Length: Around 8 miles (14.2 km) with 2200 feet (675 m) of elevation if walking along the
beach from Charmouth to Lyme Regis at low tide.
If high
tide, a longer route is required between Charmouth and Lyme Regis making
the whole walk 10 miles.
Toughness: 7/10
Travel: Bus X53 at 9.40am from Nisa Store (used
to be Co-op) in Broad Street (next to Tesco) of Lyme Regis. Alight at West Bay
by The George Hotel.
This is a
map led walk. Please note:
there has been considerable erosion and path falls along the coastal path since 2025. The National Trust has created new paths next
to the old crumbling ones so PLEASE keep to these.
Walk
Notes: West Bay is a
small, coastal town a mile south of Bridport, and the location of the
TV show Broadchurch! Stunning golden
cliffs tower above the beach of West Bay, and as you walk along the clifftop towards
Lyme, you can look back and admire them.
West Bay has a small harbour, surrounded by cafes and ice-cream kiosks
and a bakery.
This walk
heads west towards Lyme Regis taking in panoramic coastal views. We walk through Eypes Mouth, Seatown, and up
to the Golden Cap. The Golden Cap is the highest point on the south coast, at
627ft (191m), with far ranging views along the shore to the tip of Portland
Bill eastwards, and Lyme Regis and beyond to the west. On a clear day you may even see
Dartmoor.
From here we
walk down to Charmouth, and onto Lyme Regis.
As high tide is 18.33 today, we have to walk inland through
Charmouth village and along the scenic cliff tops, through the golf course and
woods and down into Lyme. This
alternative route is marked on the map/GPX.
Danger of being caught out by the tides if you decide to walk along the beach to Lyme today.
The undulating nature of the coastline, means that the tide is higher at
some points of the beach (Black Ven) and there is NO way off. Also, uneven rocks underfoot in some
areas of the beach can slow down your walking.
Refreshments:
There is a bakery, and other cafes in West Bay if you need to pick up supplies.
The Anchor
Inn overlooking the beach at Seatown is 2.9 miles from West Bay, so too early
for lunch but a quick coffee?
The Beach
Café and Heritage Centre on Charmouth beach, serving snacks, takeaway food, ice
creams, tea coffee etc. About 7 miles from start of walk in West
Bay.
Tide times between
Charmouth and Lyme Regis for Sunday 28th June 2026:
High tide: 6.15; Low Tide: 11.42; High tide: 18.33; Low tide: 00.11
https://www.uktides.com/england/south-west/charmouth-june
Further
details of walk, map, GPX etc can be found here: West Bay to Lyme Regis
T=swc.331
#2026-06-28T09:40
1 comment:
One or other folk were departing today so not on any walk, others were doing a short version of this one (see below), so of the 28 SWC-ies in town, 21 disembarked from the bus at 10.30. One of those was just there to explore West Bay (and maybe Bridport?), so 20s started walking in w=sunny-and-warm weather.
One was liaising with a friend who joined us to the first top (Thorncombe Beacon), then walked back. At Seatown (just after noon) we gladly retreated to the beer garden of The Anchor Inn, where we found 4 others in situ. They had parked at Lower Eype, picked up the route and were going to walk back that way.
2 departed here to walk up to Chideock and take the bus back to Bridport to explore a sculpture trail there.
Picnic lunch was had on the top of Golden Cap (highest top on the south coast), by which time a different friend of another walker had joined us (she walked on to Charmouth with us).
Fine views back to the Isle of Portland and on to Lyme, Beer etc.
Charmouth meant another stop for refreshments and for regaining group cohesion (kind of). Some took a bus from there, but 10 walked on along the inland route to Lyme (17.00 hours),as the ride was coming in.
Rock Harbour Inn for some.
I make that n=26 people walking a substantial part of the route, including 2 non regulars
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