The Lyme Lunge is an annual fancy dress dip in the sea which takes place on New Year's Day at. Organised by Lyme Regis Rotary Club, the event takes place on the sandy beach from 1pm sharp and aims to raise as much money as possible for charity with over £40,000 raised for local and national charities in the past 16 years. 

The New Year's Day dip has become an annual tradition in Lyme Regis with hundreds of hardy souls taking a bracing plunge into the sea dressed in weird and wonderful outfits. The event is witnessed by thousands of spectators on the beach and in the gardens above. The event has grown from around 50 participants in 2009, its first year, to over 1,500 in 2026. 

For those taking part, it provides an exhilarating way to start the New Year. A paddle in the sea is enough to say you've 'taken the plunge at the Lyme Lunge'. You can get sponsored to raise money for the chosen charities or just turn up and take a dip.

Hot Soup is served for all Lungers, courtesy of The Harbour inn.  A changing tent is provided.

This year’s Lunge will be raising funds for:

Muscular Dystrophy UK - the leading charity for more than 110,000 people living with one of over 60 muscle wasting and weakening conditions.

YFW Blood Bikes -  a charity whose dedicated volunteers provide a free, rapid, and reliable emergency medical motorcycle courier service supporting the NHS 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The charity transports blood, platelets, blood and tissue samples, medication, documents, CT scans, and medical equipment between hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, and private addresses across Dorset and much of Somerset.

PSPA - the only UK charity dedicated to creating a better future for people living with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD).

Axminster and Lyme Cancer Support - aims to provide support for everyone living with and beyond cancer. They offer regular friendly meetings both in Axminster and Lyme Regis so support and information can be accessed locally.

You can donate via the Lyme Lunge 2027 Just Giving page or take part and get sponsored via our own Just Giving page and link it to the official Rotary Club of Lyme Regis Lyme Lunge 2027 page.

If you prefer, you can download and print off a sponsorship form here.