The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site which covers 95 miles of coastline from Old Harry Rocks at Studland to Exmouth in East Devon with the rocks recording 185 million years of the Earth’s history.
Well preserved dinosaurs and dinosaur footprints have been found along parts of the coast and West Dorset is a very good area for fossils. The beaches around Kimmeridge are very popular with fossil hunters and the safest way to find fossils is on the beaches at low tide. The Jurassic Coast consists of Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous cliffs, spanning the Mesozoic Era, documenting 185 million years of geological history.
The Gateway Towns are ideal access points to the Jurassic Coast, they provide a complete range of services which support conservation and the management of the World Heritage Site. Each of the towns are destinations in their own respect. Beer, Bridport, Budleigh Salterton, Charmouth, Exmouth, Lyme Regis, Portland,Seaton ,Sidmouth, Swanage, Wareham, West Bay and Weymouth
There are also many visitor centres and museums which provide additional information for the Jurassic Coast.
- Beer Quarry Caves
- Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre
- Chesil Beach Centre
- Dorset County Museum, Dorchester
- Dorset Wildlife Trust Fine Foundation Marine Centre, Kimmeridge
- Durlston Country Park
- Fairlynch Museum, Budleigh Salterton
- Philpot Museum, Lyme Regis
- Portland Bill Visitor Centre Portland
- Museum Sidmouth Museum
- Studland Visitor Centre, Knoll Beach
- Swanage Heritage Centre
For more information on the Jurassic Coast you can obtain the Jurassic Coast leaflet from either Swanage or Wareham Tourist Information Centres or visit the Jurassic Coast website at: jurassiccoast.org