Charmouth, Dorset
The population of Charmouth in Dorset is only about 2,000, but in the summer, just like most coastal villages, it’s considerably bigger with a sizeable influx of holiday makers and visitors. Perfectly understandable – the whole of the Jurassic Coast is a big draw for tourists, the quaint towns and villages, the quieter beaches, and a backdrop of glorious rolling hills.
Charmouth doesn’t have a huge amount in the way of amusements and places to eat so people come here and happily get on with their own thing. That might be sea fishing or watersports, a stroll up over the bracing clifftops, a spuddle in the rockpools, hunting for fossils or just having family fun on the beach. There are actually two beaches, divided by the mouth of the River Char, one is more pebbly than the other but both have good stretches of sand at low tide.
It's a good place to be is Charmouth; in the kind of world we live in where everything is thrust in our faces it’s nice to be somewhere where you can make your own fun and that’s the charm of places like this. Go and have a look round Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, find out about the incredible geology and the fossils that have been found here, join a guided fossil walk and take home your own finds from this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Amble over the bridge, pause and watch the ducks and swans, if you’ve got your boots on head up over the cliff on the South West Coast Path to Golden Cap, the highest point on England’s south coast.
Use your imagination; make pebble stacks on the beach, write your name in the sand, see what tiny marine life you can find in the rockpools, dig deep in the shingle for colourful sea glass, washed smooth by the waves. Have a picnic in the sunshine or go and find a table at one of the beach cafes; in town, The George and The Bank House Café are good and very popular is Charmouth Fish Bar and Pizzeria, serving locally caught sustainable fish.
All information correct at the time of writing