All-New Dorset Double, Day 1: Beer to Lyme Regis

Introduction:

Last year it was an Isle of Wight Double. This year it's an all-new Dorset (plus a bit of Devon) Double, taking place on the Saturday and Sunday of the late-May Bank Holiday weekend. Campsites and B&Bs might be a little hard to find later on and expensive as the late May Bank Holiday weekend is at the start of the half-term holiday, so you are advised to book right now. Demand for the Double Event may be reduced as Big Spring Camp will be running at the same time, but even so, I hope you can come and experience a double-bill of outstanding coastal walks on the Jurassic Coast, centred on Lyme Regis, the 'Pearl of Dorset', a place equipped with an array of B&Bs and campsites.

Schedule:

• Day 1 (Saturday 24 May): Seaton and Beer to Lyme Regis and Charmouth - linear walk with bus from Lyme Regis/Charmouth to the starting point at Seaton.
• Day 2 (Sunday 25 May): Lyme Regis and Charmouth to Whitchurch Canonicorum, Ryall and Golden Cap - circular walk.

Public transport to Lyme Regis and Charmouth:

Rail: The nearest railway station is Axminster, which is served by hourly direct services from London Waterloo on a journey lasting 2 hours, 42 minutes. 

Local buses: Buses from Axminster Railway Station to Lyme Regis and Charmouth depart at 15 minutes past the hour (except at 16.25 and 17.20). The last service is 18.15, but they could run later in peak season. They take 25 and 30 minutes to get to Lyme Regis and Charmouth respectively and go near the campsites. I will confirm these details closer to the event.

Accommodation:

Book for at least Friday 23 May to Sunday 25 May (3 nights). The following day is Bank Holiday Monday. You are advised to book now if you can.  (By way of a disclaimer, I don't know what any of these sites are like; they're just in the vicinity.)

• Campsites: Choose one near Charmouth, such as Cummins Farm. There is also Manor Farm which does caravans and chalets too. If you want to stay in Uplyme (which is outside of Lyme Regis, and is a little far out of town), try Hook Farm. I reckon Cummins Farm is best for traditional, basic camping.
• Caravans, glampers and pods sites: Newlands Farm and Wood Farm. These sites are both in Charmouth, have extensive facilities, but are family-oriented.
• B&Bs: Choose one in, or within a mile of, Lyme Regis or Charmouth. Search Booking.com here. 

Day 1 - Seaton and Beer to Lyme Regis and Charmouth:

The first of our daywalks is linear and contrasts a genteel seaside town with a quaint fishing village, and combines tangled woodlands with rugged cliffs. The bus will pick up some of our party in Charmouth, then the rest of us in Lyme Regis before its goes to Seaton over the border in Devon to deposit us for the walk to begin. We'll head to Beer, have coffee (or beer) there, then head to Seaton for a stroll on the prom. Crossing the River Axe we'll follow the crumpled and crumbling coastline from the safe distance of the South West Coast Path, glimpsing the sea through the trees. We'll finish in Lyme Regis overlooking The Cobb and those staying in Charmouth can continue on foot or take the bus.

Day 1 - the sights:

Beer: A delightful fishing village in East Devon. Its name is not derived from the drink but from the Old English word bearu, meaning 'grove', referring to the surrounding forest. It is situated in a smugglers' cove, and caves were once used to store contraband goods. Beer Stone has long been prized because of its workability for carving and for its gentle yellow colour. Quarrying, fishing and lace production were the sources of income until tourism and model railways developed (Peco, founded 1946, has its head office and factory in the village.)

Seaton: A seaside town and fishing harbour with an attractive promenade. The town was small and centred around fishing and farming until the arrival of the railway (now a preserved tramway) in 1868 when it became a resort. Many of the buildings are Victorian, but it also has notable buildings from the 1930s. 

Beer to Seaton Cliffs: To the east of Seaton are the red-coloured cliffs of Triassic age rocks, capped by younger rocks (Cretaceous) of the greensand. The Seaton Fault, which is visible at Seaton Hole at the western end of the beach, allows the chalk into the sequence which runs to Beer Head.

Axmouth to Lyme Regis Undercliff: 'A sheltered wooded wilderness...situated on one of the most active coastal landslide systems in Western Europe with a band of folds and troughs constantly evolving and being shaped and reshaped by landslips [where greensand rocks slump on soft] clay. The Undercliff has a reputation for being the closest thing you’ll get to a rainforest in the UK with a warm and humid microclimate nurturing a carpet of ferns, fungi, wild clematis and orchids beneath a dense leafy canopy...It’s also home to a variety of birds and wildlife including ravens, peregrine falcons and owls as well as reptiles and amphibians such as grass snake, common lizard and great crested newt...One of the many highlights of the route is Goat Island, famous for being the first ever scientifically described and recorded landslip...The landslip became very famous and was visited by Queen Victoria.' (From the 'Love Lyme Regis' website.)

Jurassic Coast: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, is crucial for its rich geological history spanning 185 million years. Its cliffs reveal layers from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods, offering insights into Earth's past. Renowned for fossils, it attracts scientists, educators, and tourists, blending natural beauty with historical significance. 

Lyme Regis: 'The Pearl of Dorset' is a gorgeous seaside town. Visitors can explore its quaint streets lined with independent shops, galleries, and restaurants and holidaymakers can enjoy its sandy beach. Dating back to Saxon times, its name derived from the River Lim. Granted a royal charter by Edward I in 1284, it became 'Regis' (of the King) and thrived as a port. The Cobb, a huge sea wall, first constructed in the C13, supported the town’s maritime trade. Lyme Regis played a role in significant events, including the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685. The town gained fame for its connections to paleontology, particularly through Mary Anning’s discoveries of fossil plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs in the C19. Lyme Regis has inspired film and literature, most notably in Jane Austen’s Persuasion, where the Cobb sets pivotal scenes. John Fowles’ The French Lieutenant’s Woman portrays the town, with the Cobb central to the novel and its 1981 film adaptation with Meryl Streep.

Day 1 - the route (click the link in red to see it at the Ordnance Survey site): 

The bus will drop us at the western end of Seaton Esplanade where we'll take the inland branch of the South West Coast Path (SWCP) and follow Beer Road, Old Beer Road and New Road to Beer. After time to explore Beer, we'll meet up by the bay, and pick up the coastal branch of the SWCP back to Seaton and walk along Seaton seafront. We'll then cross the River Axe and using Squire's Lane, ascend the hills and clifftops that will take us all the way back to Lyme Regis. We'll emerge at the point that the Cobb attaches to the land. Members can explore Lyme Regis or take the bus back to Charmouth if they need. Be assured that I will be reconnoitering this route and the transport logistics to check that they work!

Dogs:

I love having dogs on my walks and this one may be suitable for dogs with lots of stamina. It is long, has some fields with livestock and will partly be along lanes. Some of the route is exposed to the sun so a dog may overheat, but much of it is under trees so will be cooler. Your dog must be responsive if it is off the lead. 

IMPORTANT! – Participation Statement:

You MUST complete a Participation Statement, in addition to booking your event space before attending an OutdoorLads event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each event you attend.

(Images: The Cobb, Lyme Regis: Photo © Malc McDonald (cc-by-sa/2.0); The Beach at Beer, Devon: Photo © michael cooper (cc-by-sa/2.0); Beer: A Pretty Village in East Devon: Photo © Mr Eugene Birchall (cc-by-sa/2.0); Allotments by Common Lane, Beer: Photo © Robin Stott (cc-by-sa/2.0); Beach huts on the promenade at Seaton: Photo © David Smith (cc-by-sa/2.0); View along West Walk, Seaton Promenade: Photo © John Stephen (cc-by-sa/2.0); Axmouth Harbour: Photo © Bob Jones (cc-by-sa/2.0); Bindon Cliffs: Photo © Tony Atkin (cc-by-sa/2.0); A glimpse of Charton Bay from the Undercliff: Photo © John Allan (cc-by-sa/2.0); Pinhay Bay Cliffs: Photo © Nigel Mykura (cc-by-sa/2.0); Lyme Bay: Photo © Marika Reinholds (cc-by-sa/2.0); Lyme Regis Harbour: Photo © Paul Allison (cc-by-sa/2.0). All images are copyrighted but are licensed for reuse under Creative Commons CC-BY-SA 2.0 and are here attributed to their copyright holders.)