A private museum that’s owned and run by Palaeontologist Steve Davies and his wife Jenny, Dinosaurland Fossil Museum contains a spectacular collection of the local Jurassic marine fossils.  The collection grows each year, meaning there’s always something new to see, with more than 10,000 specimens to show people just how exciting and wonderful the world of fossils and dinosaurs really is.  Even the building itself has an interesting pedigree as the pioneering fossil hunter Mary Anning was baptised here on 27th June 1799 and continued to worship here until about 1830. She discovered the first Ichthyosaur on the beaches here in 1811.  Opening times are seasonal, but it is open every day through the summer with admission fees at £5 for adults and £4 for children.

http://home.btconnect.com/dinosaurland/

Standing where Dorset meets Devon, the Lyme Regis Museum is on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site and was built on the site of fossilist Mary Anning’s home.  A chance to discover Lyme’s history, geology, fossils, artists and writers, from J M Whistler to Jane Austen and John Fowles, the museum stands in the heart of the town and is run almost entirely by volunteers.  Collections range from interesting to quirky displays with walks and events scheduled throughout the season, so keep an eye on the website for more information.  The museum is open from Easter to November and prices start at £3.95 for adults while children and students go free.

http://www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk/

With views of The Cobb, the beach and the coastline to Portland, the 18-hole mini golf course in Lister Gardens provides a challenge to players of all ages.  Open from 9am-6pm in the spring and summer, winter opening times are a little shorter.  Prices start at £3.00 per game for adults and £1.50 per game for children under 14.

Lyme Regis and the Jurassic Coast have a wealth of natural history to explore, but alongside that, they also have a fascinating literary background.   Literary Lyme Walking Tours take you on a journey through the setting of films and novels, introducing you to the inspiration behind famous characters and following in the footsteps of authors who chose to visit and live in the area including Jane Austen and Mary Anning.  Tours are themed to particular genres and authors, such as the Jane Austen tours or the French Lieutenant's Woman tours.  The walks range in times and prices so for more information get in touch or take a peek at their website!

http://www.literarylyme.co.uk/

Brandon Lennon is a professional fossil collector in Lyme Regis who has turned his expertise into an experience to share, offering guided tours along part of Lyme Bay’s famous Jurassic Coast.  Informative, educational, and giving you the chance to find your own fossils along the way, he set up the business with his father Ian, himself a geologist, and together they offer more than 25 years’ experience in the field. Brandon’s fossils are sold in local shops and online, and the pair have featured on numerous TV programmes showcasing their knowledge.  There’s a timetable of public walks that you can book, as well as private walks available – simply contact them directly through the website.

http://www.lymeregisfossilwalks.com/index.html

In the picturesque harbour town of Lyme Regis, Town Beach is covered in pebbles at one end thanks to the coastal protection scheme that placed them there to provide essential care for the Marine Parade and the buildings along it.  At the other end the beach has been built up with sand, no longer gets covered at high tide and provides an extensive beach area manned by RNLI lifeguards in the summer.  There are kiosks, cafes, shops and restaurants bordering the beach, so it’s ideal for visiting with family and spending the whole day on the sand if the weather allows.  The main sandy beach in the area, it’s a delight and easy to get to when on holiday in Dorset.  There is paid parking nearby, so don’t forget your change, and remember that dogs are not permitted from 1st April to 31st October, while from 1st November to 31st March they must be on leads.

Famous for its picturesque Jurassic coastline, as well as its array of fossils, Church Cliff Beach is on the edge of Lyme Regis town.  Sandy in places, at low tide there is an extensive rock ledge with hundreds of rock pools where you can catch shrimp. The River Lym flows into the bay, so paddling is a necessity if you want to stroll on the sand.  The beach is flanked by rock armour which protects the promenade, and the sand is covered at high tide.  There’s paid parking close by, so don’t forget your change.  There are facilities, restaurants and cafes in the town.  There’s no lifeguard cover on this beach, and dogs are permitted all year round, which is great news for walkers as it also makes up part of the West Dorset Heritage Coast and its accompanying footpaths.

A fine shingle beach with sand at the water’s edge, East Cliff Beach is a beautiful place to spend the day with the family on summer holidays in Dorset.  There’s lifeguard cover from July to September in the summer holidays on East Beach itself, but that doesn’t really cover East Cliff Beach, so just be careful when and where you swim and stay away from the cliff base to avoid falling stones.  There’s a long stay car park behind East Beach and a smaller short stay car park just before entering the harbour area in front of the Bridport Arms Hotel.  Toilets are located at the main West Bay Road car park and baby changing facilities are provided as well.  Dogs are permitted on the beach all year round, but it is a clean zone that’s regularly patrolled by wardens imposing fines, so don’t forget to clean up after your pets!

This pretty harbour town dates back to the 14^th century, and is sheltered by a curving harbour wall, The Cobb, as its known contains a small sandy beach made famous in the opening shot of the film The French Lieutenant’s Woman.  You reach the beach between the RNLI station and the slipway, and there is lifeguard cover in the summer months.  Activities nearby include fishing, sailing, snorkeling, kayaking, swimming, surfing and water skiing, while facilities close to the beach include cafes and restaurants and toilets.  There are lots of walks in the area including guided tours of the famous fossil bearing cliffs.  There is paid parking nearby, Axminster train station is five minutes away as the crow flies and buses are available to the town centre.  Dogs are allowed on the beach from 1st November to 30th March as long as they’re on the lead, but they are not permitted in the summer months.

Named after the Duke of Monmouth who landed here in 1685 in an attempt to take the crown from King James II, Monmouth Beach is a large pebble and sand beach that stretches over a kilometer southwest from the Cobb wall.  There are beach huts, a bowling green, the Lyme Regis Power Boat Club and paid car parks close by.  Meanwhile, for those wishing to have their own exploratory adventures, you can find a layer of limestone called the ammonite graveyard at Monmouth Beach, containing a large number of (you guessed it) ammonites.  There are numerous walks close by and dogs are allowed on the beach all year round.  There is lifeguard cover in the summer, and all the town’s cafés, restaurants and amenities are within easy reach.