Recognised for its outstanding rocks, fossils and landforms, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is the only place on Earth where rocks from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods can be seen in one place.  

It’s no surprise then that the area not only draws millions of visitors from all over the world each year but is a popular place to live.  

Lyme Regis and beyond  

The diverse and beautiful landscape provides a stunning backdrop for the mix of towns and villages dotted along, or within easy reach of, the coastline.   

This includes Lyme Regis, the birthplace of pioneering fossil collector and palaeontologist Mary Anning. Known as the ‘Pearl of Dorset’, the town’s history stretches back to the 8th century. The pretty seaside resort has lovely beaches and a picturesque harbour featuring the famous Cobb, built as a breakwater to protect ships and the town.  

The beach at nearby Charmouth is famed for its abundance of fossils, while the village itself is made up of mostly Regency houses and thatched cottages, alongside a wide range of places to eat. Surrounding the village is the Golden Cap Estate’s rolling hills and ancient hedgerows, with the smaller village of Chideock and the hamlet of Seatown also enticing visitors to the area.  

Chesil Beach  

One of the county’s most iconic landmarks is the 18-mile-long Chesil Beach, between West Bay and Portland. Just behind the shingle barrier beach sits the picture-postcard village of Abbotsbury, a beautiful – and creative – village with numerous craft exhibitions and galleries. Next to the village lies a large saline lake known as the Fleet Lagoon, designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and the setting for Abbotsbury Swannery, the only colony of nesting mute swans that can be visited anywhere in the world.  

Two miles inland is the Georgian market town of Bridport, with its regular street market and excellent range of shops, pubs and restaurants. Meanwhile, the larger town of Weymouth is well known for its Blue-Flag-winning beach, historic harbour and busy, year-round events programme.  

Isle of Purbeck

The Isle of Purbeck, a peninsula which forms the eastern end of the Jurassic Coast, is home to Lulworth Cove, popular for its pebble beach and blue waters, and Durdle Door, one of Dorset’s most photographed landmarks. Here, you’ll also find the village of Corfe Castle, with dramatic castle ruins, a village store, several pubs and a bakery. A steam railway runs to the charming seaside town of Swanage, with its range of cafés and shops, and nearby Durlston Country Park National Nature Reserve, which takes in 340 acres of dramatic cliffs, coastal limestone downland, meadows and woodland.   

Property and house prices

There is a wide range of property available in the area, everything from townhouses to pretty cottages and modern one-off homes. Those moving here are fairly evenly split between local buyers and those from further afield. It tends to be a lifestyle move – typically buyers of retirement age who seek a sea view or a short walk to the beach, with enough space for grandchildren to come and stay.  

The average house price across the counties of Dorset and Devon is £372,000, though many coastal hotspots along the Jurassic Coast attract a premium, particularly Studland, which has an average sale price of £1,377,000 over the last five years. Other hotspots include Burton Bradstock (£576,000), Charmouth (£491,000), both Budleigh Salterton and Beer, which have average sale prices of around £470,000, Lyme Regis (£444,000) and Sidmouth (£442,000).   

The Jurassic Coast, and Dorset more widely, has enduring appeal for its unrivalled scenery, wealth of attractions and arguably slower pace of life. With much of the area protected, and falling within the Dorset National Landscape, those moving to the area are reassured that what makes it so special is safeguarded for generations to come.   

Take a look through a selection of properties currently for sale along the Jurassic Coast: