It's the coast with the most!

The Jurassic Coast in west Dorset has made it into the top 10 in a poll of the best places for a UK trip away.

The list was created by holidaycottages.co.uk – which details a total of three Dorset areas among the nation's best – the others being Weymouth and Bournemouth.

The Jurassic Coast comes in at number 9 on the list.

Stretching 95 miles along the coast from east Devon to Dorset, the World Heritage Site boasts breath-taking waterside walks, peaceful coves and fascinating geology that dates back 185 million years.

A total of 22 per cent of Brits surveyed said they has visited in the past five years.

One of the most iconic sites of the Jurassic Coast is East Cliff at West Bay – the spectacular cliffs have become a familiar backdrop for the TV crime drama Broadchurch.

It is here, says the Jurassic Coast Trust, that crumbling golden cliffs of sand reveal falling sea levels from some 175 million years ago. It is also here that the mighty Chesil Beach – 18 miles long, born from landslides that eroded after the last ice age around 20,000 years ago – finds its western end.

Meanwhile Charmouth lies in the heart of Jurassic Coast fossil hunting country. The large shingle beach and the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre on the seafront are a must-visit for those interested in fossils and local natural history. The Heritage Coast Centre runs regular fossil hunting walks which are extremely popular.

According to research by holidaycottages.co.uk, 54 per cent of Brits are planning a 'staycation' during 2019.

They say 22 per cent are now more likely to holiday in the UK than abroad, due to growing Brexit concerns.

The study analyses survey data from 2,000 UK holidaymakers - including footfall figures and 'social data'.

Holidaycottages.co.uk predicts the nation's tourist industry will be worth over £257 billion by 2025.

Jo Price, PR Manager at the firm said said: “Our study reveals that an increasing number of Brits are looking to holiday in the UK in 2019. This is great news for everyone but does mean that some of the most popular resorts risk becoming even busier during the summer months.

"We want to show some alternative suggestions for staycations that people may not have considered and have included useful information about each destination. Staying a little further outside of a larger resorts enables you to have the best of best worlds. If you’re looking for a relaxing break or to visit the top landmarks, you can find something for everyone’s tastes across the country."

The announcement follows on from a Which? survey of the best seaside destinations with Lyme Regis scoring well. See that story here

 

Top 10 destinations (according to poll by holidaycottages.co.uk)

1 Bath

2 Edinburgh

3 Brighton

4 Bournemouth

5 Oxford

6 Newquay

7 St Ives

8 Weymouth

9 Jurassic Coast

10 Cheltenham