🚐🌅 NIX | THE JURASSIC DRIFT

14 Nights Along England's Greatest Coastline

From the Official Start at Orcombe Point to the Official Finish at Old Harry Rocks

7th September 2026 – 21st September 2026

🦕 Introduction

There are road trips.

There are campervan adventures.

And then there are journeys that take you through almost 200 million years of Earth's history.

This September, Vanilla and I are setting off on one of Britain's greatest touring routes — the magnificent Jurassic Coast.

Stretching for 95 miles between Exmouth and Swanage, the Jurassic Coast is Britain's only natural World Heritage Site. Every cliff, bay, beach and rock formation tells a story from a different age of our planet.

This isn't a race.

It's not about ticking boxes.

It's about slowing down.

Watching the sun rise over red Devon cliffs.

Cycling quiet coastal lanes on Torque.

Finding hidden pubs.

Discovering villages that seem frozen in time.

And spending fourteen glorious nights beside one of the most beautiful coastlines in Europe.

So grab a coffee.

Pull up a camping chair.

And join me on what promises to be one of Vanilla's finest adventures.

📍 Day 1 – Monday 7th September

Orcombe Point, Exmouth

The Official Beginning

Mileage from Stafford: Approx 190 miles

At some point during the afternoon I'll roll into Exmouth.

The very first destination is not a campsite.

It's the official start of the Jurassic Coast itself.

Standing proudly at Orcombe Point is the famous Geoneedle.

This elegant sculpture marks the western gateway to the World Heritage Site.

I'll take the obligatory photograph.

Vanilla in the foreground.

The sea behind.

And hopefully one of those golden September evenings that make life feel just about perfect.

Evening Pub

🍺 The Beach Pub

Overnight

🚐 St John's Farm area

📍 Day 2 – Tuesday 8th September

Sidmouth

Today the coast begins to reveal its character.

The striking red cliffs surrounding Sidmouth are unlike anything further east.

These rocks were formed in desert conditions over 240 million years ago.

Think sand dunes.

Think scorching temperatures.

Think Jurassic Coast before the dinosaurs had even arrived.

Torque Adventure

🚴 Sidmouth to Budleigh Salterton

Gentle coastal riding.

Coffee stops.

Sea views.

Exactly what e-biking was invented for.

Evening Pub

🍺 Hare & Hounds

Overnight

🚐 Putts Corner Club Site

📍 Day 3 – Wednesday 9th September

Beer

Possibly the best village name in Britain.

Beer is a delightful fishing village tucked beneath chalk cliffs.

White cottages.

Fishing boats.

Tiny streets.

And a proper seaside atmosphere.

If someone asked AI to design the perfect English coastal village, it would probably look like Beer.

Things To Do

✅ Beach stroll

✅ Harbour photography

✅ Beer Quarry Caves

✅ Ice cream inspection

Evening Pub

🍺 Barrel O' Beer

It would be rude not to.

Overnight

🚐 Beer Head Caravan Park

📍 Day 4 – Thursday 10th September

Lyme Regis

Now we're entering fossil country.

This is where Mary Anning changed the history of science forever.

The beaches here have yielded some of the most important fossil discoveries ever made.

Must Do

Walk The Cobb.

You'll recognise it from films and television.

Standing on its curved stone wall looking out to sea is one of those moments that simply feels right.

Torque Ride

🚴 Lyme Regis to Charmouth

One of the most scenic rides of the trip.

Evening Pub

🍺 The Volunteer Inn

Overnight

🚐 Hook Farm

📍 Day 5 – Friday 11th September

Charmouth

A slower day.

A fossil day.

A beach day.

A day for wandering without any agenda whatsoever.

One of the greatest luxuries of campervan life.

Evening Pub

🍺 Royal Oak

Overnight

🚐 Newlands Holiday Park

📍 Day 6 – Saturday 12th September

West Bay

Broadchurch fans will recognise it instantly.

Towering golden cliffs dominate the skyline.

The harbour bustles with life.

The fish and chips are legendary.

Sunset Mission

Camera.

Tripod.

Drone.

Patience.

This is one of the finest sunset locations on the entire coast.

Evening Pub

🍺 The George

Overnight

🚐 West Bay Holiday Park

📍 Day 7 – Sunday 13th September

Burton Bradstock

One of Dorset's hidden gems.

Less busy.

Less commercial.

More authentic.

Hive Beach is magnificent.

Torque Ride

Quiet Dorset lanes.

Rolling hills.

Sea views.

Perfect e-bike territory.

Evening Pub

🍺 Three Horseshoes

Overnight

🚐 Graston Farm

📍 Day 8 – Monday 14th September

Abbotsbury

One of the highlights of the entire journey.

Attractions

🦢 Abbotsbury Swannery

🌴 Sub-Tropical Gardens

🌊 Chesil Beach

📸 Epic viewpoints

This is the sort of place where an hour stop turns into an entire day.

Evening Pub

🍺 The Swan Inn

Overnight

🚐 Abbotsbury Area

📍 Day 9 – Tuesday 15th September

Weymouth

Traditional seaside Britain at its finest.

A working harbour.

Colourful buildings.

Beachfront cafes.

And enough people watching to keep anyone entertained.

Evening Activity

Fish and chips on the harbour wall.

Simple pleasures.

Overnight

🚐 Martleaves Farm

📍 Day 10 – Wednesday 16th September

Portland

Portland feels completely different.

Wild.

Rugged.

Almost Scottish in places.

Must Visit

📍 Portland Bill

📍 Pulpit Rock

📍 Coastal Path

Evening Pub

🍺 The Pulpit Inn

Overnight

🚐 Sweet Hill Farm

📍 Day 11 – Thursday 17th September

Durdle Door & Lulworth Cove

The superstar section.

The postcard section.

The bit everyone comes to see.

And with good reason.

Bucket List

Walk to Durdle Door at sunrise.

Stand quietly.

Listen to the waves.

Take photographs.

And appreciate just how lucky we are to have places like this.

Evening Pub

🍺 Lulworth Cove Inn

Overnight

🚐 Durdle Door Holiday Park

📍 Day 12 – Friday 18th September

Kimmeridge

A quieter masterpiece.

Fossils.

Rock ledges.

Huge skies.

Dramatic coastline.

And far fewer tourists.

Photography Day

This could easily become my favourite stop.

Overnight

🚐 Smedmore House Site

📍 Day 13 – Saturday 19th September

Corfe Castle & Swanage

The landscape changes again.

Rolling Purbeck hills.

Historic villages.

Steam trains.

And one of England's most iconic castles.

Torque Ride

🚴 Corfe Castle to Studland

One of the finest e-bike rides in southern England.

Evening Pub

🍺 Greyhound Inn

Overnight

🚐 Norden Farm

📍 Day 14 – Sunday 20th September

Studland & Old Harry Rocks

The final day.

The finish line.

The eastern gateway of the Jurassic Coast.

Final Walk

Studland to Old Harry Rocks.

One last coastal stroll.

One last chance to stand and admire the landscape.

One last opportunity to reflect on fourteen unforgettable nights.

Evening Celebration

🍺 Bankes Arms

A pint overlooking the sea.

Mission accomplished.

Overnight

🚐 Ulwell Holiday Park

🎬 The Grand Finale

Tomorrow Vanilla points north and heads home to Stafford.

But something tells me part of me will remain here.

On the cliffs.

On the beaches.

In the villages.

And somewhere between Orcombe Point and Old Harry Rocks.

Because the best journeys don't really end.

They simply become stories.

And this one is going to be a good one.

🚐 NIX VERDICT

⭐ 14 Nights

⭐ 95 Miles of World Heritage Coast

⭐ 14 Different Campsites

⭐ 14 Different Pubs

⭐ Countless Sunsets

⭐ Endless Photography

⭐ Plenty of Torque Adventures

⭐ One Very Happy Camper

NIX | THE JURASSIC DRIFT

"95 million years of history. Fourteen nights of freedom. One campervan called Vanilla."

🦕 The Jurassic Coast – A Walk Through Deep Time

Why This Coast Is One of the Most Important Places on Earth

Before setting off from Orcombe Point, it is worth understanding exactly what makes the Jurassic Coast so special.

This isn't simply a beautiful stretch of coastline.

It isn't merely a collection of beaches, cliffs and picturesque villages.

The Jurassic Coast is one of the most scientifically important landscapes on the entire planet.

In fact, it is so important that in December 2001 it was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status, placing it alongside global treasures such as Grand Canyon, Great Barrier Reef and Machu Picchu.

That is remarkable company.

🌍 A Coastline 250 Million Years in the Making

The Jurassic Coast stretches for approximately 95 miles between:

📍 Orcombe Point, Exmouth

and

📍 Old Harry Rocks, Studland Bay

What makes it unique is that the cliffs expose an almost continuous geological record covering around 185 million years of Earth's history.

Imagine a gigantic history book.

Now imagine every page of that book is made of rock.

The Jurassic Coast is exactly that.

As you travel eastwards, you are effectively travelling forwards through time.

The rocks around Exmouth were formed around 250 million years ago.

By the time you reach Old Harry Rocks you are looking at rocks formed around 66 million years ago.

It is one of the finest geological journeys anywhere on Earth.

🔥 Before Dinosaurs Existed

The red cliffs around Exmouth, Sidmouth and Budleigh Salterton were formed during the Triassic Period.

At that time:

✅ Britain was located much closer to the Equator

✅ The climate resembled modern-day deserts

✅ Vast sand dunes stretched across the landscape

✅ Dinosaurs had not yet become dominant

When you stand beneath the red cliffs around Sidmouth you are looking at an ancient desert frozen in stone.

That alone is mind-blowing.

🦖 The Age of Dinosaurs

As your journey moves east toward Lyme Regis, Charmouth and West Bay, you enter the Jurassic Period.

This was when dinosaurs ruled the Earth.

Huge reptiles roamed the land.

Massive marine reptiles patrolled the oceans.

Flying reptiles soared above the coastline.

The rocks around Lyme Regis preserve evidence of this incredible world.

Fossils discovered here include:

🦴 Ichthyosaurs

🦴 Plesiosaurs

🦴 Ammonites

🦴 Ancient fish

🦴 Giant marine reptiles

Many of the fossils that transformed scientific understanding were found right here.

👩 The Remarkable Mary Anning

No history of the Jurassic Coast would be complete without mentioning:

Mary Anning

Born in Lyme Regis in 1799, Mary Anning became one of the most important fossil hunters in history.

Despite having little formal education, she discovered:

🦕 The first complete Ichthyosaur skeleton

🦕 Important Plesiosaur specimens

🦕 Numerous fossils that changed scientific thinking forever

Many modern palaeontologists consider her one of the founders of their science.

When you walk along Lyme Regis beach, you are literally following in her footsteps.

🌊 Why The Coast Looks Different Everywhere

One of the great pleasures of your Jurassic Drift is seeing how dramatically the scenery changes.

Exmouth & Sidmouth

🔴 Red sandstone cliffs

Beer & Seaton

⚪ White chalk cliffs

Lyme Regis

🟤 Fossil-rich mudstones

West Bay

🟡 Golden sandstone cliffs

Chesil Beach

⚫ Massive pebble barrier beach

Durdle Door

⚪ Limestone arch

Old Harry Rocks

⚪ Chalk sea stacks

Every section tells a different chapter of Earth's story.

🏆 UNESCO World Heritage Status

In 2001 UNESCO officially recognised the Jurassic Coast as a World Heritage Site.

Importantly, it was awarded this status purely for its natural value.

No castles.

No cathedrals.

No historic buildings.

Just geology.

That is extraordinarily rare.

UNESCO recognised that nowhere else in the world can such a clear and continuous record of the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods be seen so dramatically exposed in coastal cliffs.

Every storm reveals new information.

Every landslip uncovers new fossils.

The coastline is still evolving today.

In geological terms, the Jurassic Coast is a living museum.

🌊 The Power of Erosion

The Jurassic Coast exists because the sea never stops working.

Every winter:

🌬 Atlantic storms arrive

🌊 Waves attack the cliffs

🪨 Rock collapses occur

🦴 New fossils become exposed

This means the coast you see in 2026 is slightly different from the coast seen in 2025.

And it will be different again in 2027.

Nature is continually rewriting the landscape.

🚐 Why This Trip Matters

Most road trips take you somewhere.

The Jurassic Coast takes you through time.

During your fourteen-night journey, Vanilla will travel only around 95 miles along the coast itself.

Yet those 95 miles represent nearly 200 million years of Earth's history.

You will begin among ancient desert rocks at Orcombe Point.

You will finish beneath the chalk stacks of Old Harry Rocks.

Between those two points lies one of the greatest geological stories ever told.

And you'll experience it exactly as it should be experienced:

🚐 In a campervan.

🚴 With an e-bike.

📸 With a camera.

🍺 With a pub at the end of every day.

That's not just a holiday.

That's a journey through deep time. 🦕🌅🚐