During our recent trip to Dorset we spent some time in Lyme Regis. It's a favourite spot of mine and I remember fondly visiting as a child, always keen to visit the shell and butterfly shop. Sadly I think both of these have now gone, but we did find the fossil shop. But no visit to Lyme Regis is complete without a walk to the end of the Cobb, so that's exactly what we did.
Luckily it was a sunny day and although it was January it was nice to feel the sun on our backs. We've visited Lyme Regis in more inclement weather before and have still walked around the Cobb, although not on the top! This visit though it was the top of the Cobb all the way. This was the view out to sea towards Golden Cap in the distance and back into the town - beautiful isn't it?
The harbour here is called the Cobb, and even the town's website is unsure why, it says "no satisfactory explanation of the name exists" so I can't shed any light on that. Though a man-made construction has provided refuge since 1313 and the earliest known drawing from 1539 shows a basic shape similar to the one in place today. The Cobb we walked around was built in 1824 and while there have been additions since then the major part of the Cobb does from then. It's certainly an amazing sight, and a slightly lop-sided walk along the top.
It also provides great views. Panoramic ones at that from the end of the Cobb.
Getting on to the main part of the Cobb is easy as it's just past the new RNLI station. There's steps at two or three points up to the upper level if you change your mind part-way round or want to walk there (or back) on the lower level.
On the lower level you can appreciate the slant of the construction, and it explains why you've been walking slightly lop-sided too.
Some of the steps are more precarious than others, these are known as Granny's Teeth and feature in Persuasion where Jane Austen's character Louisa Musgrove jumps down the steps and runs back up them. I tell you one thing, I wouldn't be jumping down them or running back up them, perhaps they (the fictional characters and the steps) were made of sterner stuff in those days!
There's several benches on the lower level too, and I can imagine they'd be very popular in the summer months, or even just when it's slightly warmer as I'm sure there'd be nothing more relaxing than to while away some time there watching life go by.
