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The coast line of East Devon and Dorset is natural and unspoilt, with
hardly any development between the few towns and villages. Its brilliantly
coloured cliffs - red shale, white chalk and yellow-buff sandstones -
are of international importance on account of the almost complete geologic
section through Mesozoic strata, in particular the Jurassic, which they
display. It was at Lyme Regis that Mary Anning made an extensive collection
of dinosaur fossils, and ammonite fossils can still be found (to see picture
on our Location Map page click here).
In recognition of the unique landscape and geology of the East Devon and
Dorset coast, the UN cultural and scientific branch UNESCO in 2001 declared
this coastline the first World Heritage Site for natural features on the
British mainland. The crest of the coastal cliffs is closely followed
by the South-West Coast Path national long distance trail, making this
coast easily accessible to hikers and walkers.
The settlements along the way are full of character: the genteel Victorian
seaside resort of Sidmouth, the pretty village of Beer where the fishing
boats are winched up the shingle beach, Lyme Regis with its steep streets
and mediaeval 'Cobb' (harbour wall), This south-facing coast is known
for its mild and sunny climate and is a good place to hike at any time
of year. Route-finding is easy with our detailed route descriptions, and
the days of 12 to 20km (8 to 12 miles) are not strenuous, although there
are frequent steep gradients both up and down. The tour is suitable for
reasonably fit hikers with little or no previous experience of walking
tours.
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Reading. The mediaeval harbour or 'Cobb' of Lyme
Regis has inspired novelists from Jane Austen (Persuasion) to John Fowles
(The French Lieutenant's Woman).
What a previous customer told us about our Heritage
Coast tour:
‘Lovely views and countryside, well-planned walks
– just the right length and time for us.’ - A and S Harper, July 2006.
Jurassic
Coast: Exmouth and Lyme Regis - tour details 2011
A Discerning Traveller self-led hiking holiday
Duration. 5 nights. Tour code: E5
Dates. Start any date April to mid-October. During some periods
accommodation can be heavily booked. Please give alternative dates if
possible.
Grade. Easy/Moderate. Daily distances range up to 20km/13 miles.
Some gradients on the coastal paths are steep and strenuous. However most
days can readily be shortened by using buses or taxis. Route-finding is
generally easy.
Train stations. Start of tour Exmouth, end of tour Axminster.
Train service. Exmouth is reached by train from London Waterloo
or Paddington, changing trains at Exeter, about 10 trains per day, journey
time 3 hours. Axminster is linked by direct trains with London Waterloo,
journey time about 3 hours.
Airports. The best placed airports with international flights are
Exeter, Bristol and London (Heathrow and Gatwick).
From
Overnight stops. Night 1 Exmouth ; 2 Sidmouth; 3 Beer; 4 & 5 Lyme
Regis.
Accommodation. Specially selected guest houses or 'B&Bs'. En suite
or private facilities can be guaranteed throughout the tour on payment
of a supplement.
Meals included. Breakfast each morning; other meals can be obtained
locally without pre-booking.
Extra nights. These can be included at any point on the tour at
the time of booking the holiday. A second night at Lyme Regis is already
included.
Factsheets. These are more detailed information sheets, one for
each route, which should be obtained from The Discerning Traveller before
booking. The Factsheet code for this tour is FSE. See Enquiry
form
Jurassic
Coast: Exmouth to Lyme Regis - tour prices 2011
E5 (5 night tour, ES or private facilities most nights): £470.
SRS*: £80. STS**: £100.
E5E (5 night tour, en-suite or private facilities every night:
£510. SRS*: £90. STS**: £110.
Extra nights: £45 per person per night. Extra nights at Exmouth
£50. Single rooms may cost more.
SRS* = single room supplement (applicable when 3 or 5 persons book
together).
STS** = single traveller supplement (applicable when booking is for
one person only)
Note 1. Maximum of 1 single room per booking.
Note 2: Extra night prices may be higher for single rooms.
Note 3: This tour is available for single travellers paying the single
traveller supplement rate.
Prices quoted are per person on basis of two people in double or twin-bedded
rooms. Included in the price are bed and breakfast each night, with baggage
transfers, maps and route directions. ‘ES’ (en suite) facilities means
that there is a private bathroom with shower or tub and toilet within
the main door of your room. ‘Private facilities’ means that the private
bathroom may be outside the main door of your room. When the booking is
made for a party of 3 or 5 customers, a single room supplement is payable.
When the booking is made for a single traveller, a single traveller supplement
is payable.
We also offer coastal walking tours in eastern Dorset
(Purbeck), in Cornwall
(Land's End , Tintagel
Coast and Polperro Coast) and in Pembrokeshire.
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Click here for The Discerning Traveller
Home Page.
About self-led hiking and walking tours
Our postal address is The
Discerning Traveller, 38 Canal Street, OXFORD
OX2 6BQ, United Kingdom.
Telephone and fax 0(044) 1865 515618. E-mail:info@discerningtraveller.co.uk
www.discerningtraveller.co.uk
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