BEAUTIFUL WEST DORSET
West Dorset is home to the Jurassic Coast and is very different to the eastern side of the county where you’ll find Bournemouth and Poole.
West Dorset is one of only five counties in England that doesn’t have a motorway so that gives you an idea of how peaceful and unspoiled the area is. With the South West Coast Path running along the Jurassic coastline, you can be sure of lots of amazing walks and sunset views.
Visitors to the WestBay and Bridport area are literally spoilt for choice for places to see and visit in the surrounding area. To the west lies the quaint seaside town of Charmouth, with its fossil strewn cliffs, and the traditional English resort of Lyme Regis.
Take a ride east along the picturesque coastal road with its fabulous sea views along Chesil Beach, through the traditional Dorset village of Abbotsbury with its nearby Swannery, and into the seaside town of Weymouth which hosted the Olympic Sailing events in 2012.
Also in the vicinity to the east is the vibrant County town of Dorchester, with its markets, traditional shops, cinemas and restaurants.
X53 and X52 Buses
Bus Stop 5 minutes walk from Brimar
Known as the ‘Jurassic Coaster’ this bus service runs between Lyme Regis via Bridport and West Bay, along the coast road to Weymouth with it’s stunning views over Chesil Beach and Portland. During the summer season the X52 service with open upper deck runs from Bridport to Lulworth Cove via Weymouth.
West Bay
West Bay is the gateway to the Jurassic Coast.
It lies just to the south of the historic market town of Bridport, and at the western end of Chesil Beach.
The area forms part of Dorset’s World Heritage Site within Lyme Bay. The unique sandstone East Cliff exposes 180 million years of history.
West Bay is a wonderful location for family holidays, coastal and countryside walks, fishing/angling, boat trips out to sea, river boating, Golf at the nearby West Dorset & Bridport Golf-course, and so much more.
Eating out/Restaurants in West Bay
West Bay has several pubs, bars and restaurants all within a short walking distance of ‘ Brimar’.
From the established ‘Seagulls Restaurant’ to the harbour-side ‘Fish and Chip’ kiosks, there are establishments to suit all tastes and occasions, most of which offer locally caught fish and seafood.
For self-caterers there is a well stocked SPAR shop just 5 minutes walk from Brimar, and other local shops a further 5 minutes away in West Bay itself. Bridport has larger supermarkets including Morrisons and Waitrose a short drive away.
Bridport
The vibrant market town of Bridport lies just 1.5 miles or just a 20 minute walk away inland.
With farmers markets and street markets twice a week, the town also offers traditional local businesses including art and craft shops, cafes and tea shops.
The town has a growing Art scene, particularly in the St Michael’s area where local artists regularly ‘open’ their studios to the public to display their work.
Both the retro Electric Palace and the Art Centre host musical, theatrical, films and comedy shows throughout the year. Household names such as Paul Jones Blues Band, Ruby Turner and comedian Mark Steele have appeared here in recent times.
Upcoming Events in the Area
There’s always plenty going on throughout the year in this beautiful part of West Dorset and below are just some of the annual regular events.
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
As seen on TV
The West Dorset area has regularly featured in TV series and shows.
West Bay was the primary location for the award winning ITV series Broadchurch which ran for 3 series. Created by local writer Chris Chisnall, Broadchurch was the fictional town based upon West Bay, with much of the scenery of the cliffs and beaches accessible from Brimar.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage series was also filmed in the area, with West Bay often featuring in the fishing scenes on boats out from the harbour.
