Lyme Regis

What's so special about Lyme Regis? Firstly, the spectacular location of this former fishing town, nestling between the hollow of the cliffs and sea, overlooking one of the most beautiful bays on the British Coast. The quaint higgledy-piggledy lay-out of mostly very old buildings has remained unchanged for centuries, with remarkably little intrusion by new developments and not a whiff of the seaside seediness found in so many resorts.

Secondly, glorious variety of beaches - smooth sand, shingle, extraordinary shale slabs worn into a myriad of rock pools; the shallow sea, calm and sheltered for swimming, sailing, fishing and diving or whipped into breakers for windsurfing; - the long seafront with some of the oddest cottages you will see! - the cliffside gardens and mini-golf course, and the sweet little harbour, protected by the curving arm of the Cobb along which you can walk to visit the 17th C buildings and interesting aquarium.

Thirdly, fossils! Now excitingly granted World Heritage status, Lyme Bay has been internationally recognised as the most important lower Jurassic site in the world for the wealth of mollusc and ancient reptile remains, together with a unique topography of landslips, mud-flows and wooded cliffs.

Finally, walking. The area offers the walker many delights; long walks along the beach and most particularly the undercliff walk between Lyme and Axmouth, most of it through glorious woodland, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest.