South West Coast Path – Lyme Regis to Poole

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Overview

Route

What's Included?

Itineraries & Prices

Accommodation

Travel Info

Additional Days

Overview

Walking Holidays

7 - 9 Nights

75 miles / 120 km

Prices from: £940 per person
Start: Lyme Regis, Dorset
Finish: Poole, Dorset
Availability: Any start date from March to October
Grading: Moderate to Challenging
Way-marked: Yes

South West Coast Path - Lyme Regis to Poole Highlights

Jurassic Coast

Journey through the Jurassic Coast, Britain’s only natural UNESCO World Heritage Site, which covers 95 glorious miles of coastline and records 185 million years of the earth’s history. You’ll also visit Golden Cap – the highest point on the south coast.

Isle of Portland & Chesil Beach

Walk a circuit of the Isle of Portland – a unique, tied island steeped in history. The island is joined to the mainland by Chesil Beach – an 18-mile long shingle barrier beach which is one of Dorset’s most iconic landmarks.

Stunning scenery

Experience white sandy beaches, turquoise lagoons and peaceful azure waters. The coastline here is truly breathtaking.

Historic harbours

Visit Weymouth Harbour – the location for the sailing events at the London Olympic Games – and the largest natural harbour in the world at Poole. This Dorset coast is steeped in maritime history.

Incredible geology

Discover the natural limestone archway of Durdle Door – one of the most famous landmarks on the south coast of England.

Lyme Regis

Known as the ‘Pearl of Dorset’, the vibrant town of Lyme Regis is a historic seaside resort. The town enjoys a beautiful setting and is packed full of independent boutiques, art galleries, and fabulous places to eat and drink.

A Clifftop Adventure Along the Jurassic Coast

This section of the South West Coast Path is best known for its dramatic cliffs, iconic landmarks, picturesque coastal villages, and bustling harbours. From the ‘Pearl of the Dorset Coast’ – Lyme Regis – to the vibrant town of Poole, this section of the path is incredibly diverse and rewarding.

The trail begins in Lyme Regis and ventures east along the cliffs for spectacular panoramic views. The path takes you to the towering cliffs at Golden Cap and the delightful village of Bridport, world-renowned for rope and net-making.

Along the way you will have the opportunity for fossil-hunting at Charmouth Beach and Kimmeridge Bay. The route is undulating as it traverses the coastline, however, the spectacular scenery more than makes up for the demanding terrain.

Explore the 17-mile bar of shingle at Chesil Beach and the tranquil shores of the Fleet Lagoon, the largest tidal lagoon in Britain and protected since 1393. Durdle Door awaits you with its textbook arch – one of the most famous landmarks on the south coast of England. Your walk ends at South Haven Point, close to the bustling town of Poole.

Please note that due to the busy nature of the South West Coast Path and 2-night minimum stays at most accommodations in the area, we may need to accommodate you for 2 nights in one location with return taxi transfers from the trail. The cost of these transfers would be included in your package.

South West Coast Path (Lyme Regis to Poole) Route Map

Recommended Itinerary

Our most popular itinerary is SWCP-LR-P1 which covers the route in 6 days / 7 nights.

Travel to Lyme Regis for your first night’s accommodation

Travel to the historic town of Lyme Regis, where you could take the chance to explore the famous Cobb Harbour and its world-famous fossil sites before spending the evening at your first night’s accommodation.

Day 1: Lyme Regis to Bridport (9.5 miles / 15 km)

The South West Coast Path leaves Lyme Regis and initially heads inland, passing what’s left of the largest coastal mudslide in Europe. There is another opportunity for fossil hunting at Charmouth Beach, and from here the path takes to the cliffs towards Golden Cap. This is the highest point on the south coast and the views are dramatic and impressive.

The path goes inland again along the Brit River valley and into the village of Bridport with its thatched brewery.

Day 2: Bridport to Abbotsbury (9.5 miles / 15 km)

After leaving Bridport, the route quickly returns to the coast as you continue onwards to the pretty village of Abbotsbury with its 600-year-old swannery.

A highlight today is the beginnings of Chesil Bank, a 17 mile stretch of shingle and pebbles, and one of the best-known landmarks on this coast. You’ll pass by the picturesque village of Burton Bradstock, known for its spinning mills and thatched cottages.

Day 3: Abbotsbury to Weymouth (14 miles / 22.5 km)

A varied day of walking today from Abbotsbury, initially heading to woodland before emerging once again on the coast with Fleet Lagoon in view. Pass by the remains of old Fleet Church, almost entirely destroyed by waves during a tempest in 1824.

At 8 miles long, Fleet Lagoon is the largest tidal lagoon in Britain and a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to the rich variety of wildlife and 150 different species of algae to be found here.

Over the Ferry Bridge, with dramatic views of the Isle of Portland, and onto Weymouth and its fine 18th-century seaside facade to hopefully catch a spectacular sunset over Fleet Bay and the south coast.

Day 4: Weymouth to Lulworth (14 miles / 22.5 km)

On leaving Weymouth another famous landmark awaits – Durdle Door, where you can stop and admire how nature has formed this perfect arch.

Today’s walk ends in picturesque Lulworth Cove, one of the prettiest harbours on the south coast.

Day 5: Lulworth to Worth Matravers (14 miles / 22.5 km)

Be prepared for challenging walking today as you tackle the undulating headlands of the Lulworth Ranges. The spectacular scenery more than makes up for the demanding terrain.

Your walk continues into Kimmeridge Bay with its plentiful fossils, before more climbing takes you to St Aldhelm’s Head and one of the oldest Norman churches in England.

Some classic clifftop walking will lead you to the small village of Worth Matravers, home to one of the quirkiest pubs in England.

Day 6: Worth Matravers to Poole (15 miles / 24 km)

Your final day on the South West Coast Path will take you past Dancing Ledge, with its small swimming pool cut into the rock by quarrymen at the beginning of the 20th century.

You will then arrive at Durlston Country Park and Castle where there is a visitor centre for the Jurassic Coast. As you head towards Swanage there will be spectacular views of the chalk cliffs to Old Harry Rocks and the Needles on the Isle of Wight.

Follow the beach at Studland Bay before arriving at the blue marker celebrating the end of the South West Coast Path at South Haven Point. You can then take the chain ferry across to Sandbanks with its impressive houses and onwards to Poole for the last night of your walk.

Onward travel

After breakfast, you will start your journey home after a wonderful walking holiday on the South West Coast Path.

What's Included?

Your South West Coast Path walking holiday includes:

Carefully-selected accommodation along the route, and trail transfers when applicable
En-suite or private bathroom facilities whenever possible
Daily door-to-door baggage transfers
Comprehensive information pack, kit list, guidebook and map (one set per room)
Personalised itinerary with details of your accommodation, route and recommendations for lunch and dinner
Traditional English breakfast
24-hour emergency contact number
Full financial protection

Your walking holiday doesn't include:

Travel insurance
Transport to and from the start and end of the walk
Ferry crossings
Lunches and evening meals

Itineraries & Prices

We offer 4 suggested itineraries for walking the South West Coast Path between Lyme Regis and Poole.

Our most popular itinerary is SWCP-LR-P1 which covers the route in 6 days. Our SWCP-LR-P3 and SWCP-LR-P4 itineraries include an additional day in Weymouth which allows you to complete the Isle of Portland circuit.

Tour code

Itinerary

Average miles

Difficulty

Price per person

SWCP-LR-P1

6 Days / 7 Nights

12.5 miles per day

Challenging

From £940

Average miles : 12.5 miles per day

Tour code: SWCP-LR-P1

Difficulty : Challenging

6 Days / 7 Nights (SWCP-LR-P1)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Please note that because the South West Coast Path is often busy and most accommodations in the area require a minimum stay of two nights, we may arrange for you to stay in one location for two nights and provide return taxi transfers from the trail. The cost of these transfers will be included in your package.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Lyme Regis for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Lyme Regis to Bridport 9.5 miles / 15 km

Day 2 Bridport to Abbotsbury 9.5 miles / 15 km

Day 3 Abbotsbury to Weymouth 14 miles / 22.5 km

Day 4 Weymouth to Lulworth 14 miles / 22.5 km

Day 5 Lulworth to Worth Matravers (overnight Corfe Castle) 14 miles / 22.5 km

Day 6 Worth Matravers to Poole 15 miles / 24 km

Depart Onward travel from Poole

Prices

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £940 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

Enquire Now

SWCP-LR-P2

7 Days / 8 Nights

10.5 miles per day

Moderate

From £1065

Average miles : 10.5 miles per day

Tour code: SWCP-LR-P2

Difficulty : Moderate

7 Days / 8 Nights (SWCP-LR-P2)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Lyme Regis for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Lyme Regis to Bridport 9.5 miles / 15 km

Day 2 Bridport to Abbotsbury 9.5 miles / 15 km

Day 3 Abbotsbury to Weymouth 14 miles / 22.5 km

Day 4 Weymouth to Lulworth 14 miles / 22.5 km

Day 5 Lulworth to Kimmeridge (overnight Corfe Castle) 7.5 miles / 12 km

Day 6 Kimmeridge to Swanage 13 miles / 21 km

Day 7 Swanage to Poole 7.5 miles / 12 km

Depart Onward travel from Poole

Prices

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £1065 per person

Enquire Now

SWCP-LR-P3

7 Days / 8 Nights (Isle of Portland circuit)

12.5 miles per day

Challenging

From £1065

Average miles : 12.5 miles per day

Tour code: SWCP-LR-P3

Difficulty : Challenging

7 Days / 8 Nights (SWCP-LR-P3)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Lyme Regis for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Lyme Regis to Bridport 9.5 miles / 15 km

Day 2 Bridport to Abbotsbury 9.5 miles / 15 km

Day 3 Abbotsbury to Weymouth 14 miles / 22.5 km

Day 4 Isle of Portland Circuit 13 miles / 21 km

Day 5 Weymouth to Lulworth 14 miles / 22.5 km

Day 6 Lulworth to Worth Matravers (overnight Corfe Castle) 14 miles / 24 km

Day 7 Worth Matravers to Poole 15 miles / 24 km

Depart Onward travel from Poole

Prices

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £1065 per person

Enquire Now

SWCP-LR-P4

8 Days / 9 Nights (Isle of Portland circuit)

11 miles per day

Moderate

From £1205

Average miles : 11 miles per day

Tour code: SWCP-LR-P4

Difficulty : Moderate

8 Days / 9 Nights (SWCP-LR-P4)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Lyme Regis for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Lyme Regis to Bridport 9.5 miles / 15 km

Day 2 Bridport to Abbotsbury 9.5 miles / 15 km

Day 3 Abbotsbury to Weymouth 14 miles / 22.5 km

Day 4 Isle of Portland Circuit 13 miles / 21 km

Day 5 Weymouth to Lulworth 14 miles / 22.5 km

Day 6 Lulworth to Kimmeridge (overnight Corfe Castle) 7.5 miles / 12 km

Day 7 Kimmeridge to Swanage 13 miles / 21 km

Day 8 Swanage to Poole 7.5 miles / 12 km

Depart Onward travel from Poole

Prices

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £1205 per person

Enquire Now

South West Coast Path Accommodation

All of the accommodation that we reserve for you has been personally selected by our expert team to ensure it meets our exacting standards. We regularly review our extensive database.

We will always prioritise accommodation as close to the walking trail as possible. Occasionally, your accommodation may be located a short distance from the trail, or you may need to spend more than one night in the same place, in which case we will provide return transfers.

If you’d like to upgrade from Standard to Premium accommodation, please let us know when you enquire. Due to the limited availability of Premium accommodation on this trail, this is not currently listed as a selectable option on our website. However, upon request, we can upgrade you to the best available guest houses, inns, and hotels in each location. Keep in mind that upgrading to Premium options in certain locations could avoid off-trail transfers.

Travel Information

As an environmentally conscious tour operator, we actively encourage the use of public transport by providing clients with a detailed breakdown of travel options in their information packs. The following information may help with your pre-trip planning.

Getting to Lyme Regis

By Air

Nearest international airports: London Heathrow and London Gatwick

The Heathrow Express operates train services to London Paddington where you can take the London Underground to London Waterloo Station.

From Gatwick, you can take the Gatwick Express to Victoria Station, where you can connect to London Waterloo via the London Underground.

From London Waterloo you can connect with a train to Axminster (journey time 2 hours 45 min), from which you can take a bus or taxi to Lyme Regis.

By Public Transport

Nearest Railway Station: Axminster

There are train services from London Waterloo to Axminster (journey time 2 hours 45 min).

A short bus or taxi journey (approximately 20 min) from Axminster takes you to Lyme Regis.

As the train services can be very busy, we recommend booking in advance.

By Car

Lyme Regis is a 3 hour 30 min drive from London. There is no secure long term parking in Lyme Regis, although there are several long stay car parks. However, leaving your car at one of these car parks is at your own risk and the parking can often be very busy and expensive in the summer months, so we always advise public transport is the best option.

Departing from Poole

By Air

Nearest International Airports: London Heathrow and London Gatwick

From Seldown Coach Station in Poole, there is a direct bus to London Heathrow.

For Gatwick, you can take a train from Poole to Clapham Junction via Bournemouth, and from there you can take a train to the Airport.

By Public Transport

Nearest Railway Station: Poole

There are fast and regular train services from Poole to London Waterloo via Bournemouth (journey time 2 hours 30 min).

National Express buses also serve Poole.

As the train and bus services can be very busy, we recommend booking in advance.

By Car

London is a 2 hour 20 min drive from Poole. There is limited parking in Poole so we always recommend public transport.

If you need to return to Lyme Regis from Poole to collect your car, take the train to Dorchester (journey time 30 min) and then a bus to Lyme Regis (journey time 1 hour 30 min).

Additional Days

We would be delighted to arrange additional accommodation for you along the South West Coast Path – Lyme Regis to Poole.

You may wish to plan a rest day or have an additional night at any of the locations along the route which offer activities or sightseeing opportunities – we’ve made some suggestions below. Please request this when you make an enquiry.

Lyme Regis

Walk along the Cobb, built in the 13th century to protect the town and harbour and allow Lyme Regis to develop as a significant port
Fossil hunt on the Jurassic Coast – there are organised fossil hunting walks from Dinosaurland on Coombe Street
Take a boat trip from the harbour

Bridport

Visit Palmers Brewery – Britain’s oldest thatched brewery. Guided tours offer a fascinating insight into the Victorian brewing process, and you can sample the result!
The Bridport Museum is worth a visit – it tells the story of the town from Roman times to the Second World War. Learn what it means to be ‘stabbed with a Bridport dagger’ and who made the 1966 World Cup goal nets

Abbotsbury

Explore the 600-year-old Swannery, home to over 600 flying swans
Step back in history by exploring the Iron Age hill fort and 14th-century St Catherine’s Chapel
Visit sub-tropical gardens, interesting shops and cafes, and the world’s largest thatched Tithe Barn

Weymouth

Take the opportunity to walk around the Isle of Portland, a 13-mile scenic walk combining coast and castles
Rest your feet with a glass-bottomed boat trip on the Fleet Observer to examine the marine world of the Fleet much closer
Stroll along the Promenade and see what George III loved about Weymouth – there is so much to see and do

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