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All you need to know
A safe secure dog paddock surrounded by beautiful Dorset countryside where you can let your dog run off his or her energy safe in the knowledge that they won’t get lost. The perfect spot for exercising nervous dogs too and to practice some training.
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Featuring beautiful fossil collections, guided fossil hunting walks, rock pooling walks along the local coastline and even the opportunity to meet the Charmouth Dinosaur, Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre is a small charity and is free to visit, although they do welcome donations. A charming family day out, it’s a chance to learn about the local coastal and marine wildlife with facilities including interactive computers, hands on displays, marine tanks and a video microscope. They also have Jurassic Theatre shows of a short film on The Jurassic coast and finding fossils at Charmouth (adults £1, children 50p), and of course there’s a souvenir shop.
Wonderful insight to the discoveries on the Jurassic coast and all free! Catering for all ages with interactive displays. A must do visit.
July 2018
Such a brilliant place and the volunteers there are so helpful and great with children. I'd recommend going on one of the fossil walks but book in advance as it gets busy.
October 2018
Excellent for all fossil hunters out there. Really helpful especially the chance to go on the fossil hunting walk with an expert,great for small and big kids alike. We weren’t lucky at finding any but the choice they had in the shop was brilliant and reasonably priced.
February 2019
Amazing really enjoyed our visit!
May 2019
Brilliant, outwardly modest museum/display/centre. We were fascinated and impressed. Excellent local gem.
September 2019
Brilliant! No admission fee, just a donation requested. Lots to see and read about local beaches, amazing fossils on show with accompanying info. Staff very friendly and informative.
February 2020
Really interesting place- fascinating and well worth a visit. Great selection of gifts on sale and friendly, helpful staff.
June 2021
Wonderful! Only a small venue, but really impressive displays, most showing very large fossils found within the past 5 years in Lyme Bay- it seems to have had a refurb since Covid closures- would definitely recommend a visit
March 2022
A very interesting place, full of amazing information with knowledgeable staff.
May 2022
Visit this is you are into fossils and geology. Lots to read and view. The staff are very helpful. We recommend you speak with them about a guided tour for fossil hunting as they can show you where and how to find things.
June 2022
Bit of a nightmare...crowded with small children and stressed parents.
August 2023
I have been visiting Charmouth of and on all my 60 years on this earth and it is so sad that the visitor centre actually encourages the destruction of the beautiful stones and rock pools on the beach. We need a more look but don't take home approach to the natural world. Soon there will be nothing left.
September 2023
Superb. Staff friendly and informative. Ideal for kids.
October 2023
Very interesting visitor centre , free entry too. Good fossil exhibits intersting for younger visitors.
November 2023
Experience the stunning beauty of the Jurassic Coast and keep fit at the same time with this great local company offering Stand Up Paddle Boarding Tours & lessons, Personal Training and HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) Classes.
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Enjoy £5 off per person on any booking with your Toad Hall Cottages Discount Card
A small and friendly horse riding stables, Vineyard Stables in Wooton Fitzpane is beautifully set on the edge of a forest with sea views and wonderful riding opportunities on bridle paths and country lanes with no main roads for miles. There’s a sand school as well as a cross country course, which are available for private hire, as well as off-road hacking. Lessons start at £10 per hour depending on your requirements, and they also offer personalised classes in dressage and jumping, which can be discussed over the phone to cater to the individual.
Home to the Colfox family, the Symondsbury estate is set in beautiful Dorset countryside within a few miles of the Jurassic Coast, a world heritage site with unspoilt beaches and fabulous coastal walks. Here you'll find the Symondsbury Kitchen, the perfect spot for a bite to eat, the Symondsbury store which stocks a range of interesting local produce, a Home & Garden store, and various other boutique shops. There are also events held on the estate throughout the year including live music, open farm Sundays, workshops and more. Check the website for details.
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This is a lovely spot to stop for a bite and a drink with free parking. There is an excellent selection of local produce on sale plus homeware and fashion. You can ascend Colmers Hill nearby which is a wonderful vantage point for this beautiful area.
October 2021
A lovely place to visit, nice boutiques and little shops. Well worth a visit.
April 2023
So good went back twice. Pub also very dog friendly.
September 2023
Very pretty courtyard now developed into unique shops and cafe, serving fresh and delicious food. Just go slowly along the pot-holed driveway!
October 2023
Cosy, family-friendly and dog-friendly 16th Century thatched village inn situated in the attractive village of Chideock. Newly refurbished in 2016, the restaurant serves classic homemade traditional pub food. There's also an outside seating area and games room with skittles alley, bar football, darts and table tennis for guests to enjoy.
The Clock Inn, Main St, Chideock, Bridport DT6 6JW (T: 01297 489423)
Great choice of pub grub, Dog friendly and staff are helpful and pleasant . Do the pub quiz on Sunday it is good fun.
April 2017
A very friendly pub with good value food
September 2017
Good food and comfortable pub
October 2017
Fantastic food and service even cooked a special for us on request highly recommend this pub well worth a visit
November 2017
What a welcoming pub.Mike and his staff are so friendly and attentive,coupled with Mike's knowledge of the Ciders he has. The food is of a good standard and prices are reasonable.We would recommend this pub to anyone
May 2018
What a welcoming pub.Mike and his staff are so friendly and attentive,coupled with Mike's knowledge of the Ciders he has. The food is of a good standard and prices are reasonable.We would recommend this pub to anyone
July 2018
Friendly spacious pub with welcoming staff, serving good pub grub / home cooked food. Dogs welcome too.
October 2018
The staff were very friendly and helpful. The pub was clean and COVID-19 safe. The food was delicious and good value.
July 2021
Very pleasant lunch here. Pub very dog friendly and food was quick and good value. I had the lighter lunch option which was still very generous.
May 2022
This is a more basis pub, with what we would call good pub food. Friendly staff.
August 2022
Lovely pub, lovely food & drink. Looked after so well by the staff impeccable manners nothing was too much for them and welcomed our cockerpoo Molly and gave her biscuits. Met some of the locals who had a darts match on and they were so friendly. Came here the year before and had a lovely time then too. You really must visit during your stay no matter how short
May 2023
Friendly pub with good beer and reasonably priced food
June 2023
A traditional family friendly pub serving a Sunday carvery and daily special accompanied by a good range of local ales. Spacious outside area with plenty of seating and childrens play area. Dogs welcome. Free WiFi.
The George Charmouth, DT6 6PZ (T: 01297 560280)
Excellent value for money with a varied menu of traditional pub grub. Went twice during our holiday, Highly recommended.
August 2018
A good pub for families and groups with children as there is a play area and large garden. However there are a lot of places nearby that do better food if that's what you are looking for.
September 2019
Excellent menu and most welcoming. Lunch and dinner available but garden now closed due to pandemic. Very welcoming and friendly
October 2020
We got there early the carvery, it was busy but there is a fair size beer garden. The roast was great and plenty to eat, its meat, no veg option so be wary. The beef was exceptionally good. The staff were friendly and made you aware there were puddings, which we enjoyed. Get early and bag a table.
June 2022
the standard of customer care in this pub was brilliant was made to feel very welcome in this place and the addition of being able to sit outside and still under cover was great. Food and drink were good. Even the meal that my dog had she loved and was great to have her included in the family meal with her own menu :-) we will be back to this pub
September 2023
Serving up the finest sustainable local fish and seafood as well as a delicious range of pizzas. Choose to take away or eat in the restaurant or in the Dorset sunshine on the outside terrace.
Charmouth Fish Bar & Pizza The St, Charmouth DT6 6PU (T: 01297 560220)
Freshly cooked to perfection. Can be very busy with queues for the take away .
July 2017
We had haddock and plaice which were delicious and the portion sizes were huge. Definitely recommend eating here or getting a takeaway.
October 2017
Excellent fish and chips, good service.
October 2017
Fantastic fish and chips with great service.
August 2018
We found the take away food overpriced for what you got. The food was tasty though.
August 2018
This place really knows how to fry good fish and chips! There was a wide range of different white fish to choose from in addition to the usual cod, plaice and haddock. You can taste the quality. The young team of staff were friendly and efficient and service was excellent. Went back the following night to sample the pizzas on offer again faultless. An absolute winner!
August 2018
Excellent food, fabulous service, lovely dog friendly restaurant.
January 2019
A very popular place and satisfactory pizzas. Fish and chips is the better dish however.
September 2019
Good takeaway food. Wide variety available. Better to book in advance during pandemic.
October 2020
Excellent takeaway
May 2021
We are dealing with a pandemic, so allowances do need to be made. But the level of service was so slow and unorganised, and that is compared to other establishments at the same time who were making a much better job of it. Its a fish and chip shop at the end of the day, you don't expect hour long waits for food. Plan way ahead. The fish was great, but they got some of the order wrong.
June 2021
Close to the Toll House best fish and chips in a long time
September 2021
Excellent fish, chips and row!
September 2021
A pub with a warm and friendly atmosphere serving quality food and local Palmers Ales. Outdoor terrace and a log fire for the colder months and traditional roast on Sunday. Free WiFi and dogs welcome.
The Royal Oak Inn The St, Charmouth DT6 6PE (T: 01297 560277)
Great 'old fashioned' pub. Good food with enormous portions.
September 2017
Not very friendly " Mine Host we booked a table for three for Sunday Lunch as pub says dog friendly,but on arrival were told we cannot have our reserved table because I did not mention our small Border terrier dog,at time of booking. There was no alternative table offered,but two gentlemen sitting in the bar area got up and offered us there very tiny table. Again very little bon ami from the Landlord. And add to this a not very memorable Sunday Lunch,but I suppose as holiday incomers we were not going to be seen again,but our money was very welcome.Needless to say even if We lived next door to the Royal Oak The street Charmouth,I would not set foot in the door again.This is not sour grapes but a true example of a Public House to bypass and go further afield. date of visit 03 September 2017 3 Adults and a Border terrier. Stars minus 10 awarded
September 2017
Good menu, great quality food and catered well for children. Well priced and friendly service.
May 2019
Now closed.
October 2020
Loved our visit to the Royal Oak. Covid times meant we were outside. The staff were very pleasant. If you get a chance to visit, a pint of Dorset Pride (lager) is well worth a try.
May 2021
Excellent local - food very fresh. Friendly and welcoming staff.
July 2021
What a lovely, friendly place this is! The food is excellent and so is the service. Jason and Chloe are very welcoming and we ate here twice during our stay.
May 2022
We got there early for the Sunday roast and it was busy and a bit of a bun fight to find a table. Someone queued jumped and (selfishly) took up several seats with their dogs sitting at a table whilst some young families had nowhere to sit. There is a fair size beer garden. The roast was great and plenty to eat, its meat, no veg option so be wary. We got given a bit of each of the roasts; turkey and beef. The beef was exceptional. The staff were friendly and made you aware there were puddings, which we enjoyed. Get early and bag a table.
June 2022
Very good meal and great beer
April 2023
A warm welcome, lovely staff and excellent food. Sunday lunch was wonderful!
May 2023
We enjoyed a lovely lunch. Well cooked fresh fish dishes. Very busy!
July 2023
A traditional Dorset thatched pub offering a selection of Palmers real ales, bottled lagers and great wines served alongside delicious, freshly prepared seasonal food and a relaxed friendly atmosphere.
The George Inn, Main St, Chideock, Bridport DT6 6JD (T: 01297 489419)
Good food,beers and atmosphere. Dog friendly
October 2018
Good pub good and local ales. Dog friendly
September 2019
We visited the George twice for meals and thoroughly enjoyed them. The staff were polite and well organized under the present circumstances and the food and beer were both excellent. Will visit again in the future.
September 2020
Lovely atmosphere staff very friendly, great for just a cosy drink or a meal. We ate here twice, due to covid it was a reduced menu which is fine but would have been good if it changed now & again.
October 2020
We had a fantastic meal one evening turning up without a booking with our dog. Pub staff really friendly and service was excellent. Costs were very reasonable.
May 2022
The George Inn is a very lovely place to eat and spend time. The food is excellent, and the staff were so friendly. It was a pleasure to be there.
August 2022
We were the only customers, and not surprising as it was outrageously expensive to eat......for a very average rather scruffy pub. The food may have been good but we didnt try it.
April 2023
Lovely pub, staff friendly lovely beach and good food.
June 2023
Good for Sunday lunches and Thursday "Pizza Night". Good range of Palmers beers.
June 2023
Perfect for family days out, Charmouth Beach is a mix of sand and pebbles, fossils (for which the area is famous), good swimming and good surf. It is divided into two distinct areas (East and West) by the mouth of the River Char, which often forms a lagoon suitable for boating or watching the ducks swim past. To get to the beach, simply find the centre of the village and follow Lower Sea Lane. There are ample car parks close to the beach as well as another one half way down Lower Sea Lane if those are full. Dogs are allowed on the West beach as long as they are on leads from 1st May and 30th September between the sea defenses and Lyme Regis but not on the area of beach in front of the beach huts and the Heritage Centre. From 1st July to 31st August dogs are not allowed on East Beach between 10:00am and 6:00pm, but are welcome outside these hours. At East Beach there is a beach café and picnic tables close by, and in the summer months there is a bouncy castle. There are also lots of beautiful walks close by to enjoy. West Beach meanwhile is about a mile and a half long and is a haven for fossil hunters and avid rock-poolers.
Lovely spot to sit, relax and look for fossils.
October 2018
Lovely quaint beach.
May 2019
Great beach if but a bit stony where we went, good facilities for food and drinks and no where near as many seagulls as Lyme Regis.
August 2021
This is a beautiful area. Gets very busy and there are about four car parks and on street parking. The museum was very fascinating. Toilet queue was horrendous. This is a great area for inflatables as you can go down the stream if you want instead of the sea. There is also a large grass bank to picnic on instead of the beach cobbles.
August 2021
Great beach, Its busy by the shops but plenty of places to walk to find space away from others. The toilets are bad, so with a few wipes and wash you hands after. Get there early for parking. It is sand, shingle and rock pools, so great for a non commercialised beach day. Follow the tide out if you are fossil hunting but best to have a guided tour first from the museum so you know what you are looking for. One of our favourite sea sides in Britain.
June 2022
Walking this beach from Lyme Regis
October 2023
Charmouth Beach is just wonderful, lovely walks with no cars or road noise. Heaven!
April 2024
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 lovely stretch of beach with rock pools and a chance to find fossils. Get there as the tide is going out and get there early. Take provisions as it is just a beach, of shingle and sand, there are some rocks to clamber over and rock pools to explore. One of our favourite beaches in the UK.
June 2022
Lovely beach but spoilt by the amount of broken bits of glass and rusty metal components that have fallen from the cliff (believe there was some form of rubbish dump at the top of the cliff many years ago) - not a problem for most people but was worried about our dog getting injured.
May 2023
Plenty of parking with a moderate walk down many steps to the beach. Worth the walk though with plenty of fossils around if your prepared to look.
September 2023
What a very interesting place. Well worth visiting
April 2024
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.
Excellent area and beach although extremely busy if the sun makes an appearance. I go to Lyme Regis whilst dogs are allowed on the beach (I do use it with my dog) and would like to see more policing re dogs off leads.
April 2017
A lovely family friendly beach. Pebbled at one end and sandy at the other. Plenty of eateries and ice cream places. A good place for fossil hunting.
August 2018
We had a lovely dog walk along the beach, very pleasant.
September 2018
We loved the seafront and that in October it was full of people. We liked the beach bit, seeing families enjoying the sand, and it was great to see open loos, nice ice-cream and lots of different places to eat and drink.
October 2020
Great beach on the sandy side was really busy and made use of the boat hire on the beach which was great fun, seagulls are a real issue when it comes to food and we ate ours in our tent after my daughter lost a sandwich to one right out of her mouth.
August 2021
Booked a beach hut from Town Council! Great fun and provided welcome shade on v hot day! Appreciated the two chairs provided but would have liked a small table for food / coffee
September 2021
Wonderful location and so much to do, we didn't use our car once for a week, unheard of!! The parking in the town not good but for a town of that age, it was adequate and the other car parks further out were very good.
May 2022
Nice beach but very busy and did not like the swooping seagulls!
August 2023
Nice clean beach with plenty of clean WCs and cafes. The sandy bit at the harbour is good for dogs to run around (out of season) and kids to dig in.
April 2024
A small pebble beach close to the historic market town of Bridport, Eype Beach is a steep shelved beach (Eype means ‘steep place’) with beautiful views of the West Dorset coast. Dogs are permitted all year round and refreshments are available at Lower Eype. The beach is part of one of the most beautiful little villages in the area, where buildings can be traced back to the late 18th century. Consisting of Lower Eype and Higher Eype, it’s the lower part of the village that has access to the beach, which also boasts the magnificent Golden Cap, the highest cliff on the south coast at 191-metres above sea level. The beach is favoured by swimmers and fishing fans as well as avid fossil hunters, and there is parking nearby for a few cars as well as toilets and a pub.
Very narrow single track access road with limited passing places. Would not recommend purely due to access difficulties.
June 2017
Narrow access. Park at the top for free and walk down to the church and carry on down via a path.
September 2023
This pretty harbour town dates back to the 14th 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.
Lovely to see this in sunshine for the first time in several visits. Worth going early to see it uncrowded.
June 2018
The cob was lovely to walk on and all you needed was near by
September 2020
We walked here from Seaton along the muddy coastal path and Lyme Regis is lovely . We took a boat out from the cob .
July 2021
Lovely harbour and great places to grab a bite to eat. But it is extremely busy. Every inch of the small patch of sand by the cobb was taken up but beach shelters, feet deck chairs etc. If your kids are not fussed about sand avoid the area if you want quite and relaxing. The other side of the cobb is quite and so are the toilets (which are clean)
August 2021
Always raked and cleaned. Pretty safe, excellent lifeguards. Restaurants and cafes need to be open later. Toilets very clean but not enough of them so long queues. Watch out for seagulls stealing food from your hands!
August 2021
excellent, safe beach
September 2021
Perfect sandy beach for everyone. Loved the Marine Parade with food and drink and ice creams.
October 2021
Love the stroll along the Cobb beach and area so clean plenty of places to eat and drink. The locals are so warm and welcoming, can’t beat Lyme regis
November 2021
Definitely worth a visit
April 2024