Awash with history, Lyme Regis is an integral part of Dorset's famous Jurassic Coast; guided fossil hunting tours are a popular way to discover the rich geological history of the area. Literary history is equally important to Lyme Regis; the unique harbour, known as The Cobb' was immortalised by John Fowles in his novel The French Lieutenant's Woman' and Thomas Hardy set many of his novels in the area.
A classic English seaside town with a flat and sandy beach. Lyme Regis' most famous landmark is The Cobb, a pier that was immortalised by the John Fowles novel The French Lieutenant's Woman.
The focus here is on the animals, so there are no rides or play parks, just rescued donkeys to see and stroke. The Donkey Sanctuary is dog-friendly and admission is free.
Excellent food and great pub atmosphere with plenty of outside seating for balmy summer evenings and a roaring open fire for cooler weather. Dogs are welcome.
Classic old-fashioned seaside charm. Little wooden changing huts line up on the beach in front of the striking white chalk cliffs. The town has been a fishing port since the 15th Century and many of the buildings are listed.
The philosophy at this friendly, family-run shop is to reduce food miles to food metres. Stocks everything from veg to wine to fish to continental goodies.
Part of a Natural World Heritage Site. Marvel at the vast underground caverns created by cenuries of quarrying the famous Beer Stone. First worked by the Romans, the underground quarry supplied stone for 24 cathedrals, including Exeter and St Pauls. Quarried by hand, the smallest blocks weighing four tons, the stone was carted on horse-drawn wagons by barges from Beer beach to its destination, sometimes involving journeys of several hundreds of miles. Conducted tours last an hour.
Stop for a bite or a real ale at this thatched village inn. Children are welcome and there is outside seating for those warmer days.
Plenty of serious art here (with prices to match) but lots of affordable ceramics, glasswork and jewellery too.
A few years ago, the Classic Cottages team started writing about where we live and why we love it. Over time these have evolved into the Classic Guide.
1 August 2026
Awash with history, Lyme Regis is an integral part of Dorset's famous Jurassic Coast; guided fossil hunting tours are a popular way to discover the rich geological history of the area. Literary history is equally important to Lyme Regis; the unique harbour, known as The Cobb' was immortalised by John Fowles in his novel The French Lieutenant's Woman' and Thomas Hardy set many of his novels in the area.
1 August 2026
A classic English seaside town with a flat and sandy beach. Lyme Regis' most famous landmark is The Cobb, a pier that was immortalised by the John Fowles novel The French Lieutenant's Woman.
19 April 2026
The focus here is on the animals, so there are no rides or play parks, just rescued donkeys to see and stroke. The Donkey Sanctuary is dog-friendly and admission is free.
4 August 2025
Excellent food and great pub atmosphere with plenty of outside seating for balmy summer evenings and a roaring open fire for cooler weather. Dogs are welcome.
25 May 2023
Classic old-fashioned seaside charm. Little wooden changing huts line up on the beach in front of the striking white chalk cliffs. The town has been a fishing port since the 15th Century and many of the buildings are listed.
20 February 2014
The philosophy at this friendly, family-run shop is to reduce food miles to food metres. Stocks everything from veg to wine to fish to continental goodies.
7 July 2010
Part of a Natural World Heritage Site. Marvel at the vast underground caverns created by cenuries of quarrying the famous Beer Stone. First worked by the Romans, the underground quarry supplied stone for 24 cathedrals, including Exeter and St Pauls. Quarried by hand, the smallest blocks weighing four tons, the stone was carted on horse-drawn wagons by barges from Beer beach to its destination, sometimes involving journeys of several hundreds of miles. Conducted tours last an hour.
12 February 2009
Stop for a bite or a real ale at this thatched village inn. Children are welcome and there is outside seating for those warmer days.
11 February 2009
Plenty of serious art here (with prices to match) but lots of affordable ceramics, glasswork and jewellery too.
Fly fishing for trout on river-fed lakes.