The Jurassic Coast: Fossil Hunting Without the Fuss

The Jurassic Coast runs 155km from Exmouth in Devon to Studland Bay in Dorset, and the whole thing is a geological textbook rendered in cliff faces. The eastern end near Charmouth and Lyme Regis exposes Jurassic shales stuffed with ammonites; the western Dorset end has Cretaceous chalk and the limestone arches. You can walk the length of it over 5-7 days on the South West Coast Path, or pick sections. Lyme Regis is the obvious base for fossil hunting, and Durdle Door is the obvious day trip from Lulworth.

Fossil Hunting

Lyme Regis is the focal point. Mary Anning found the first complete ichthyosaur skeleton here in 1811-1812, and fossils continue to wash out of the cliffs above Black Ven (east of the harbour) after storms and rain. Go at low tide, scan the base of the cliffs, and look for ammonites and belemnites on the beach. The large shale boulders that fall from the cliffs are the most productive source; bring a small geological hammer if you’re serious.

The Lyme Regis Museum (Dinosaur Land, near the car park, £6.50 entry) is small but has excellent specimens and good context for what you’re looking at.

Fossil buying: Lyme Regis has several dealers selling specimens from the local cliffs. Quality and price vary enormously. A small ammonite runs £5-15; commercial-quality mosasaur or ichthyosaur pieces cost hundreds. The shops on Coombe Street are more reputable than the market stalls.

The Key Sites

Durdle Door is the limestone arch west of Lulworth, accessible via a 15-minute cliff-top walk from the Durdle Door Holiday Park car park (pay to park, around £6). The arch itself is not legally swimmable beneath (the landslip risk is real) but the adjacent beaches are fine. It’s extremely crowded on summer weekends; arrive before 09:00 or come after 17:00.

Lulworth Cove is 10 minutes east of Durdle Door and has better swimming. The geology around the cove, where hard Portland limestone creates a near-circular natural harbour, is the reason the UNESCO designation exists. The visitor centre near the car park has an unusually good free geological interpretation.

Kimmeridge Bay is less visited and has excellent rock pooling, particularly at low tide. The ledges here expose Jurassic shales with visible ammonites embedded in place. The Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve runs snorkelling and rock pool tours from the bay (around £15 per person).

Portland Bill at the tip of the Portland peninsula has the lighthouse, dramatic cliff geology, and some of the best bird migration watching on the south coast in September-October.

Staying

Lyme Regis is the best base. The town has a good range of B&Bs (£80-120/night in season) and a few hotels. The Alexandra Hotel above the town has sea views and an excellent restaurant (around £120-160/night). Self-catering cottages in the villages around Wareham and Corfe Castle are more affordable and give a better base for the eastern Purbeck section.

Getting There

Lyme Regis is not on the rail network; the nearest station is Axminster (6km), served from London Waterloo (around 2.5 hours, £40-60). Weymouth has a direct rail connection from London. A car is genuinely useful for moving between sites along the coast.

The South West Coast Path is the pedestrian alternative; sections between Lyme Regis, Charmouth, and West Bay are among the more rewarding short walks on the route.