Jurassic Coast Day 1 – Lyme Regis

Tuesday 30th June 2026

Lyme Regis

We eventually tore ourselves away from the fascinating Mary Anning story to explore the other parts of Lyme Regis.

It’s a pretty village with a rich history. We found the restored, working flour mill that opens it doors each day to visitors. The volunteers love explaining the milling process and have a small gift shop where they sell the flours that they produce.

I uncovered the story behind some interesting everyday sayings we use even to this day –

The Daily Grind – The day-to-day repetitive process of milling, with the constant turn and noise of the stones. You might even say it’s all a bit ‘run of the mill’!

Nose to the Grindstone – Without grain between them, millstones can get worn and even give off sparks. Flour dust is very flammable, so millers would often sniff the stones to make sure they weren’t getting too hot.

First Come, First Served – In the days when you brought your grain to the mill to be ground, there was a strict rule to make sure no impatient farmers could jump the queue.

Fair to Middling – Flour quality was graded as fair, middling or fine.  So if you’re feeling ‘fair to middling’ things are about average.

Rule of Thumb – Millers test the flour for coarseness or fineness by rubbing a pinch between finger and thumb.

We kept exploring, strolling through the gardens, down to the waterfront and eating some lunch.