This is my 3rd review of UK beaches I have combed for sea glass.
Charmouth is on the West Dorset Heritage Coast, near to Lyme Regis and for those of you in Worcestershire, it’s roughly a 2 and a half hour drive, mostly down the M5. A few people have told me that Lyme Regis is good for sea glass but I’ve never really found much there, which doesn’t mean it isn’t, just that I haven’t been lucky whenever I’ve visited.
Charmouth, just down the road however, has always delivered for me and I thought it worth of a little review, especially now it's the 'summer' holidays and some of you may well be looking for a nice day out with the kids.
A Fab Day Out
Charmouth has a shelved beach, made up of a mixture of pebbles and sand, that and the rough seas makes perfect sea glass conditions. However, it’s known more for its fossils and most of the visitors there when I went were in fact looking for those.
If you’re looking for a family day out at the seaside this summer then you can’t really go too far wrong with Charmouth and nearby Lyme Regis. It’s safe for swimming at low tide, has a nice café and there are one or two beachy shops. Check out this link for more information to help you plan your visit.
How to look for sea glass at Charmouth
Tom and I went there in September 2022, it was a bit nippy and the beach was pretty quiet. We only stayed for a few hours but in that time collected a decent haul. We didn’t have to venture too far along from the entrance to the beach either really, we stayed pretty near to the little row of beach huts.
I would actually recommend not straying too far along the beach, if you have your head down looking, as there were regular rock falls from the cliffs during our visit which could be pretty dangerous if you’re not paying attention. As you walk further along the beach, it narrows and you’re closer to any potential moving rocks so it makes sense to stick to the beach entrance.
In fact, there have been a few rock falls there in 2023 to be aware of. You should read this news article that highlights the need to be really aware of this when you’re beach combing.
Fascinating Finds as well as Fossils
Digging about a bit (metaphorically not literally) I have discovered that the reason for the abundance of glass at Charmouth is due to old Victorian rubbish dumps that were situated on the cliff tops. As the cliffs have eroded over the years, the glass has ended up in the sea where it has been transformed, so some of it is pretty old. I also found lots of pottery pieces when I was there as well as this little half a cherub’s head (maybe one day I might find a whole one!)
In summary, what are the plus points?
It’s another beach that is much nearer to us in the Midlands than Seaham and it’s a lovely place to visit. There is plenty to keep the family busy in nearby Lyme Regis and it’s on the West Dorset Heritage Coast and near to several Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In fact, we enjoyed a lovely walk through the Blackdown Hills on our way back to the M5 for the journey home.
If you want to see what I do with the sea glass I collect, you can check out my shop.