The quaint seaside town of Lyme Regis offers historic charm combined with dramatic coastline. If you can drag yourself away from the beautiful beaches, it’s the perfect place for a day of exploring. Take a stroll by the sea, admire coastal gardens, try your hand at fossil hunting. Throw in a little retail therapy and refreshments at a microbrewery and you have the perfect day out.
How to get to Lyme Regis
Lyme Regis, in west Dorset, close to the Devon border, is 55 miles west of Bournemouth.
By bus:
The X51 Jurassic Coaster bus runs between Dorchester and Axminster and the X53 bus runs between Weymouth and Axminster, both go via Lyme Regis. Timetable details can be found here. National Express coaches stop at Dorchester, where you can transfer onto the X51.
By train:
The nearest station is Axminster Station located 6 miles away. From here, buses X51 or X53 will take you to Lyme Regis.
I opted to travel with Highcliffe Coaches, who run day trips to Lyme Regis offering pick ups across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
Parking
If you opt to drive, there is a large (393 space) Pay & Display car park at Holmbush. Parking costs £7.50 for 4 hours (£ 5.30 between November and March). Further details can be found here.
Getting around Lyme Regis
Lyme Regis is small enough to be easily explored on foot, although a little steep in places. My itinerary covers a circuit of 2.5 miles, plus a little more depending on how far you wander in search of sculptures and/or fossils. I have a sculpture fetish and notched up a total of 4 miles.
Lyme Regis in 1 Day Itinerary
Below is my itinerary for my visit to Lyme Regis. Note: The Ammonite Pavement can only be reached at low tide, so it is worth checking the tide times before planning your itinerary and reverse it if necessary.
| 1 | Langmoor & Lister Gardens |
| 2 | Town Mill |
| 3 | Lyme Regis Brewery |
| 4 | Marine Parade |
| 5 | Mary Anning |
| 6 | The Cobb |
| 7 | Monmouth Beach |
| 8 | Ammonite Pavement |
| 9 | Jane Austen’s Garden |
| Lyme Regis Museum |
Langmoor & Lister Gardens
Starting at Langmoor & Lister Gardens. Perched on the cliff top, these pretty gardens have a maze of winding paths to explore. There are also plenty of benches making this the perfect spot to sit for a while, maybe with a picnic, and take in the spectacular view across Lyme Bay.
The Gardens were created as part of cliff stabilisation works in 2007. The planting is designed to encourage wildlife, focusing on grasses for ground cover and seed bearing plants for food. A Woodland Walk provides a shaded pathway and features bird feeders, nest boxes, bug hotels, bird tables and bat boxes to encourage wildlife. When I visited in April, the Walk was awash with blossom. Within the gardens, there is also a mini golf course, a children’s playground and a restaurant (Rockfish).
Sculpture Trail
Scattered around the gardens are several pieces of art, showcasing a range of contemporary sculpture by local artists, with work are selected each year from established and upcoming artists. I love a Sculpture Trail, so enjoyed a good wander. Here are a few of my favourites:
The Juggler
A joyful sculpture, which was inspired by watching acrobats perform. Claire Trenchard’s work The Juggler “concentrates on capturing the strength, power and movement of animals. It is the essence of the animal that interests her.” It’s basically a rabbit juggling. On a spot with a great view of the bay. Selfie time!
Time
Greta Berlin’s sculpture Time is described as a “meditation on time, our mortality, and our place in the world. The woman will rust away over time, but the creature on her head, which represents deep time, will not. But while she is here, she is indomitable and challenges all that faces her”. From a photography point of view, I think it’s a shame that she’s facing the sea. Not selfie time.
Dinosaur
A new addition to the gardens, the steel Dinosaur sculpture was actually designed by a local schoolboy, then crafted by a local blacksmith.
Town Mill
The Town Mill is a restored working watermill. You can take a free self-guided tour to watch the mill in action.
It is also home to artisan studios, a bakery, art gallery and café. The merchandise on offer ranges from pottery to seaweed art to sourdough.
The mill itself is open daily from 11 am until 3 pm. Other establishments operate different hours.
Lyme Regis Brewery
The Town Mill has its own microbrewery; Lyme Regis Brewery. You can sample their wares on site at the tap room or purchase to take away. On a nice day, there are tables in the courtyard overlooking the mill stream. I was keen to visit the brewery as part of my endeavour to follow the South West Coat Path in my brother’s footsteps. His notes show that he sampled several beers whilst passing through. I opted for a glass of Longshore – a gluten free lager. My brother’s verdict: “Smokey – maybe needs gluten!” I thought it was excellent and would happily have purchased some to take away if my coach wasn’t parked at the top of a bloody great hill.
The tap room is open daily from 11 am until 10 pm.
Marine Parade
Marine Parade runs along the shore for the length of the town, from Cobb Gate in the east to The Cobb in the west. The Parade also forms part of the South West Coast Path.
On the landward side are rows of houses dating mainly from the 19th Century, which vary considerably in style. There are brick seaside villas; a row of thatched cottages, Library Cottage which was built in the 1830s. And my favourite, Sundial House – a four storey Arts & Crafts style house complete with walls inlaid with fossils, dating from 1903.
Mary Anning
Just past the end of the Parade, you can see a statue of one Lyme Regis’ most famous resident. The bronze statue of renowned 19th century paleontologist Mary Anning is located on the seafront just past Church Cliff Beach. Unveiled in 2022, the statue depicts Anning striding towards the Jurassic cliffs where she used to hunt for fossils.
The Cobb
Continue along the Parade to The Cobb. Lyme Regis’ famous harbour wall. This Y shaped breakwater has an upper and lower walkway. Currently only the lower walkway is accessible, due to people falling off the top. From the end, you get an excellent view back to the town and the Jurassic Coast. The Cobb is a popular filming location and features in Jane Austen’s Persuasion, The French Lieutenant’s Woman and Wonka.
Monmouth Beach
Monmouth Beach isn’t poplar for its golden sand or its epic surf – it has neither. Nor are there any facilities here. This surprisingly popular beach is all about the fossils.
Ammonite Pavement
At the western end of Monmouth Beach is the Ammonite Pavement. Here, the remains of thousands of ammonites are embedded in a limestone ledge. This unique fossil ledge features many big ammonites, some measuring up to 70 centimetres in diameter.
The ledge, which extends from the base of the cliffs, is only accessible at low tide. The only way to access the Ammonite Pavement is to walk along Monmouth beach at low tide until you reach the limestone ledge. Note: It’s a rather gruelling walk along the beach, which consists predominantly of large pebbles. Not suitable for anyone with mobility issues.
When I visited, low tide was at 4.14 pm, so I chose to put this at the end of my trip. I was not alone; the beach was heaving with would-be fossil hunters. If you’re not lucky enough to find your own ammonite, they sell them in the National Trust shop on the sea front for £3.
Jane Austen’s Garden
The perfect spot to sit and rest after clambering across the stones of Monmouth Beach, is Jane Austen’s Garden. This small garden set into the cliffs pays homage to the famous writer’s time in Lyme Regis. She stayed here in 1804 and the town features in her novel Persuasion.
Lyme Regis Museum
If you have time (I didn’t), or are in Lyme Regis for more than a day, Lyme Regis Museum. The Museum is built on the site of Mary Anning’s former home. It has a new wing dedicated to the famous fossil hunter with an interactive gallery telling her story. There are also exhibitions on local history, Jane Austen and all things fossil…
The museum is usually open daily except Monday from 10 am until 5 pm (4 pm on Sundays). Adult entry costs £9.95 for an annual pass.
- Trip taken: April 2026
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