Adrian Porter

The Lyme Bay coast – a place of beauty and history

Visit the Lyme Bay coast in south west England - an area of scenic beauty where the counties of Dorset and Devon meet.

The Lyme Bay coastal region in south west England is an area of breathtaking scenery, history and heritage and is one of the most beautiful and scenically diverse regions of the UK. Lyme Bay falls where the counties of Dorset and Devon meet. I want to help you to get the most out of your visit to this beautiful part of the world by suggesting things to see and do in the area. Once you have visited the Lyme Bay Coast I am sure you will want to return.

The Lyme Bay coast  is also known as The Jurassic Coast – with 95 miles of truly stunning coastline from West Dorset to East Devon recording 185 million years of the Earth's history. World Heritage status was achieved in 2001 because of the site's unique insight into the Earth Sciences as it clearly depicts a geological ‘walk through time'.

Lyme Bay is about two and a half hours by train or car from London – if you are travelling by train out of Waterloo station then Axminster, in East Devon, is a good destination to head for.

There are so many things to see and do here on the Lyme Bay coast, so here are a couple of suggestions for things to do and see if you take a holiday in the area

Take a walk or cycle alongside the Exeter Ship Canal
If you are looking for a relaxing walk or cycle with a difference why not try the visiting The Exeter Ship Canal which runs for 5.3 miles from its basin in Exeter to the River Exe at Turf. The River Exe is popular with rowers and canoeists, walkers and anglers and both commercial and leisure boats. The huge variety of birdlife makes it a popular destination for birdwatchers too.

The Riverside Valley Park follows the Exeter Ship Canal and offers a variety of long and short walks. A pleasant stroll of one and a half miles will take you along the canal basin to the Double Locks Pub where you can stop for some refreshments. If you fancy venturing a little further the two and half miles between the pub and Topsham Lock Keepers Cottage includes the Double Locks, the Devon Wildlife Trust Reserve, the River Exe and the historic village of Topsham. Continuing a further one and a half miles will take you to the Turf Hotel, passing by the estuary mud flats, the Turf Lock Hotel (for more refreshments!) and Exminster Marshes. There are car parks for walkers at various points along the canal.

And that’s why it’s called The Jurassic Coast!
The fossilised skull of a colossal ‘sea monster’ has been unearthed along the Jurassic Coast, which spans Dorset and East Devon. The exact location of the find is not being revealed, as Dorset County Council does not want to encourage people to head to the spot. The area is unstable and prone to rock falls and landslides.

The ‘monster’ is a Pliosaur, a ferocious predator which ruled the oceans around 150 million years ago. The skull itself is 2.4 metres long and the creature could have measured up to 16 metres in length. Pliosaura had short necks and huge, crocodilian-like heads that contained immensely powerful jaws and a set of huge, razor-sharp teeth.

The fossil, which was found by a local collector, has been purchased by Dorset County Council. It was bought with money from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and it will now be scientifically analysed, prepared and then put on public display at Dorset County Museum, Dorchester.

According to the experts these things were big enough and powerful enough to bite a small car in half! Pop along to the museum and take a look.

Somewhere to stay
One of the most flexible ways to take short breaks in Devon and Dorset is to book a self-catering holiday cottage. Lyme Bay Cottages, based in Lyme Regis, provide self-catering holiday accommodation all year round with properties ranging from traditional Devon and Dorset cottages through to modern apartments - some in quiet country hideaways others in lively little coastal towns and villages. You can view holiday cottage details and more information about the Lyme Bay area at LymeBayCottages.com.

Article Tags: Exeter Ship, Half Miles, Dorset County

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