Monmouth Beach, Lyme Regis

National GeographicJul 31

Why the U.K.'s fossil capital is the perfect seaside getaway

Famed for its excellent fossil-hunting beaches, this Georgian town on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast offers plenty of seaside distractions, from paleontology walks to seafood feasts with a view.

Pebbled stretch popular among fossil hunters

17 things in this story

Mary AnningPublic artworkFossil hunter statue overlooks Church Cliff Beach
Front BeachSightMain strip fringed by promenade and pastel huts
Shoreline SaunaPlaceWood-fired, Nordic-style saunas sit right on the sand
CobbSightMan-made harbour featured in novel Persuasion
Monmouth BeachSightPebbled stretch popular among fossil hunters
Dinosaurland Fossil MuseumMuseumHome to over 30,000 specimens
Lyme Rib RidesPlaceSightseeing cruises zip along the coast
South West Coast PathTrail630-mile trail tracing this wave-lashed corner of England
Axmouth to Lyme Regis Undercliffs National Nature ReserveTrailSeven-mile stretch of coastline formed by landslides
Town MillMuseumSite dates back to 1340, restored 17th-century watermill
Lyme Regis BreweryPubCraft beers go down a treat in the courtyard
Sandro'sRestaurantFamily-run operation with seasonal British ingredients
RockfishRestaurantDine to views of Lyme Regis' historic centre
Tom'sRestaurantAA Rosette bistro with legendary fish board
Church Cliff BeachSight
KioskRestaurant
Elsewhere
Brixham Fish MarketMarketBrixham, United Kingdom

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Monmouth Beach

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Why the U.K.'s fossil capital is the perfect seaside getaway