Lyme Regis is consistently ranked as one of England’s most beautiful seaside towns, which I wholeheartedly agree with. After visiting more times than I can count, it’s still my favourite place to go in the south west. But is the beach at Lyme Regis sandy or pebbly?
The answer is both, and that’s exactly why I love it.
Lyme Regis has a sandy, family-friendly beach perfect for building sandcastles, but it also has quieter pebble stretches and some of the best fossil-hunting beaches on the Jurassic Coast. I tend to switch between them depending on my mood (and how busy it is)!
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Front Beach
If you’re picturing sandcastles, paddling and that classic seaside feel with golden sand, this beach is the one. Front Beach (also referred to as Sandy Beach or Town Beach) is sandy, gently sloping and ideal for families, directly sheltered by the harbour and the historic curving harbour wall known as The Cobb. As a lover of the sand between my toes, this is always the beach I head to, though it’s also the beach that gets most crowded, especially in the school holidays. My best advice is to get there early on warm days if you can.
There’s toilets close by and plenty of food, drink and ice-cream options. In peak season there’s also lifeguards on duty.
Front Beach is actually split in to two sections with a large pebble beach separated by a large concrete jetty. This tends to be less busy than the sandy side and at low tide offers excellent rock pooling. We often find shore crabs, anemones, limpets and starfish.
Monmouth Beach
Head south west past The Cobb and the sand disappears, replaced with pebbles and shingle. Monmouth beach feels completely different but is fabulous for fossil hunting. The spectacular graveyard of fossils, known as Ammonite Pavement, can be found here where the remains of thousands of ammonites can be seen embedded in the limestone ledge. This can only be accessed at low tide.
The views back towards The Cobb are lovely too.
Church Cliff Beach
Tucked beside the Marine Theatre towards the east of the town, Church Cliff is a smaller pebble-and-sand beach. It’s still pretty central but usually far less crowded than Front Beach. If the main beach feels too busy, this is a great place to drift instead. This is where the River Lym flows in to the bay.
East Cliff Beach
East Cliff is more rugged and open, stretching out beneath the cliffs towards Charmouth. It’s known for fossil hunting and big coastal views rather than as a sunbathing spot. Be careful though, the cliffs surrounding the beach are unstable, and Church Cliff Walk gives access to the beach but can get cut off at high tide.
Are the beaches in Lyme Regis dog friendly?
Mostly, yes, but with one seasonal exception.
East Cliff Beach, Church Cliff Beach and Monmouth Beach allow dogs off lead all year round.
Front Beach allows dogs from 1 October to 30 April, but not during the main summer season.
Where to stay in Lyme Regis near the beach
Lyme Regis is quite compact, so you’re rarely far from the sea. If being close to the sand is top of your must-have list, look around Marine Parade or the streets just behind Front Beach. There are cottages where the front door opens straight onto the promenade, which is hard to beat, like 1 Argyll House.
For more details on where to stay and where to explore, you can read my guide to spending a weekend in Lyme Regis.
for further inspiration you may like
A weekend in Lyme Regis
Where to stay, where to eat and how to spend your time in this beautifully classic English seaside town.
