Lyme Regis

Immortalised in literature and film, it’s a gem of a town to explore

- Lydia Swinscoe

As you arrive in the coastal town of Lyme Regis, you realise pretty quickly why it’s nicknamed The Pearl of Dorset. Sitting alongside crumbling cliffs on a perfect stretch of beach, it’s an atmospheric place that’s great for whiling away a long weekend. The area is famous for the fossils found in the cliffs and on the beaches, and you can pick up beautiful ammonites from shops around town if you fail to hunt any out for yourself.

The view out to sea is dominated by a distinctive harbour wall known as The Cobb, where you can retrace the steps of Meryl Streep’s eponymous character in the 1981 film The French Lieutenant’s Woman – although perhaps in less stormy conditions!

What to do