Jack and the Beanstalk a giant of a family pantomime
Lyme has it’s own Radio Station
From Sunday 1st March, Lyme Bay Radio will be broadcasting a mix of live, pre-recorded and syndicated content, 24 hours a day from The Hub in Lyme Regis, on LymeBayRadio.com.
The station will entertain and enlighten listeners who have a passion for this incredibly beautiful part of the world. The broadcasts will carry points of interest to anyone in Lyme Bay, from Start Point in the West, to Portland in the East.
It will also endeavour to keep communities in and around Lyme Regis, apprised of seasonal events that affect them and also, any breaking local, national and international news.
Click the image to open the player and listen live.
2020 Lyme Regis Beer festival
The Lyme Regis beer festival will return bigger than ever, with a celebration of more than 20 beers and 20 live acts across the Easter weekend.
Lyme Regis Brewery is gathering craft beers and ale from around the region, with a focus on showcasing local drinks now on offer in Dorset, Devon and Somerset. There will be both superb cask ales and kegged beers covering all tastes and styles. Live music will also be playing across the town at the weekend with Town of Cats, Fromage En Feu, La Juega and Palooka 5, with local performers Raisin’ Cain, Lyme Morris and B Sharp all from Lyme Regis on the bill.
Local street food outfits will be serving food on Theatre Square cooking up the tastiest meals in Lyme Regis for hungry festival-goers.
The festival will be held over Easter weekend on Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11, with entrance costing £5 per day.
We are still open for Booking over Easter and contact Lyme Bay for Bookings
Beer Quarry Caves
This vast man-made complex of underground caverns was created by centuries of quarrying the famous Beer Stone. The underground quarry, first worked by the Romans, supplied stone for 24 cathedrals including Exeter and St.Paul’s, parts of Westminster Abbey,the Tower of London, Hampton Court and Windsor Castle.
Guides will take you on an hour long tour through the vast man-made complex of underground caverns with their mighty halls of vaulted roofs and pillars of Beer Stone which have been likened to a vast underground cathedral.
See for yourself the methods used to quarry and deliver the huge blocks of stone, the working conditions, the hardships endured and the dangers faced daily by the work-force using only the light from a flickering tallow candle and you may never again see a famous building with the same eyes.
Open daily at 10.00am from 28th March until they close on November 2nd.
Tours are every hour on the half hour. Last tour 3.30pm except local Summer holidays (25/7/20 – 31/8/20) then the last tour is 4:30pm.
October / November Tours are:
1st – 23rd Oct and Nov 1st: 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm.
24th to 31st Oct as March to September with the last tour at 3.30pm.
Saturday 31st October come and enjoy a spooky time at Beer Quarry Caves.
The eagerly-awaited switch-on of the town’s Christmas lights.
There was a fantastic atmosphere in Broad Street when the Christmas lights where turned on, it was wonderful to see so many families and children coming into the town to take part in the switch on it was a great turnout.
Lyme Luggers ukulele band entertained the crowds at Bell Cliff before the parade and Lyme Morris added to the festive atmosphere. A lantern parade made its way down Broad Street, illuminating the thousands of twinkling blue and white LED lights in its wake. Lyme Regis Majorettes led the parade with a dazzling and energetic routine, followed by the mayor, mayoress and town crier Alan. Local resident Andrew Hodder, was selected to switch on the lights in honour of his fundraising efforts for Lyme Regis Christmas Lights Committee.
At the bottom of Broad Street there were cheers as the Christmas tree was illuminated.
10th November – Remembrance Day parade and civic service
Remembrance Sunday, the second Sunday in November, is the day traditionally put aside to remember all those who have given their lives for the peace and freedom we enjoy today.
Line the streets for the annual Remembrance Sunday parade led by the mayor of Lyme Regis, the civic party and members of the Royal British Legion from Langmoor Gardens at 9:30 am: followed by a parade down Broad Street to St Michael’s Parish Church for the civic service at 10:00 am. The public is encouraged to line the streets to watch the parade and show their respect.
However, please remember that Poppies are not only for the 11th November but all year so please donate generously whenever you feel able to do so to this national cause.
Seaton Wetlands
Seaton Wetlands is made up of four main sites – Seaton Marshes, Black Hole Marsh, Colyford Common and Stafford Marsh Enjoy beautiful marshland and reedbeds alongside the River Axe with five bird hides and nearly 4km of level trails and boardwalks suitable for wheelchair, bike and pushchairs. A countryside haven, home to an abundance of wildlife. Seaton Wetlands is 6 miles west of Lyme Regis and 8 miles east of Sidmouth, between Colyford and Seaton.
Seaton Marshes
A freshwater grazing marsh, with scrapes, ditches, the Borrow Pit Pond and a bird hide. The area attracts considerable wildlife interest, from wildfowl and wading birds in the winter to dragonflies and butterflies in the summer. Otters have been spotted at the Borrow Pit Pond! The site is managed by the Countryside team on behalf of Axe Vale and District Conservation Society.
This part of the reserve is accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
Black Hole Marsh, Colyford Common and Stafford Marsh
Directions to the main car park: In the middle of Colyford village on the A3052 take the Seaton Road, signposted Axe Vale Static Caravan Park. After half a mile turn left into Seaton Cemetery, continue through to the Seaton Wetlands car park. The nearest postcode is EX12 2SP.
Black Hole Marsh
Panoramic 360 degree views over the intertidal lagoon and estuary. Look out for wading birds, ducks and kingfishers. Remember to wave to the tram as it passes!
Following planning approval, the Countryside team created a saline lagoon on what was previously a drained agricultural field, with little wildlife interest. Islands were created on a large shallow scrape. The Environment Agency worked with a local engineering company to devise an innovative self-regulating tidal exchange gate, allowing water of just the right salinity to enter the lagoon.
It attracts breeding oystercatchers and now well populated with crustaceans and molluscs that support a wide range of wildfowl and waders. Birds to be seen regularly include Dunlin, Black tailed godwit and Ringed plover.
Colyford Common
Walk to the peaceful bird hide and viewing platform and discover a circular route around the reedbeds.
Is regularly flooded by high tides, so this salt-marsh has very unusual flora and fauna, supporting many locally rare and nationally important species. Little egrets fish in the creeks and lagoons on the estuary and large black and white shelduck can be seen grazing here. Wheatears flit across the common, and there is evidence of water vole in the reedbed close to the village.
The Colyford Common bird hide offers fantastic views across the upper reaches of the estuary and surrounding saltmarsh. There is also a viewing platform further north which gives great views of waders such as Curlew in winter.
Stafford Marsh
Explore the wildlife garden and enjoy a picnic in the heart of the wetlands. Find out more about the site, hire pond dipping equipment and grab a coffee in the Discovery Hut. Open Saturday to Monday, 10am to 4pm. Site toilets located here.
Discovery Hut
The Discovery Hut is staffed by volunteers Saturday to Monday, 10am to 4pm. When the hut is open you can find out more about the Wetlands, hire pond-dipping equipment and purchase drinks and snacks (ice creams, biscuits and cereal bars). Contact the Countryside team to check opening hours before your visit or to arrange additional opening for a group visit.
Next door to the Discovery Hut are toilets (including an accessible toilet and baby changing which are always open.
The Lookout
The Lookout is an information hub on the main path as you enter the wetlands from the car park. This is often manned by a Countryside member of staff during the week. It is currently under development and will become a key source of information for your visit.
Directions
Continue past Seaton cemetery and take the left turn immediately after Seaton Football Club into Hillymead. Pass Axe Vale Static Caravan Park entrance on your left and park in the spaces opposite the water treatment plant. The nearest postcode is EX12 2DF. This part of the reserve can be easily accessed from Seaton via foot, using the footpath by the Underfleet play park.
There is no path between Seaton Marshes and the main site. To travel between the two you will need to use the Seaton – Colyford Road (via car or foot) approximately 0.6miles.
Car parking is available through Seaton Cemetery. Park here to access Black Hole Marsh, Colyford Common and Stafford Marsh. The nearest postcode is EX12 2SP.
A smaller parking area is available through Hillymead at the entrance to Seaton Marshes. The nearest postcode is EX12 2DF.
Best time to visit
You will see different birds during your visit depending on the time of year. Check the white board at the Discovery Hut and Lookout to see what other visitors have already spotted. Seaton Wetlands is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There is no charge to visit but donations for car parking, visiting and refreshments are welcomed.
Facilities
Car park, toilets (accessible and baby changing), picnic area, 5 hides, 3 pond dipping platforms, Discovery hut, pond dipping equipment for hire and refreshments available at weekends, classroom available for hire, Education ranger services.
Wheelchair and pushchair friendly paths. Cycling welcome on most of site.
No dogs (except assistance dogs).
Uplyme Fete 2019
The Uplyme Fete takes place on Saturday, June 8th this year at 2.00 pm and it will build on the success of last year with all the favourite and some new attractions. The popular free train rides will also return with the bouncy castle and roundabout. A Punch and Judy show and music tent make a return and also an exhibition of classic cars to explore and chat with the owners about. A huge range of drinks and food will be served along with the popular cream teas in the Village Hall and even a classical guitarist.
If you are staying at The Blacksmith’s Cottage, Uplyme, go along. Not only will you get to experience village life, the locals are very welcoming, but you will also have a lovely day.
Busking Festival on Saturday, May 25.
Between 11 am to 5 pm the streets of Lyme Regis will be alive with the sound of music from musicians and street artists, including local people. No matter what your level of music ability, everyone is welcome to have a go; play on the piano, try out the drums, join the open mic session, or come and busk!
The ‘Play Me Piano’ and the open mic will be set up at the Jubilee Pavilion on Marine Parade between 11 am and 5 pm and the ‘Play Me Drums’ will be available to try out by the beach huts on the seafront between 2 pm and 4 pm.
There will also be a Pop Up Choir between 2 pm and 4 pm in the Lister Room above the Marine Parade shelters and a ukulele workshop with the Lyme Luggers between 1 pm and 2 pm in the shelters.
Also in the seafront shelters, the festival will offer a family workshop making instruments from recycled materials between 2 pm and 4 pm with Plastic Free Lyme Regis.
For more information about the Busking Festival or to find out more about B Sharp’s music-making programmes for young musicians, visit bsharp.org.uk
Community funds for air ambulance
Uplyme will soon have a night landing site for the air ambulance service.
Devon Air Ambulance is currently working with Uplyme to develop a floodlit community landing site at King George V playing field, which will enable it to carry out its life-saving service after dark. Floodlighting is an essential component of a community landing site, for both safety and practical reasons – it illuminates the site during landing and take-off and helps paramedics when loading a patient into the aircraft and during transfer between land and air ambulance.
Funds donated included £2,000 from Lyme Regis Regatta & Carnival Committee – the single biggest donation the group has ever given away – as well as £270 from Uplyme Pre-School and a generous donation from local resident Vivienne Graham, raised through a collection in memory of her late husband Malcolm. Uplyme and Lyme Regis Horticultural Society and Devon County Council have also helped with funding.
Devon Air Ambulance has two helicopters, meaning it can reach 90 per cent of the county’s population within 10 minutes, and they are now flying until 2 am with hopes of creating a 24-hour service in the future.
The lights will not be on all the time but will be switched on by the air ambulance team via mobile phone technology as and when needed.