Walking the Jurassic Coast

Explore the Jurassic Coast’s breathtaking landscapes with 30 inspiring walks between Exmouth and Bournemouth, revealing the world-famous geology and timeless beauty of Dorset and East Devon. Discover sweeping sea cliffs, fossil-rich beaches, hidden coves, and green inland ridgeways, where ancient earth history is etched into every headland and valley. Trace the shoreline between Torbay and Swanage, venture onto the Dorset Downs, and pause to uncover ammonites, fossil forests, and the dramatic story of a coastline shaped over 185 million years.

Ideal for both new and experienced walkers, this comprehensive Cicerone guidebook features 30 walks ranging from 5 to 24km (3–16 miles), each designed to be completed in 2–8 hours. Whether you’re seeking a gentle seaside stroll, an easy morning on the downs, or a strenuous coastal hike with sweeping sea views, these routes showcase the diverse wonders of the Jurassic Coast, accessible from Exmouth, Sidmouth, Lyme Regis, Weymouth, Swanage, and beyond.

Experience the best of the Jurassic Coast on foot, from the fossil beaches of Lyme Regis and the striking cliffs of Golden Cap and Portland Bill, to the tranquil valleys of Cerne Abbas and the iconic sweep of Chesil Beach.
Enjoy year-round walking along the Jurassic Coast, explore green ridgeways in spring, bask on hidden coves in summer, marvel at colourful cliffscapes in autumn, and enjoy the brisk sea air of winter, with seasonal tips for making the most of your visit.
Choose from 30 walks, each with a route summary, start and finish points, estimated walking time, and information on local facilities in towns and villages, including Exmouth, Sidmouth, Lyme Regis, Weymouth, and Swanage.
Discover the rich geology and local points of interest along every Jurassic Coast walk, with timelines, cross-sections, and non-technical explanations bringing the rocks, fossils, and landscape to life, all key sites clearly marked on 1:50,000 OS maps.
Walks range from easy rambles along the shoreline to challenging cliff-top hikes and inland adventures, all with downloadable GPX files and practical advice on accommodation, transport, and exploring the Jurassic Coast’s highlights.
Explore over 95 miles (155km) of the Jurassic Coast UNESCO World Heritage Site, pause to spot ammonites, visit the fossil forest at Lulworth Cove, and end your day with a swim in the sea or an ice cream at a seaside café.


Plan your Jurassic Coast adventure with confidence and enjoy this celebrated stretch of England’s coastline, where every step reveals a new story written in stone. With the definitive Cicerone guidebook, discover the best of Dorset and East Devon’s walking country at your own pace, in every season.

Seasons

Year-round. Late July and August can be busy on beaches and car parks. Winter (October to March) has more challenging weather and can be muddy underfoot..

Centres

Budleigh Salterton, Sidmouth, Beer/Seaton, Lyme Regis/Charmouth, Bridport, Dorchester, Portland, Cerne Abbas, Lulworth, Swanage

Difficulty

Most walks are on good, clear paths. Coast path ascents and descents can be steep but are short. The longer walks require physical fitness but many shorter ones allow time for studying the rockforms and fossils.

Must See

Nearly 100 miles of clifftops. Fossil-hunting at Lyme Regis. The quartzite pebbles of Budleigh Salterton. Tree trunks of 150 million years ago at Lulworth Cove. The Cretaceous sea that carved right across England. Chalk downland and a rude man at Cerne Abbas. The Purbeck crumple zone caused by Italy's impact with Europe.

Contents Introduction The Jurassic Coast When to Walk Getting here, getting around, staying the night Maps and GPS Safety on the seaside Tides on the Internet Using this book Jurassic Coast Path (Exmouth to Poole Harbour) Jurassic Coast end-to-end: logistics Geological Introduction The Sea The Great Unconformity The Universal Foundations The fossils Smith's Principles of Faunal Succession Collecting Fossils The drift of the continents Eastwards is also Up Section 1: Devon's Red Beds Jurassic Coast Path: Exmouth to Seaton Route 1 - Brixham and River Dart The Great Devonian Controversy Marine Dykes at Shoalstone Beach Route 2 - Budleigh Salterton and Woodbury Castle Pebblebed Heath Route 3 - Budleigh Salterton Budleigh Salterton Pebbles Route 4 - Red Bed Roundabout Route 5 - Otterton: Peak Hill and the Otter Otter Sandstone Route 6 - Six Hills of Sidmouth The Great Unconformity Sidmouth Red Beds Larvikite Route 7 - Sidmouth to Weston Greensand at Salcombe Mouth Route 8 - Branscombe Mouth to Weston Mouth Gypsum at Weston Mouth Branscombe Mouth Route 9 - Beer and Hooken Undercliff Beer Stone and Beer Head Limestone Fossilised sea floor Route 10 - Beer to Blackberry Camp Route 11 - inland: Hartridge and Dumpdon Section 2: The Lias Jurassic Coast Path: Seaton to Bridport (West Bay) Route 12 - Lyme Regis Undercliff Bindon Landslip The Cobb Monmouth Beach Route 13 - Lyme Regis to Charmouth (shorter) Black Ven Route 14 - Lyme Regis to Conegar Hill and Charmouth Mary Anning Route 15 - Hardown Hill and Golden Cap from Seatown Golden Cap: Boulder Arcs Tsunami of 1755 Seatown summary Route 16 - Bridport to Seatown Symondsbury's Inferior Oolite Shutes Lane Eype's Mouth and Fault Corner Route 17 - West Bay and Burton Bradstock Burton Cliff and East Cliff Route 18 - inland : Beominser to Pilsdon Pen Greensand Summits Section 3: Chesil Beach Jurassic Coast Path: Bridport to Osmington Route 19 - Litton Cheney and Eggardon Hill Flint and Chert Route 20 - Abbotsbury Castle and Chesil Beach Oolite limestone Chesil Beach Route 21 - inland : Two ridges: Hardy Monument to Elwell Route 22 - Isle of Portland circuit The Portland Roach Longshore Drift Route 23 - Osmington shore and White Horse Osmington Doggers Redcliff Point Section 4: Chalk walks Lulworth and inland Jurassic Cosat Path: Osmington to Lulworth Route 24 - Hardy's Egdon Heath Route 25 - Cerne Abbas and the Giant Chalk fossils Route 26 - Dorsetshire Gap Chalk Escarpment at Bulbarrow Ham and Portland Route 27 - inland : Hambledon and Hod hills Jurassic Coast Path: Osmington to Ringstead Route 28 - Ringstead Smugglers' Path Moigns (Upside) Down Route 29 - Lulworth Cove and Coast The Durdle Wall: Portland and Purbeck erect Fossil Forest Section 5: Isle of Purbeck Jurassic Coast Path: Lulworth to Poole Harbour Route 30 - Kimmeridge, Tyneham and Flower's Barrow Mupe Bay and Wealden Clay Route 31 - Swyre Head and Kimmeridge Ledges Kimmeridge Bay Route 32 - Chapman's Pool and St Alban's Head Chapman's Pool Jurassic Coast Path: Winspit to Seacombe Route 33 - Swanage: Durlston to Dancing Ledge Dancing Ledge Route 34 - Isle of Purbeck Circuit Purbeck Marble Route 35 - Ballard Down and Agglestone APPENDICES Appendix 1 : Indoor geology: museums and visitor centres Appendix 2 : Rock reference: websites and books Appendix 3 : Timechart - Cambrian to Now Appendix 4 : Rocks of the Jurassic Coast Appendix 5 : Jurassic Coast cliff diagrams