Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis: fossils, fishing fleets, family fun and great food - an area of beauty and rarity.

Explore the fascinating museum, described by David Attenborough as "delightful and remarkable, a jewel", and the fossil shops which nestle among the maze of steep, narrow streets of the old fishing port and meander down to the famous Cobb breakwater.

Enjoy good bathing on the south facing, sheltered beach which is gently shelving, or fishing from the Cobb which is a big attraction for many and was first mentioned in 1294.

Lyme Regis Harbour has a huge protective wall, that you can walk atop, protecting a myriad of colourful fishing boats and other vessels. Venture by boat out into Lyme Bay for deep sea fishing for cod, conger eels, skate or shark.

There is an interesting Aquarium right on the Cobb and, for a small town, plenty of museum and art gallery attractions. Browse the antiques and craft fairs, jazz music and shows at the Marine Theatre. Lyme Regis is close to the Devon and Dorset border between Exmouth and Weymouth. There is a traffic free promenade and above the town some breathtaking cliff walks.

The French Lieutenant's Woman - with Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep was set in 1867 Lyme Regis and part of the town was transformed specially for filming the occasion.

The famous artist Whistler is one of many painters to have been attracted to Lyme Regis over the years, and a stroll along the riverside walk takes you back in time to the picturesque village of Uplyme.

There are plenty of reminders about past history in Lyme Regis -in 1644 the town valiantly defended Parliament during the English Civil War with a brave siege against Royalist attackers. But the town's history stretches much further back. In 774 Cynewulf the King of Wessex gave land near to the mouth of the River Lym to the Abbot of Sherborne. In 1284 "Regis" was added to the town's name when Edward I granted a Charter making it royal property.

Tap into the hidden geological depths of history for millions of years old fossils in the dramatic clay, limestone and sandstone strata cliffs that run round the coast to Charmouth. Continual landslips spill more fossils on to the beaches and even amateurs can make great finds.

This is Dinosaurland!

Ammonite are common, but the country's first discovered Ichthyosaur was found here. Follow the heritage coast path amidst outstanding natural beauty to Golden Cap, at 189 metres the highest cliff on the south coast, with spectacular views from across to Portland Bill, out into the English Channel and away to Devon.

Swimming, sailing, bathing or wind surfing, mini golf, pool or table tennis, bowls or a round of golf on the cliff top, cycling or pony trekking - it's all at Lyme Regis.

Just along the coast path from Lyme Regis: Jurassic Coast.