Dog-friendly
Dorset.

Dorset’s draw is the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site running the length of the county’s shore: dramatic cliffs, fossil-strewn beaches and the South West Coast Path threading the whole of it. Our two cottages sit at its western end. Lyme Regis is the famous fossil town — the Cobb harbour, the seafront, and the fossil-hunting beaches at Monmouth Beach and Charmouth either side. West Bay, near Bridport, has a working harbour beneath towering golden sandstone cliffs you may recognise from television.

Both towns have dog-friendly beaches, with the main town stretches typically restricted from 1 May to 30 September and open to dogs the rest of the year. Out of season you can walk the sand freely; in summer, head to the less-managed stretches or walk early. Charmouth and Monmouth Beach near Lyme remain good for dogs and for fossils — the loose shale is where the ammonites turn up, especially after a winter storm. As always, confirm the current rules locally before you go.

The walking is the real reason to come. The coast path in either direction from Lyme Regis or West Bay gives cliffs, sea and very few people once you are clear of town — the climb up to Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast, starts near West Bay. Inland Dorset, with its chalk downs and hidden valleys, rewards a longer stay for owners who like a proper hill walk well away from the crowds.

A practical note: the coast-path sections here are genuine cliff walking, with steep ascents and unfenced drops in places, so a steady dog on a lead is wise on the exposed stretches. Both towns are small and fill in summer; parking is easier early in the day or out of season.