Photo: Colin Smith / Geograph, CC BY-SA 2.0
Lyme Regis Front Beach
Lyme Regis Front Beach: sand and pebbles beside the Cobb, RNLI summer lifeguards, a summer dog ban and beach matting for wheelchair users.
At a Glance
Beach Type
mixed
Dogs
Seasonal restrictions
Lifeguard
Yes (seasonal)
Parking
Nearby
Access
Moderate (steps/path)
Swimming
Swim with caution
Facilities
Activities
Front Beach is the town beach at Lyme Regis, laid out in front of Marine Parade with the harbour wall of the Cobb at one end. A sandy area sits beside a large pebble area, and it is the beach most people choose for paddling and swimming. In peak season the town council rakes it daily, and showers are connected.
What the beach is like
The town council lists four beaches at Lyme Regis: Front Beach, Monmouth Beach, Church Cliff and East Cliff. Front Beach is the sandy one, with pebbles beside it. The Cobb, first recorded in a 1328 document that describes storm damage, separates Monmouth Beach from the beach at Cobb Gate, and it appears in Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Mary Anning, who found fossils of Jurassic marine reptiles in the cliffs along this coast, is remembered at Lyme Regis Museum, which stands on the site of her family home.
Swimming and lifeguards
In peak season RNLI lifeguards are based in a hut on the sand. The RNLI beach page lists the patrol dates each year, and outside those dates there is no lifeguard cover. Swim between the flags when they are out, and keep children within reach.
Dogs
Under the Dorset Council dog order, dogs are not allowed on Front Beach between 1 May and 30 September. In winter, 1 October to 30 April, they must be on a lead no longer than two metres. Lyme Regis Town Council sets out the rules, including the lead rules on Marine Parade and the harbour. Dogs can run off the lead all year on East Cliff, Church Cliff and Monmouth beaches, as the council’s beaches page sets out.
Parking and facilities
The town council runs Monmouth Beach and Cabanya car parks, which share 282 spaces, and motorhomes or vehicles over 4.8 metres are not allowed in its car parks. Free accessible toilets are on Marine Parade and at Monmouth Beach car park. Wheelchair-accessible matting is available on Front Beach, and the council lends two beach wheelchairs, a floating wheelchair and a transit chair from the Marine Parade Shelters. Details are on the council’s beach wheelchairs page.
Nearby
For fossil hunting on a wider beach, drive along the coast to Charmouth Beach. West Bay and the start of Chesil Beach are further east at West Bay East Beach.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- Are dogs allowed on Lyme Regis Front Beach?
- Not in summer. Dogs are banned from Front Beach between 1 May and 30 September. From 1 October to 30 April they are allowed on a lead no longer than two metres.
- Is there a beach wheelchair at Lyme Regis?
- The town council has two beach wheelchairs, a floating wheelchair for the sea and a transit chair, collected from the Marine Parade Shelters. Reserve through the council before you go. Visit Dorset lists wheelchair-accessible matting on Front Beach.
- Where can I let my dog off the lead in Lyme Regis?
- East Cliff, Church Cliff and Monmouth beaches allow dogs off the lead at any time of the year. Dog rules are set by council order, so check the signs on the day.
- Are there toilets near Front Beach?
- Yes. The town council lists free accessible toilets on Marine Parade and at Monmouth Beach car park, and food and drink outlets are close to the sand.