Charmouth Beach
The fossil beach at the mouth of the Char, split in two by the river: East Beach towards Golden Cap, West Beach towards Lyme. Dorset Council places no restrictions at all on East Beach, while West Beach is open to dogs from 1 October to 30 April only. Get the side right and you can walk a dog here in August.
Stonebarrow Hill and St Gabriel’s
A 5.2-mile half-day round the eastern half of the Golden Cap estate, about two and three quarter hours, dropping off the ridge to the ruined chapel at St Gabriel’s and coming back along the slumping coast path over Cain’s Folly. The going is grass and hollow-way tracks, muddy and rutted after rain, with several kissing gates rather than stiles. Start at the National Trust car park on top of Stonebarrow Hill, up a steep single-track lane from Charmouth, free to members and with the estate information barn on site; cattle graze the hill most of the year so a lead is needed on the open sections, and the only water is the stream at St Gabriel’s Mouth.