Location, Location, Location
The town of Charmouth is less than a five minute drive from Smiths Farm and has a local supermarket, public houses, cafes and restaurants, but the beach, oh the beach.
Charmouth and the Jurassic Coast contain some of the most beautiful and accessible coastline in the UK. In just three hours from London or Birmingham you reach the spectacular fossil rich beaches, the rolling hills, and the fabulous unspoilt countryside.
It is no coincidence that the area is England's only UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, and also an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The beach between Charmouth and Lyme Regis is the only UK entry in the National Geographic 21 Best Beaches in the World 2017. It was also voted into Britains top 5 beaches by BBC's Countryfile last year.
But it's not just beaches and fossils, there are miles of beautiful countryside, with much managed by the National Trust. Country walks, the South West Coast Path, country pubs and thatched cottages will remind you why the area was a favourite with literary greats such as Jane Austen and Thomas Hardy. So why not come and visit Charmouth and unspoilt West Dorset.
Charmouth
Lyme Regis
Lyme Regis is less than ten minutes drive away from Smiths Farm and boasts breathtaking scenery and a special mystique, making it a sparkling resort for all seasons. Its historic Cobb and harbour are iconic features, set against moody blue cliffs yielding fossilised evidence of life on earth millions of years ago.
An ancient town featured in the Domesday Book, Lyme Regis is home to a number of historical landmarks and educational attractions. The picturesque and tranquil Lyme Regis is a great place to discover a lot you didn’t know about the UK's heritage.
Whatever your age and whatever the time of year, you can be sure to find something to delight and entertain you. Lyme Regis has it all - the perfect family resort, the home of palaeontology, a world-class creative and cultural community, a bustling harbour, gastronomic delights, an array of shops, a calendar full of events, and plenty for the active.
Axminster
The beautiful market town of Axminster is set on the River Axe within the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and is under ten minutes from Smiths Farm by car.
With its quaint villages and unspoilt countryside, and just a few miles inland from the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, Axminster is the perfect place to unwind and get back to nature.
With excellent rail links to London and Exeter, Axminster is a very popular town, with the best of Devon and Dorset on its doorstep.
Axminster achieved worldwide fame for its Axminster Carpets, first made by Thomas Whitty in 1755. Each time a carpet was finished the bells at the Minster were rung in celebration. The Minster stands in its oasis of green at the heart of the town, and was once so prestigious that Saxon princes were buried here. Nearby is Axminster's Heritage & Museum in Thomas Whitty House where you can find out more about the town's carpet industry.
Discover the history and heritage of this town at the local museum, explore the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, walk for miles in the stunning countryside and ancient woodlands, and explore the Axe Valley rivers – spotting otters and kingfishers along the way.
The East Devon Way footpath and Buzzard Route cycle track pass close to the town, while the mudflats of the Axe estuary are superb for birdwatching with curlew, oystercatcher, and egret.
The town has a thriving artistic community and this is reflected in the Axminster Art Trail which includes sculptures like Roger Dean's farmer and cow by the Tesco walkway, representative of the town's long-established livestock market. Axminster also hosts the Axe Vale Festival of Gardening and Crafts in June, the largest festival of this type in the south west.