'Tis in Dorset - not Devon, me dear. (Lyme Regis)

Member Name: goosey

Product:	Lyme Regis
Date:	03/07/09 (145 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Welcoming, small seaside resort.

Disadvantages: none

Lyme Regis is a beautiful, Dorset coastal town that lies on the South coast of England, between Axmouth, on the west and Charmouth, on the East.

When I was a child, I refused to acknowledge that it 'belonged' to Dorset. Oh no! It was definately a Devonshire town!! - I was Devonshire and lived a mere six miles away at Axminster - where the carpets grow. - erm, I mean are made, and when old enough, I would either catch Puffing Billy, our local steam engine which ran on a single line direct from Axminster to Lyme ( as we call it); Or if my pocket money had been spent on sweets, I would have to cycle there.
Anyone who is familiar with the Devonshire country side, will understand what an energetic cycle ride that is, the hills are more like mountains. Fortunately, in those days, cyclists could safely zig-zag up any incline, without danger, though I would not recommend that today.

~~~LYME REGIS~~~

This is the only town that I can re-visit time and time again and know that it will be just as I left it as a small child. Any changes, apart from the famous landslide in the 60s, are so insignificant as to be unnoticable.

An extremely steep hill ( 1:3 incline) swoops down through the town to the beach. An exciting, but hair raising cycle ride, where our brake-blocks smouldered and millimetres of rubber were lost.
Shops lined one side of the incline and houses the other.
Once on the level, a long esplanade leads westwards towards the Cobb end. A favourite with both children and fishermen, I will come to that later.

The beach is a mixture of pebbles and sand; a line of concrete breakwaters, jut out into the sea, from which, when the tide was in, we would dive into the sea.

When the tide was out, a few small rock pools made for interesting places to hunt for crabs, shells and fossils. - Well it is a Jurrasic coastline!
It was and still is a very child-friendly seaside town.
Further Westwards, along the beach is The Cobb, a long, wide curving jetty. On its seaward side, the waters are a lush, deep green; steps lead down to landing stages where small boats moor. Often fishermen sit on the edge, dangling their lines into the deep, hoping for a mackerel perhaps, and probably cursing the children running up and down the entire length.

Occasionally, we would go mackerel fishing, about a mile out to sea, on organised fishing trips from the Cobb. We were each given a long string, wound round a rectangular frame, to which the boatman would attach pieces of bait onto the hook. Any fish we caught, we kept.

For the more adventuresome, there were and still are, deep sea fishing trips. The boats go way out to sea where Conger, Cod and Skate are to be found.

There are so many activities on offer at Lyme regis, The ones I have written so far are those I enjoyed as a child and still can be enjoyed to this day.

~~~~~OTHER ACTIVITIES AND ATTRACTIONS ON OFFER AT LYME ~~~~

For the energetic, there are beautiful coastline walks along the coastal paths, West towards Axmouth and Seaton, East towards Charmouth.

For the more sedate, there is a bowling green, and golf course, and even organised fossil hunting trips.

This not-so-sleepy little seaside town has been visited over the centuries by many famous feet. The 18th century author, Henry Fielding. The artist, James McNeill Whistler, Jane Austin, the authoress, she stayed at a cottage on the seafront (which is still standing) where she wrote 'Persuasion.' Authoress, Beatrix Potter also visited Lyme and used her views of the town to illustrate one of her books. In 1989, a scene, starring Meryl Streep was filmed on the Cobb.

I doubt that much has changed, even from as far back as the 18th century. It is the one place and I can visit and still recognise.

Summary: Once seen, never forgotten.