Golden Cap - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Charmouth is a delightful unspoiled seaside village set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with a fantastic beach world-renowned for its fossils. The large shingle beach and the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre on the seafront are a must-visit for those interested in fossils and local natural history. It is great for the family – lots of sand especially at low tide, safe swimming, picnic areas, cafes, and beach shops.

Set up to encourage safe and sustainable collecting of Jurassic fossils from local beaches, the centre offers hands-on displays, interactive computers and information about fossils and fossil hunting. Throughout the year the centre runs guided fossil hunting walks as well as countryside and marine discovery activities along the coastline. Beyond the centre, there is a lovely beach – perfect for swimming, and several beautiful walks. A great day out for all the family.

Lyme Regis Museum houses some fantastic fossils and is a great place to learn about the long history of fossil collecting in the area. It is built on the site of the birthplace and home of the fossil hunter Mary Anning. The Anning family also ran a shop here.

The Town Mill is a unique mix of working watermills, art galleries, and creative artisanal businesses. Centered around a beautiful medieval cobbled courtyard and featuring a landscaped ‘Miller’s Garden’, the Town Mill is one of Lyme Regis’ leading attractions. watch the giant waterwheel turn as it is driven by water from the River Lym. A miller will demonstrate how the huge gears harness this power to drive the heavy grindstone.

Dinosaurland Fossil Museum is a private museum which is owned and run by Palaeontologist Steve Davies and his wife Jenny. The museum contains a spectacular collection of the local Jurassic marine fossils. The ground floor of the museum houses a spectacular collection of 200-million-year-old Jurassic fossils which have been discovered along the local coastline. Exhibits range from the enormous Ichthyosaur to the tiniest fish and ammonites.

Monmouth Beach is a pebble and rock beach which was located just outside the town of Lyme Regis, and stretches from the famous Cobb for about one mile, to Pinhey Beach. This beach is so named because the Duke of Monmouth landed here in 1685 in an attempt to wrest the crown from King James II. One of the family-friendly beach and is apt for a swim and bath.