Places to visit along the Jurassic Coast

Sidmouth

The coast around Sidmouth offers beautiful coastal scenery and rich geology.  The red rocks, capped by yellow Upper Greensand and white Chalk, dominate the views. Beautiful gardens and leisurely walks, Regency history and fine hotels, clean beaches and friendly shops.. it's all here in this lovely seaside town that nestles beneath majestic red cliffs and the green hills of the glorious Sid Valley.

Lyme Regis

Situated in the South West of Dorset, The West Country, England,  UK, Lyme Regis is an historic unspoiled seaside resort and fishing port on the world famous Cobb harbour. Surrounded by beautiful coastlines and countryside, the area has now been awarded World Heritage Site Status; famous for its geology and fossil finds. Enjoy its dramatic location, congenial climate, timeless charm and the hospitality of its townsfolk.

From the crest of Timber Hill a magnificent, panoramic view of the bay lies before you with the blue sea beyond the ragged rooftops of the town, embracing and beckoning. The delightful maze of steep, narrow streets with their interesting architecture, shops, galleries, pubs and cafes just begs to be explored. There are sheltered south facing beaches, safe for bathing, and the sunny sandbar overlooking the harbour and traffic free promenade create an environment where children can play safely.

Whether you come to Lyme for its history, its geology or just to relax on the beaches and soak up the sun, there's something here for everyone.

Bridport and West Bay

Bridport lies just over a mile inland from the coast at West Bay where the River Brit flows out to the sea.  It nestles among the hills of West Dorset and is one of the Gateway Towns giving access to the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site.

Bridport is a Beacon Town in recognition of the quality and diversity of its locally  produced foodstuffs.   Many local producers trade at the Farmers Market in the Arts Centre on the second Saturday of the month and also trade on the Wednesday and Saturday street markets. Bridport is a vibrant historic market town with a strong artistic and literary community.

Bridport has many smaller shops where the unusual or even the unique can be found.  Both Bridport town and the surrounding area are arts and crafts orientated, with a bohemian impression

With the stunning golden glow of the majestic sandstone cliffs to the east and the shimmering radiance of Golden Cap to the west, West Bay is Dorset's Golden Gateway to the Jurassic Coast.  West Bay nestles south of Bridport, between Eype with Seatown to the west and Freshwater with Burton Bradstock to the east.  Situated at the western end of Chesil Beach / Chesil Bank, the area forms part of Dorset's Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site within Lyme Bay.  West Bay, Dorset is a wonderful seaside location for family holidays, countryside and coastal walks, fossil hunting, fishing/angling trips, scuba diving, paragliding, golfing, river boating and so much more.

Chesil Beach

Chesil is one of the finest barrier beaches in the world.  It is made up of pebbles and shingle and has stood up to the full force of the Atlantic for thousands of years.  It protects the Fleet, which is the largest tidal lagoon in Britain and a place on international importance for its birds and marine wildlife.

The beach is over 17 miles (28 km) long and increases in height towards the east, reaching a maximum of over 15 metres near Portland.  The pebbles also increase in size towards the east.  At West Bay they are pea-sized while at Portland they are the size of baking potatoes.  Local folklore claims that smugglers knew exactly where they had landed from the size of the pebbles on the beach.  Pebbles move east along the beach driven by the action of the wind and waves.  The grading of the pebbles may be because the larger pebbles move faster than smaller ones as the waves work on them.

The Fleet Lagoon

The Fleet Lagoon is a rich wildlife reserve, which supports fresh, salt and brackish water species.  Underwater there are extensive meadows of eelgrass, whilst strong currents at the mouth of the lagoon allow an exceptionally diverse mix of seaweed, sponges and anemones to flourish.  A huge population of water birds rely on the lagoon.  They include the oldest managed swan population in the world, which can be visited at the Abbotsbury Swannery.

http://www.chesilbeach.org/

Weymouth

Weymouth is a great resort for all the family, with its safe bathing beach, picturesque harbour and a variety of attractions and events.

The beach is superb and consists of sand, which sweeps around the bay changing to shingle along the extended promenade. All the usual facilities are on hand, Punch & Judy, swing boats, trampolines, volleyball court and Weymouth's famous sand modeller.

Weymouth has much more to offer than just the beach. As one would expect of a coastal resort, water sports feature prominently in the list of activities. With excellent wind conditions all year round the waters of Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour are a Mecca for windsurfers and dinghy sailors, and divers come to the area to explore the wrecks lying around the coast. As one of the top angling venues in the country Weymouth offers all types of fishing, from the child's rod dangled from the pier to deep-sea fishing trips, which can be booked from one of the charter boats in the harbour. Golf, cycling, walking, bowling, swimming, the list of opportunity for sport is endless. Weymouth has one of the largest Dive and Angling Boat Charter Fleets on the south coast with knowledgeable skippers who know where the best locations for diving or angling are.

Attractions include The Timewalk and Brewery Days, which take visitors on an unforgettable voyage to experience six hundred years of Weymouth and Portland's history. The Sea Life Park's themed marine displays reveal the fascinating habitats found beneath the waves and at The Deep Sea Adventure and Sharky's children can jump, swing, slide and climb in the adventure play zone while adults take in the Titanic exhibition on the upper floors.

With a new shopping centre, lots of excellent places to eat and drink, a wide choice of accommodation and year-round calendar of events it is little wonder that Weymouth is a town to which people return time and time again.

http://www.weymouthpanorama.co.uk/index.htm

http://www.resort-guide.co.uk/weymouth/intro.htm

Portland

This fascinating island offers the most perfect vantage point to marvel at the panoramic views of Dorset's Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site stretching both east and west along the Dorset coastline. Portland is home to the National Sailing Academy and along with neighbouring town Weymouth is proud to have been chosen to play host to the sailing events in the 2012 Olympic Games.

Most visitors only know Portland for its famous stone or the lighthouse but there's a lot more to discover, from walks along the cliffs to exploring its varied history. Be sure to put it on your list of places to visit whilst on holiday. The Isle of Portland is not really an island, though it is only joined to the mainland by a narrow strip of land and the Chesil Beach. The mass of land that juts out into the channel is formed from a block of limestone 4 1/2 miles long by 3/4 of a mile wide and rises from near sea level in the south to over 400 ft high in the north.

The Isle of Portland is home to Portland Stone, probably the most famous building stone in the world.  Many of London's finest buildings have been, and continue to be, built using this fine white limestone. The story of the quarries is a unique and fascinating insight into the past and present stone industry.  It is worth devoting time to explore the geology, archaeology, art and wildlife of the Island as well as visiting Portland Bill Visitor Centre and the Portland Museum.