Photo: Kevin Walsh / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Charmouth Beach
Charmouth Beach: sand at low tide, fossil hunting on a falling tide, a Heritage Coast Centre and a summer dog ban on the West Beach.
At a Glance
Beach Type
mixed
Dogs
Seasonal restrictions
Parking
Available
Access
Moderate (steps/path)
Swimming
Swim with caution
Facilities
Activities
Charmouth is where people come to look for fossils. At low tide the wet sand stretches for several hundred metres, and the soft cliffs behind it shed fresh fossils. The beach lies at the foot of Lower Sea Lane, below the village, and is part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.
Fossils and the Heritage Coast Centre
The Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre sits beside the beach and runs guided fossil walks through the year. Its records list ammonites, belemnites, ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, fish and insects from this stretch of coast, and a display on Scelidosaurus, the Charmouth dinosaur. The centre advises hunting on a falling tide, starting two hours before low tide and finishing within an hour after it.
Cliff and tide safety
The cliffs here fall often. The centre’s advice is never to go close to them, never to hammer them, and not to sit beneath them, because loose rock and mudslips can trap you even where the ground looks dry.
Dogs
West Beach is the Lyme Regis side of the River Char, from the river to level with the end of the promenade, and it is the part by the Heritage Coast Centre and the seafront car park. Dogs are not allowed there between 1 May and 30 September. East Beach, on the Bridport side of the river, takes dogs off the lead at any time of year, and dogs must be on a lead in the car parks and on footpaths around the beach. The rules are set out by Charmouth Parish Council. Council dog orders change, so check the signs and the Dorset Council dog page before you travel.
Parking and facilities
Car parks (no coaches) are close to the beach, with more parking partway down Lower Sea Lane. Bring cash, as signal for parking apps is patchy. Dorset Council toilets stand behind the Heritage Coast Centre, and there are cafes and beach shops along the front. The east beach has smaller pebbles and the west beach larger ones, so expect shingle underfoot as well as sand.
Nearby
Lyme Regis is along the coast to the west, with its sand and pebble Front Beach. Golden Cap, the highest cliff on England’s south coast at 191 metres, is 2.5 miles to the east.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- When is the best time to hunt for fossils at Charmouth?
- The Heritage Coast Centre advises going out on a falling tide, from two hours before low tide until up to one hour after it. Check the tide times before you leave the car park.
- Are dogs allowed on Charmouth Beach?
- Dogs are not allowed on West Beach, from the River Char to level with the end of the promenade, between 1 May and 30 September. East Beach, on the Bridport side of the river, takes dogs off the lead all year. Keep dogs on a lead in the car parks and on footpaths.
- Are there toilets at Charmouth Beach?
- Yes. Dorset Council public toilets are behind the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre. The centre itself has none.
- Can I pay for parking by card or app at Charmouth?
- Phone signal can be poor on the seafront, so the Heritage Coast Centre suggests bringing cash for the car park. The centre and local shops cannot give change.