The path has to turn left again where it reaches the top of the sea cliff. It leads into the upper side of the churchyard. You look down on St. Michael's, the parish church of Lyme, which from this viewpoint appears as if its nose, the high-windowed east end, is tucked into the grassy hillside.

The slope up from the church to the edge of the cliff makes it seem as if the church is well defended, has nothing to fear from the sea. Actually, the cliff is retreating alarmingly toward the church. A century ago, the churchyard extended well out into what is now air. Many graves have crumbled into the sea; there were times when skeletons could be seen protruding from the cliff or tumbled onto the beach. There is a grand plan for works to fortify Lyme's coast, but this part of it comes only into Phase Three, several fiscal years ahead; the ancient church is a Listed building, but only a Grade Two listed building, so the Cobb, Lyme's Grade One Listed structure, has priority. This is not much comfort for the people in the house over to the right of the churchyard, which was once the schoolhouse, and finds itself at a diminishing number of yards from the cliff edge.

The path descends around the north side of the church to the porch overlooking the street.