Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis is where Georgian charm meets paleontological treasure. This enchanting coastal town, immortalized in Jane Austen’s Persuasion, tumbles down steep streets to a harbor that’s welcomed sailors for over 700 years. But beneath its picturesque facade lies something extraordinary—some of the world’s most important fossil beds.

The town’s famous Cobb—a curved stone harbour wall dating to the 13th century – juts dramatically into Lyme Bay. The views from the end are genuinely spectacular.

The Fossil Coast: Mary Anning made groundbreaking discoveries here in the early 1800s, including the first complete ichthyosaur skeleton when she was just twelve. Today, the beaches remain among the world’s best locations for finding fossils. Ammonites, belemnites, and occasionally more dramatic discoveries emerge from the blue lias cliffs.