Geography Lyme Regis

blue lias cliffs @ lyme regis

lyme regis coastal town in west dorset, situated 25 miles west of dorchester , 25 miles (40 km) east of exeter. lies in lyme bay, on english channel coast @ dorset-devon border. in 2011 census town s parish had population of 3,671. town has grown around mouth of river lim (or lym) drops plateau @ around 200 metres before flowing around 5–6 km south , southeast sea. name of british origin , cognate welsh llif meaning flood or stream. historically there mills along length. lower reaches followed sections of 3 recreational footpaths: wessex ridgeway, liberty trail , east devon trail.

the town noted fossils found on beaches , in cliffs part of heritage coast—known commercially jurassic coast—a world heritage site stretching 153 kilometres (95 mi), orcombe point near exmouth in west, old harry rocks in east. coastal exposures provide continuous sequence of triassic, jurassic , cretaceous rock formations, spanning approximately 185 million years of earth s history. localities along jurassic coast include large range of important fossil zones.

the blue lias rock host multitude of remains jurassic, time fossil records rare. many remains preserved, including complete specimens of important species. many of earliest discoveries of dinosaur , other prehistoric reptile remains made in area around lyme regis, notably discovered mary anning (1799–1847). significant finds include ichthyosaur, plesiosaur, dimorphodon, scelidosaurus (one of first armoured dinosaurs) , dapedium. town holds annual mary anning day , lyme regis fossil festival. fossil of world s largest moth discovered in 1966 @ lyme regis.

people collecting fossils in lyme regis @ fossil festival



landslip, east of lyme regis

to southwest poker s pool, 7 rock point , pinhay bay , northeast charmouth. coast subject large landslips expose jurassic-age fossils can found on beaches. dowlands landslip occurred on 24 december 1839, 3 miles (4.8 km) west along coast in devon, in area belonging bindon manor. 45 acres (18 ha) of wheat , turnip fields dislodged when great chasm more 300 feet (91 m) across, 160 feet (49 m) deep , 0.75 miles (1.21 km) long formed. crops remained intact on top of became known goat island among newly formed gullies. on 3 february 1840 smaller landslip occurred nearby. phenomenon attracted many visitors, , farmers charged sixpence view it. area known undercliff , of interest because of diverse natural history.

in 2005, work began on £16 million engineering project stabilise cliffs , protect town coastal erosion. town s main beach reconstructed , re-opened on 1 july 2006. on evening of 6 may 2008, 400 metres (1,300 ft) section of land slipped onto beach between lyme regis , charmouth. police described landslip worst 100 years . necessitated diversion of south west coast path inland between lyme regis , charmouth via lyme regis golf course. landslides caused devastation town in 2008.