My Britain: Jurassic Coast

The Jurassic Coast is named for its abundance of fossils scattered along its shores. Particular fossil hotspots include Lyme Regis and Charmouth, where it’s not inconceivable that you could stumble across your own ammonite or belemnite one sunny morning.

- Alice Gawthrop

Inland, rich, chalky soil means that the area is also known for high-quality wines. Vineyards abound, producing delicious sparkling wine— champagne in everything but name. In fact, sparkling wines from this region currently rank more highly than champagne from Champagne in international competitions!

From Weymouth to Swanage, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to the English seaside town. Spend a perfect day dipping your toes in the cool water, spending your loose change at a seafront arcade and fending seagulls off your fish and chips.

On an especially sunny day, you’d be forgiven for mistaking yourself to be on the French Riviera, what with the lush green vineyards and the brave cliff jumpers flinging themselves off Durdle Door into the welcoming blue sea.

Anna Holbrook is the education and outreach manager at the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre (CHCC), a local charity dedicated to educating people about the amazing fossils to be found on the Jurassic

Coast charmouth.org/chcc

AFTER A CHILDHOOD spent in East Dorset, our family moved to the Midlands—about as far away from a coastline as you can get! I was desperate to return to the sea, and five years ago I got that opportunity. Following my passion for rocks and fossils, I landed a job with Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, taking visitors and school groups fossil hunting on the beach.

I’ll never get over finding a fossil and realising that I’m the first person to see it in almost 200 million years. There’s always something to find, you just never know what’s out there!