 1817, it was rebuilt using Portland stone.
Today, you can walk the wall, passing the aquarium and Victoria Pier, which was named after Princess Victoria following her visit in 1833. There are gorgeous views over the bay and harbour, all the way to Charmouth and beyond to Golden Cap and West Bay. The Cobb also has some impressive literary connections, most notably in Jane Austen’s Persuasion, and The French Lieutenant’s Woman by John Fowles.
Lyme Regis Brewery
Located in the courtyard of The Town Mill in a former malthouse, Lyme Regis Brewery was founded in 2010 and is the perfect place to explore for any craft beer aficionado. Mike, Wes, Dan and the team brew five regular beers (Cobb, Lyme Gold, Town Mill Best, Revenge and Black Ven), plus seasonal specials, providing something for every taste.
Beer not your thing? No problem! There’s cider, wine, spirits and soft drinks on tap too. They run brew days where you can watch the process and, of course, taste a tipple or two. There’s a sunny, peaceful courtyard to relax in when the weather is on your side, and a cosy nook upstairs that’s the perfect spot to squirrel yourself away on colder days. There’s a shop too, so you can stock up on your favourites to take back to your holiday cottage in Dorset or home with you as a reminder of your stay.
Beaches
Earning its reputation as a seaside town, of course Lyme Regis has some amazing beaches to call its own. There’s just nothing quite like a dip on a hot day, or stretching out on the sand for complete relaxation. Town Beach, as the name suggests, is the nearest beach and is a good mix of sand and shingle. It’s great for swimming, so a popular spot on busy days, and has a promenade with shops and places to eat just steps away. Fancy a sneak peek? Check out our webcam to get your Lyme Regis fix.
Monmouth Beach is a mile long and lies to the west. It’s famous for its ammonite fossils scattered across the shingle beach, so great for fossil hunting, and dogs are allowed all year. If you swim here, be cautious as the beach shelves quickly. Accessed via steps, Church Cliff Beach is a quieter spot to the east by the River Lym, with lots of rock pools to explore. Dogs are allowed off-lead all year here too, making this another great spot for beach days with the hound.
Undercliffs National Nature Reserve
The South West Coast Path is a draw all its own, with miles and miles of incredible sea-kissed scenery to explore. A beautiful 7-mile path that runs between Lyme Regis and Axmouth, the Undercliffs is a lovely stretch that leads you through a magical woodland that’s well known for its large trees and lush ferns. A 304-hectare National Nature Reserve, this is definitely one for people used to walking and with a good level of fitness, as the path has steep climbs and rough terrain, but it’s worth it if you’re after a peaceful escape surrounded by an untouched natural habitat.
The humid climate supports a vibrant catalogue of flora, including wide varieties of fungi, clematis, and even orchids amongst the ferns, ash and maple trees. The wildlife here is copious too, with birds such as peregrine falcons, owls, and ravens, while underfoot you might spot lizards, newts, and grass snakes. Don’t be surprised if you find the odd fossil too, but do leave them behind so that other people can find them and enjoy them too.
Feeling inspired? Take a look at our gorgeous holiday cottages in Lyme Regis and Dorset and book your next getaway today.
