Jurassic Coast Towns
The Jurassic Coast Path passes through a sequence of coastal towns, villages and small settlements that provide structure to the route. These locations offer accommodation, food, transport links and access points to the coastline. Many also serve as natural stage start and end points, allowing the route to be divided into manageable sections.
While some locations are larger seaside towns with full facilities, others are small coastal villages or hamlets with limited services. Understanding the role of each place helps with planning distances, overnight stops and resupply points, particularly on longer multi-day walks.
Devon Section
Exmouth
The western starting point of the Jurassic Coast Path, located at the mouth of the River Exe. Exmouth has a long seafront, wide sandy beach and extensive estuary views. It offers a full range of services including accommodation, shops and public transport, making it one of the most practical places to begin or end the walk. The town also provides easy access to the South West Coast Path heading west towards Dawlish and east onto the Jurassic Coast.
Budleigh Salterton
A quieter coastal town with a long pebble beach stretching along Lyme Bay. It sits beside the Otter Estuary, an area of ecological importance with birdlife and nature reserves. The town has a small selection of shops, cafés and accommodation, and provides a calmer, less developed setting than nearby resorts. It works well as a short stage from Exmouth or as an intermediate stop before reaching Sidmouth.
Sidmouth
A Regency seaside town set beneath distinctive red sandstone cliffs. Sidmouth has a wide promenade, formal gardens and a well-maintained seafront. It offers a good range of accommodation, restaurants and services, making it one of the main hubs on the Devon section. The town is also positioned at the base of several steep coastal climbs, marking the transition into more demanding cliff-top terrain.
Beer
A small fishing village located in a sheltered bay, with steep cliffs on either side. It is known for its working beach where fishing boats are still hauled up onto the shingle. Facilities are limited but include pubs, cafés and small guesthouses. Beer provides a distinct change in scale compared to larger towns and offers a quieter overnight stop with direct access to coastal walking routes.
Seaton
A functional coastal town with a long promenade and wide, flat beach. Located at the mouth of the River Axe, it provides access to the Axe Estuary and surrounding nature reserves. Seaton has useful facilities including supermarkets, accommodation and transport links, making it a practical staging point. The terrain around Seaton is less steep than earlier sections, offering a brief break from the more demanding cliffs.
Dorset Section
Lyme Regis
A historic coastal town closely associated with the early development of geology and fossil discovery. Its harbour walls, known as The Cobb, provide shelter and form a defining feature of the town. Lyme Regis has a wide range of accommodation, shops and places to eat, making it a key hub on the route. The surrounding coastline is known for fossil-rich cliffs, and the town is often used as a base for exploring this section of the Jurassic Coast.
Charmouth
A small coastal village located just east of Lyme Regis, with direct access to some of the most productive fossil-hunting beaches in the area. Charmouth has a visitor centre, car parks and basic amenities, making it a popular entry point for day visitors. For walkers, it serves as a convenient short stage or stopping point, particularly when dividing the route between Lyme Regis and Seatown.
Seatown
A small coastal settlement situated beneath Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast. The beach is shingle and the area is relatively undeveloped, with only limited facilities such as a pub and parking. Despite its size, Seatown is an important access point due to its proximity to Golden Cap and the surrounding high cliffs. It is often used as a stopping point before or after one of the more physically demanding sections of the route.
West Bay
A harbour area at the mouth of the River Brit, characterised by high sandstone cliffs on either side. West Bay has a working harbour, visitor facilities, shops and accommodation, making it a well-equipped stop. It is a popular access point for coastal walks and provides a clear transition between the more rugged cliffs to the west and the flatter terrain towards Chesil Beach.
Burton Bradstock
A village located inland from the coast but closely linked to Chesil Beach and the surrounding cliffs. It offers coastal access via short walks and provides views across Lyme Bay. Facilities are limited but include a pub, small shops and accommodation. Burton Bradstock serves as a quieter alternative to West Bay and is often used as a staging point before heading towards Abbotsbury.
Abbotsbury
A historic village set slightly inland from Chesil Beach. It is known for the remains of a Benedictine abbey and its association with the surrounding agricultural landscape. The village has a small number of services and accommodation options, and is often used as an overnight stop. Its position makes it a practical break between the long Chesil Beach section and the approach to Weymouth.
Weymouth
One of the largest towns on the route, with a sandy beach, busy harbour and extensive visitor facilities. Weymouth offers a wide range of accommodation, shops, supermarkets and transport links, making it a major resupply point. The town marks a transition from the quieter western sections of the route to a more developed seaside environment. It is also a convenient place to start or end shorter sections of the walk.
Osmington Mills
A small coastal hamlet located between Weymouth and Lulworth Cove. It has a secluded cove and access to nearby cliff-top walking routes. Facilities are minimal, typically limited to a pub and limited parking. Despite its size, Osmington Mills provides an important intermediate stop on a long and more remote stretch of coastline.
Lulworth Cove
A well-known natural landmark featuring a near-circular bay formed by coastal erosion. It is one of the busiest and most accessible points along the Jurassic Coast, with car parks, visitor facilities and accommodation nearby. Lulworth Cove is also a key starting point for walks to Durdle Door and along the Purbeck coastline, making it a central location for both day visitors and long-distance walkers.
Kimmeridge
A remote coastal area with a rocky bay and significant geological interest. The coastline here is known for its shale formations and fossil content. Facilities are limited to a small number of buildings and seasonal services, and access can be more restricted than in other areas. Kimmeridge provides a quieter and less developed section of the route, often appealing to walkers seeking more isolated terrain.
Worth Matravers
A small village set inland from the cliffs on the Isle of Purbeck. It provides access to the coastal path via short connecting routes. The village has limited facilities, including a pub and small shop, but is frequently used as an overnight stop due to its position between Kimmeridge and Swanage. The surrounding area includes open fields and access to key landmarks such as St Aldhelm’s Head.
Swanage
A traditional seaside town with a sandy beach, pier and a full range of services. Swanage offers extensive accommodation options, shops, restaurants and transport links, making it one of the main hubs on the eastern section of the route. It is often used as a base for exploring the Isle of Purbeck and marks the approach to the final stages of the Jurassic Coast Path.
Studland
The eastern end of the route, characterised by sandy beaches, dunes and heathland rather than cliffs. Studland has a more open and less rugged landscape compared to earlier sections. Facilities are limited to seasonal services and a small number of amenities, but the area provides a clear and natural conclusion to the walk, with views across Poole Harbour and towards Bournemouth.
These towns and villages define the rhythm of the Jurassic Coast Path. Larger locations such as Exmouth, Sidmouth, Lyme Regis and Weymouth provide key infrastructure, while smaller settlements like Beer, Seatown and Kimmeridge offer access to quieter and more remote sections. Planning around these points allows the route to be adapted to different walking distances, accommodation preferences and levels of difficulty.