This Beautiful British Coastline Belongs On Any History And Fossil Lover's Bucket List
When you think of England, you probably have dreams of castles, grand houses, green fields separated by hedges, and fantastic ale — or maybe even some unappealing beaches. What you might not think of is dinosaurs and other prehistoric flora and fauna. In the south of England, across the shores of Dorset and Devon, sits the Jurassic Coast. This area has so many fossils that you may just find some on the beach as you stroll along the shore. Dinosaurs and pterosaurs, as well as fossilized plants and other creatures, have been found here.
In fact, the famous Mary Anning, the English paleontologist who collected fossils on the beach in the early 19th century (and who lost out on a lot of credit to men who took her findings and passed them off as their own) lived in the village of Lyme Regis here. You can see her statue in town. (You may have seen the film "Ammonite" about her starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan.) "Pride and Prejudice" author Jane Austen once lived in Lyme Regis as well.
There is so much to do in this UNESCO World Heritage Site, including unique experiences like fossil collecting, visiting beaches that were frequented by King George III, cliff strolls, and a 13th century beach wall that you can walk. Here's all the info on the Jurassic Coast of England and what you can do there.
Fossil hunting, Lyme Regis, and swans
The Jurassic Coast is known for fossil collecting, and people have been doing it for two centuries. A great place to start is the beach between Lyme Regis and Charmouth. Winter is much quieter, and the weather-caused erosion on the cliffs often reveals fossilized remains. Do watch the tides as you don't want to become stranded when it's high. It's also a good idea to start with a guide. You can take all sorts of fossil tours with the Lyme Regis Museum Fossil Walks. Even if you go solo, you may find Ichthyosaur vertebrae, fossilized sea urchins, and spiral ammonite (seen above). You are not permitted to dig, but you can usually take what you find on the beaches, inland, and on the foreshore.
Walk the Ammonite Pavement in Lyme Regis, which was once under a tropical sea 200 million years ago. Along Monmouth Beach at low tide, you'll see vast stretches of limestone with hundreds of ammonite fossils. Walk along the Cobb sea wall from the 13th century and visit the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival every May Day Bank Holiday weekend. The beaches here are great for water sports and fishing. You can also drive 19 miles east to Abbotsbury, which has been inhabited for around 6,000 years. Check out St. Catherine's Chapel, where the former Abbotsbury Abbey monks once lived, and walk through the tropical gardens or feed swans at Abbotsbury Swannery, a 600-year-old sanctuary from March through mid-October.
Cliff walks, beaches, and a royal-visited resort town
There are so many towns and villages to explore on the Jurassic Coast, including Branscome with its lovely thatched cottages and a working forge to check out. If you want some fantastic views, walk along the stunning cliffs. You can also visit the white chalk cliffs of Beer, as well as it's Beer Quarry Caves that were used to harvest stone all the way back to the Roman occupation of Britain.
The UK coastline has some top-tier beaches as vacation spots, and the Jurassic Coast boasts quite a number of them. One you cannot miss is Durdle Door, which you can see above. It's a natural limestone arch in the water, with two beaches: Durdle Door (west side) and Man 'o War Cove (east side). Dogs are welcome but swimming here is a bit dangerous because of the undertow and rogue waves. However, you can also visit Weymouth, which has been a beach resort town since the time of King George III, two centuries ago. He used to visit for the sun, of which Weymouth offers plenty, so make sure you remember your reef-safe sunscreen.
The beaches here have shallow, calm water, which is great for a dip. Lifeguards are there from May through September. If you want to feel like old royalty, wander down the pretty Georgian Esplanade for some charming shops, restaurants, and cafes.