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A 6-day one-way drive along England's only UNESCO World Heritage coastline, from Exeter through fossil-rich Dorset to the chalk stacks of Swanage.
RoutebookThe Jurassic Coast stretches for 95 miles (152 km) along the counties of Devon and Dorset, exposing 185 million years of Earth's history in a single continuous cliff face. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001, it is the only place in the world where rocks from all three periods of the Mesozoic era (Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous) are exposed in sequence along a coastline. This six-day drive picks up the route at Exeter and works east through the Regency resort of Sidmouth, the fossil town of Lyme Regis, the handsome harbour at Weymouth and the horseshoe bay at Lulworth Cove before finishing at Swanage near the chalk stacks of Old Harry Rocks. The driving legs are short and the roads, though narrow in places, are well-signed. This is not a white-knuckle drive but an unhurried journey through some of the most varied and beautiful coastal scenery in England.
Best time: May to September: quieter in May, June and September
5 overnight bases · 1 stop on the way
On the way
Activity
Fossil hunting at Charmouth Beach
Low tide reveals ammonites, belemnites and occasionally larger Jurassic-era fragments in the fallen shale at Charmouth, near Lyme Regis. The Heritage Coast Centre provides guidance on safe and legal collecting.
Viewpoint
Durdle Door limestone arch
The most iconic landmark on the Jurassic Coast: a natural arch carved by the sea through a headland of Portland limestone, framing a clear-water cove that turns deep blue on sunny days.
Culture
The Cobb harbour at Lyme Regis
The great stone harbour arm has sheltered Lyme since the Middle Ages and gives the town its distinctive silhouette. Walking its length at any tide is one of the most evocative short walks on the route.
Scenic Drive
West Bay sandstone cliffs
Dramatic golden towers of Bridport sandstone rise directly from the beach at West Bay, familiar from the TV series Broadchurch. The colour and scale make them one of the most photogenic spots on the Dorset coast.
Scenic Drive
Chesil Beach and the Fleet Lagoon
A 29 km shingle bank enclosing a tidal lagoon: one of the largest coastal landforms in Britain. Drive the B3157 above the Fleet for elevated views, or visit Abbotsbury Swannery on the western shore.
Viewpoint
Old Harry Rocks, Swanage
Three white chalk stacks at Handfast Point mark the eastern boundary of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The clifftop walk from Swanage is short and the views extend to the Isle of Wight on a clear day.
Where to stay
Two nights in Lyme Regis
The most enjoyable base on the route: compact enough to walk everywhere, with good restaurants, a fossil museum and Charmouth beach a short drive away for fossil hunting.
Food & drink
Seafood and Dorset produce
Portland crab, Jurassic Coast fish and chips, and Dorset cream teas are the food highlights of the route. Lyme Regis and Weymouth have the widest choice; the Hive Beach Cafe at Burton Bradstock is a well-known seafood stop on the way to Weymouth.
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