Circular & Linear Walks

This walk has been added in celebration of the forthcoming King Charles III England Coast Path. Aim high on this breathtaking cliff walk in North Devon. Nature, views aplenty and Victorian tunnels and tidal pools. Bliss!

• Distance: 4.3km
• Duration: 2 hours

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Walk along a former railway trail on this coastal path. Enjoy stunning views, gardens and a castle en-route. Step-free except for the beach. Public transport and toilets en-route.

• Distance: 2.7km
• Duration: 1 hour

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This walk has been added in celebration of the forthcoming King Charles III England Coast Path. Walk along the beautiful seafront, learning about the town's geography and past as you go. Step-free except entrance to St Nicholas Chapel.

• Distance: 1.9km
• Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes

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This walk has been added in celebration of the forthcoming King Charles III England Coast Path. Walk along the stunning seafront and through the old town, learning about the town's geography and past as you go. Public toilets and parking en-route.

• Distance: 2.6km
• Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

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Stroll along the prom, enjoy traditional seaside attractions then explore the old town and lush gardens. Step-free option en-route. Public transport, toilets and refreshments en-route.

• Distance: 3.8km
• Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

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This walk has been added in celebration of the forthcoming King Charles III England Coast Path. Enjoy one of the best cliff walks in North Devon on this stunning route on Victorian pathways. Then relax at the tidal pools they created.

• Distance: 2.5km
• Duration: 1 hour 5 minutes

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This walk travels the length of Brean Down; a natural pier standing 97m high and offering stunning views across the Bristol Channel to South Wales, north to Weston-super-Mare and south to Exmoor and the Somerset Levels. Its height has made it an ideal site for coastal defences as far back as the Iron Age and in 1862 a Palmerston Fort was built in response to the threat from France and Napoleon III. The rocky limestone soil on its southern slopes is the perfect habitat for some of our rarest blooms, while the northern slopes offer a dazzling display of Bluebells in Spring. Distance:  3 miles/4.8km Duration:  2-2.5 hours Map:  OS Explorer 153: Weston-super-Mare & Bleadon Hill Grade:  Easy to Moderate

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This easy walk has fantastic open coastal views as well as shaded woodland paths. On the shore it takes in the wreck of the Nornen, still clearly visible after running aground during a storm in 1897. Luckily, all ten crew and the ship’s dog were rescued by Burnham lifeboat. Berrow is part of one of Europe’s longest strips of sand and is backed by dunes. Because of this, it has become a favourite for film and television companies. This walk is tidal - please check tide times here before setting off to ensure you can complete the walk safely - Burnham-on-Sea is the closest recording station. Distance:  2.3 miles / 1.5km Duration:  1.5 hours Map:  OS Explorer 153: Weston-super-Mare & Bleadon Hill Grade:  Easy

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Burnham-on-Sea sits at the mouth of the River Parrett and the end of the second longest strip of sand in Europe. It is a town of surprises from its independent shops to its short pier and three lighthouses. In the 19th century Burnham was fast becoming a popular seaside town and it owed much of its prosperity to George Reed. Born in Bristol in 1805, George moved here in 1841 and used his inherited wealth to begin improving the town. His achievements included creating the first Local Board of Health, which improved sanitation, bringing in clean piped water and gas, and perhaps his biggest improvement, bringing the railway to Burnham-on-Sea generating more visitors, trade and wealth. Distance:  3.4 miles/5.5km Duration:  1.5 - 2 hours Map: OS Explorer 153:  Weston-super-Mare & Bleadon Hill Grade:  Easy Download the .gpx file here

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This is an easy walk in an award-winning park and recreation area. Apex Park is a gem with 42 acres of land including lakes, wildflowers, trails and play areas formed from former clay pits. The lake supports a good population of water birds and attracts swallows and house martins in the summer. It also supports toads and water voles with many insects and butterflies in the surrounding parkland. Meanwhile the England Coast Path section of the walk offers great views of Bridgwater Bay and Hinkley Point to the southwest and the River Brue with its sail boats and tidal shores. Distance:  1.25 miles / 2km Duration:  30 minutes Map:  OS Explorer 153:  Weston-super-Mare & Bleadon Hill Grade:  Easy

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An easy flat walk on pavements and paved pathways that explores the historic market town of Bridgwater, home to Europe’s largest illuminated carnival which lights up the streets every November. Along the route are Bridgwater Arts Centre - one of the first in the country - as well as the Somerset Brick and Tile Museum, and the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal and Docks. Bridgwater’s rich commercial, mercantile and often bloody political history is celebrated in the Blake Museum, birthplace of one of England’s greatest naval heroes Admiral Robert Blake, of whom Nelson said “I am not the equal”. Distance:  2 miles/3.5km Duration:  2 hours Map:  Download a free town guide here Grade:  Easy Download the .gpx file here

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The Stert Peninsula has been internationally recognised as an important site for wintering wildfowl and migratory birds since 1954. Taking in the coastal section of the Somerset Wetlands National Nature Reserve, including Steart Marshes and Bridgwater Bay, these walks offer all round views of the Poldens, Mendips, Exmoor and Brecon Beacons, as well as providing hides and screens for keen bird watchers. Much of the route is also accessible for disabled access. Once an area of drained, reclaimed land, today it is being returned to its original state as a working wetland and now provides local flood defences, productive farmland, a thriving nature reserve and a carbon sink that contributes to climate change mitigation. Distance:  3 or 6.5 miles/5 or 10.5km Duration:  1.5 or 3.5 hours Map:  OS Explorer 140: Quantock Hills & Bridgwater Grade:  Easy

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This walk takes you through the Stockland Marshes area of WWT Steart with an optional visit to Stockland Bristol. Once called Stocheland, in the early 13^th Century the Manor was held by Maurice de Gaunt, who left it to St Mark’s Hospital in Bristol. For a time the area became Stockland Gaunts, but in 1541 it was granted to the Bristol Corporation, which held it until 1839, and the name became Stockland Bristol. Heading to the coast through Stockland Marshes you join the King Charles III England Coast Path and pass through Catsford and Wall Commons. There are plenty of opportunities for bird watching, so take binoculars and an identification book if you have them. Look out for deer and other wildlife too. Distance:  6.5 miles/10.5km Duration:  3.5 hours Map:  OS Explorer 140: Quantock Hills & Bridgwater Grade:  Easy

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The full Castles & Coast Way is 13 miles or 21km, but we have divided it into two loops that join in Stogursey. The Castles loop starts at Nether Stowey Castle and takes you over the hills to Stogursey Castle and church. There are fantastic views inland to the Quantock Hills, west to Exmoor and across the Severn Estuary to Wales. The Coast loop takes in the England Coast Path between Lilstock and Hinkley Point with stunning views of the Severn Estuary. Turning inland it passes through the old Acland-Hood Estate to Stogursey before returning to the coast through the village of Shurton. Distance:  13 miles/21km Duration:  8 hours Map:  OS Explorer 140: Quantock Hills & Bridgwater Grade:  Easy to Moderate

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This walk explores parts of the old Acland-Hood Estate, now known as the Fairfield Estate. The walk takes in the beautiful, abandoned churches of St Andrew’s in Lilstock and St Nicholas Wayfarer’s in Kilton before heading into the open coastal farmland of the estate. On reaching the coast it explores the ruins of what was once a thriving port established by the Acland family in the first half of the nineteenth century. Dating as far back as 1589, its heyday was in the mid-19th Century when it was busy with goods for the estate and welcoming pleasure steamers travelling between Lilstock, Ilfracombe, Cardiff and Burnham-on-Sea. Distance:  3.7 miles / 6km Duration:  2 hours Map:  OS Explorer 140: Quantock Hills & Bridgwater Grade:  Easy Download the .gpx file here

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This easy walk has historical interest as well as some wonderful views across to Dunkery Beacon on Exmoor and the Welsh coast. The walk includes areas of Medieval forest dating back to King Alfred in 873 AD, as well as the remains of an attempt to extract oil in Somerset! On the headland you pass the Royal Navy Quadrant Range Hut, which was used during air gunnery practice by fixed wing aircraft until 1995, when it was re-designated as a helicopter gunnery range. It remains in occasional use today and is attached to RNAS Yeovilton. Distance:  3.4 miles/5.5km Duration:  2 hours Map:  OS Explorer 140: Quantock Hills & Bridgwater Grade:  Easy Download the .gpx file here

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This walk takes you through Kilve and East Quantoxhead on the borders of the Quantock Hills with lots of geological interest, local history and fantastic views. The walk takes in the churches at Kilve and East Quantoxhead and the ruins of an old chantry in Kilve. This dates to 1329 and has been used for prayer and as a home for farm animals and a store for smugglers! The coast here is in the Lilstock to Blue Anchor Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI); the same Jurassic Blue Lias rock that runs under West Dorset re-emerges on Somerset’s coast and the limestone deposits here are rich in fossils. Distance:  4 miles/6.5km Duration:  2.5 hours Map:  OS Explorer 140: Quantock Hills & Bridgwater Grade:  Easy

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This walk takes in the King Charles III England Coast Path with stunning views across West Somerset and over the channel to Wales, and the foothills of the Quantocks - the first place in England to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, now known as National Landscapes. Nature lovers will be able to spot flowers including Pyramid and Bee Orchids, Wild Rose, and Bluebells as well as birds like Oyster Catchers, Turnstones, Dunlin and Peregrine Falcons. Distance:  9.5 miles / 15.5km Duration:  5 hours Map:  OS Explorer 140: Quantock Hills & Bridgwater Grade:  Moderate This walk is tidal - please check the tide times here before setting off to ensure you can complete the coastal section at the end of this walk safely - Watchet is the closest recording station.

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St Audries Bay is a popular beach for families, with great amenities and wonderful wildlife and geology. The beach has something for everyone from fossils dating back millions of years to rockpools full of seashore life. It is also home to the spectacular St Audries Bay Waterfall surrounded by limestone pavements and multi-coloured rock formations. This walk is tidal - please check tide times here before setting off to ensure you can complete the walk safely - Watchet is the closest recording station. Distance:  1.5 miles/2.4km Duration:  1.5 hours Map:  OS Explorer 140: Quantock Hills & Bridgwater Grade:  Easy

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This walk takes you on footpaths and tracks once used by miners and monks! From Watchet to Washford the route runs on the line of the old West Somerset Mineral Railway that was used to bring iron ore from the Brendon Hills to the harbour in Watchet where it was shipped to the Ebbw Vale furnaces for smelting. In Washford it joins the Monks Path, which ran between Cleeve Abbey in Washford and St Andrew’s church in Old Cleeve. There is much to see along the way including old manor houses and churches before you join the King Charles III England Coast Path at Blue Anchor. This section of the Coast Path offers fantastic views of Minehead and Exmoor, the Quantocks, Wales, Steep Holm and Flat Holm, and Hinkley Point with the Mendip Hills behind. Distance:  7.5 miles/11.5km Duration:  4 hours Map: OS Landranger 181: Minehead & Brendon Hills Grade:  Moderate

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Dunster originated as “Dunn’s Torre”, a craggy fortification overlooking the Bristol Channel which William the Conqueror gave to the powerful de Mohun family in 1086. In 1375 the feudal barony was purchased by the Luttrell family, who owned the Castle until 1976 when it was gifted to the National Trust. The village of Dunster retains much of its old world feel and exploring its lanes reveals old cottages, mills and a dove cote. In the middle of the village the Yarn Market signifies the high importance in Somerset of the cloth trade where there were broadcloths called “Dunsters” and “Watchets”. Distance:  3.5 miles/5.5km Duration:  2.5 hours Map:  OS Explorer OL9: Exmoor Grade:  Easy

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Find out who the Wheezers and Dodgers were and what they were experimenting on at the end of the Down, what the Somerset phrase ‘Groaningdrink’ refers to and why Marconi’s radio experiments here were so groundbreaking. Welcome to the Brean Down Storywalk on the England Coast Path. Storywalks offer a skimming stone of facts, myth, history and tales linked to location. Using a smart phone they are designed to be read aloud to family and friends to embellish your experience of the walk. All directions are provided on screen during the walk. For more information about Storywalks download the Storywalks leaflet here. Start Point: Brean Down, TA8 2RS Route: from the top of the steps, this trail takes you to the forts at the end of Brean Down then circles back along the northern edge. Distance:  3 miles/4.8km Duration:  2-2.5 hours or more Story:  Heritage and nature Access: a mix of undulating ground and paved track with steps at the start. Brean Down can be accessed by tramper and the walk can be completed by manually unlocking the early chapters. For information about hiring a tramper visit Explore Brean Down by tramper

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Find out about the animals living at Berrow Dunes, how the wreck of the Nornen became stranded and what the old Somerset words and phrases ‘granfer-griggles’ ‘mackrelsky’ and ‘heglar’ might refer to. Welcome to the Berrow Dunes Storywalk on the England Coast Path. Storywalks offer a skimming stone of facts, myth, history and tales linked to location. Using a smart phone they are designed to be read aloud to family and friends to embellish your experience of the walk. All directions are provided on screen during the walk. For more information about Storywalks download the Storywalks leaflet here. Start Point: Berrow Dunes car park, TA8 2QX Route: from Berrow Dunes car park, this trail is a circular journey through the dunes, down to the beach and then looping back past the ponds. Distance:  less than 1 mile/1.4 km Duration:  1.5-2 hours at an amble Story:  Heritage and nature Access: a mix of paved track, undulating undulating grassland, sand dunes and beach.

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Find out what the old Somerset words ‘bamfoozle’ and ‘loblolly’ refer to. What happened when a war time bomber crash-landed on the beach; plus the rescue of the ships’ crew (and dog) from the stricken vessel The Nornen over 120 years ago. Welcome to the Burnham-on-Sea Storywalk on the England Coast Path. Storywalks offer a skimming stone of facts, myth, history and tales linked to location. Using a smart phone they are designed to be read aloud to family and friends to embellish your experience of the walk. All directions are provided on screen during the walk. For more information about Storywalks download the Storywalks leaflet here. Start Point: Burnham-on-Sea Information Centre, South Esplanade, TA8 1BU Route: from the visitor information centre, this trail journeys north along the seafront, past the pier and St Andrew’s Church, and finishes at Manor Gardens. Distance:  1.2 miles / 2km Duration:  2 hours at an amble Story:  Heritage Access: This walk is on level pavements and paths throughout and classed suitable for wheels.

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Find out what the old Somerset words ‘shrowcropped’ and ‘bombay runners’ refer to, who tried to assassinate Oliver Cromwell (and missed), what is a squib and why Bridgwater is so crazy about carnivals! Welcome to the Bridgwater Storywalk on the England Coast Path. Storywalks offer a skimming stone of facts, myth, history and tales linked to location. Using a smart phone they are designed to be read aloud to family and friends to embellish your experience of the walk. All directions are provided on screen during the walk. For more information about Storywalks download the Storywalks leaflet here. Start Point: Admiral Blake statue, Bridgwater, TA6 3BX Route: beginning at the Admiral Blake statue in the middle of town, this trail journeys through the streets and past the Blake Museum to finish at the docks. Distance:  1 mile / 1.7 km Duration:  1.5 hours at an amble Story:  Heritage Access: This walk is on level pavements and paths throughout and classed suitable for wheels.

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Find out about the secretive Tudor alchemist who lived in Combwich, what the Somerset phrases ‘chollywobbles’, ‘cock-squailing’ and ‘fitchet’ might refer to and what the village ‘hobblers’ did to incoming ships. Welcome to the Combwich Storywalk on the England Coast Path. Storywalks offer a skimming stone of facts, myth, history and tales linked to location. Using a smart phone they are designed to be read aloud to family and friends to embellish your experience of the walk. All directions are provided on screen during the walk. For more information about Storywalks download the Storywalks leaflet here. Start Point:  Riverfront, Combwich, TA5 2QZ Route:  this trail begins and ends at the historic red and white buoy at Combwich riverfront. Distance:  .5 mile / .9 km Duration:  1 hour at an amble Story:  Heritage Access: This walk is on pavements and roads with short hills and level paved paths. It is classed suitable for wheels.

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Find out about the mysterious Mud Horsemen of Steart, the great winter storm of 1895 and what the Somerset dialect words of ‘bloodyfingers’ and ‘kickhammering’ refer to. Welcome to the Steart Marshes Storywalk on the England Coast Path. Storywalks offer a skimming stone of facts, myth, history and tales linked to location. Using a smart phone they are designed to be read aloud to family and friends to embellish your experience of the walk. All directions are provided on screen during the walk. For more information about Storywalks download the Storywalks leaflet here. Start Point:  WWT Car Park, Steart Marshes, TA5 2PU Route:  from the WWT car park, this trail journeys south through the new wetland habitat following the England Coast Path. Distance:  3 miles / 4.8 km Duration:  2 hours at an amble Story:  Heritage and Nature Access: This walk is on level pavements and paved paths throughout and classed suitable for wheels.

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Welcome to the Stolford Storywalk on the King Chars III England Coast Path. Storywalks offer a skimming stone of facts, myth, history and tales linked to location. Using a smart phone they are designed to be read aloud to family and friends to embellish your experience of the walk. All directions are provided on screen during the walk. For more information about Storywalks download the Storywalks leaflet here. Start Point:  Stolford Seafront Car Park, TA5 1TW Route:  from the car park at Stolford this trail journeys west along the Coast Path and completes at the foot of Hinkley B power station. Distance:  2 miles/3.4km Duration:  2 hours at an amble Story:  Heritage and Nature Access: This walk is on level hard paths and pavement throughout, suitable for wheels.

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Welcome to the Lilstock Storywalk on the England Coast Path. Storywalks offer a skimming stone of facts, myth, history and tales linked to location. Using a smart phone they are designed to be read aloud to family and friends to embellish your experience of the walk. All directions are provided on screen during the walk. For more information about Storywalks download the Storywalks leaflet here. Start Point:  Lilstock Car Park, Steart Marshes, TA5 1SU Route:  from Lilstock car park this circular trail starts at the beach then follows the cliff westwards before looping back inland past the hidden gem of Lilstock church. Distance:  2 miles/3.5km Duration:  2 hours at an amble Story:  Heritage and Nature Access: This walk is on gravel paths, pebble beach, headland trail and a short section on country lanes.

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Start Point:  Kilve Beach Car Park, Sea Lane, TA5 1EG Route:  from the car park the Heritage walk begins at the Blessed Virgin Mary's church on Sea Lane heading back towards Kilve, while the Natural History walk begins at the Oil Retort building at the northern end of the car park. Distance:  0.5 miles/0.6km and 0.4 miles/0.6km Duration:  1 hour each at an amble Story:  Heritage and Nature Access: Both trails are on a paved or gravely pathways and are suitable for wheels, a visit to the beach afterwards is made on tracks and grass. The beach itself is pebbles.

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These trails have been devised by Christopher Jelley, Kilve Parish Council and the Somerset Wildlife Trust's  Somerset’s Brilliant Coast project. Funded by Hinkley C Community Impact Mitigation Fund, the Somerset Wildlife Trust and the National Trust.

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Find out what the old Somerset words ‘rawny’ (pronounced rau’nee) and ‘knitch’ (pronounced neech) refer to, where the woolly mammoth bones were discovered, and why were holly trees used in Sticky Bombs! Welcome to the St Audries Storywalk on the England Coast Path. Storywalks offer a skimming stone of facts, myth, history and tales linked to location. Using a smart phone they are designed to be read aloud to family and friends to embellish your experience of the walk. All directions are provided on screen during the walk. For more information about Storywalks download the Storywalks leaflet here. Start Point:  St Audries Bay Car Park, TA4 4DP Route:  from St Audries Bay park this trail journeys down to the beach and then eastwards along the coast. Distance:  1 miles/1.6km Duration:  2 hours at an amble Story:  Heritage and Nature Access:  There is a steep path followed by steps down onto beach then sand and shingle, not suitable for wheels. NOTE:- the beach is inaccessible at very high tides.

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Welcome to the Watchet Storywalk on the England Coast Path. Storywalks offer a skimming stone of facts, myth, history and tales linked to location. Using a smart phone they are designed to be read aloud to family and friends to embellish your experience of the walk. All directions are provided on screen during the walk. For more information about Storywalks download the Storywalks leaflet here. Start Point:  Watchet Visitor Centre, TA23 0AQ Route: from the Visitor Centre beside the railway station, this trail journeys down to the harbour and then loops around the town finishing with an optional extension to Splash Point. Distance:  less than 1 mile/1.4km Duration:  1.5 hours at an amble Story:  Heritage and Nature Access:  The walk is on level pavements and paths throughout and classed suitable for wheels. However, there is an optional extension at the end of the walk that includes a flight of steps to reach Splash Point.

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Welcome to the Blue Anchor to Dunster Beach Storywalk on the England Coast Path. Storywalks offer a skimming stone of facts, myth, history and tales linked to location. Using a smart phone they are designed to be read aloud to family and friends to embellish your experience of the walk. All directions are provided on screen during the walk. For more information about Storywalks download the Storywalks leaflet here. Start Point: Driftwood Café, Blue Anchor Bay TA24 6LD Route: from the Driftwood the walk journeys along the shingle bar from Blue Anchor to Dunster beach. Distance:  2.6 miles/4.4km Duration:  1.5 hours at an amble Story:  Heritage and Nature Access:  The walk is on level, rough shingle with a short stretch of paved path at the end.

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Welcome to the Dunster Village Storywalk on the England Coast Path. Storywalks offer a skimming stone of facts, myth, history and tales linked to location. Using a smart phone they are designed to be read aloud to family and friends to embellish your experience of the walk. All directions are provided on screen during the walk. For more information about Storywalks download the Storywalks leaflet here. Start Point: Exmoor National Park Visitor Centre, Dunster TA24 6SE Route:  from the visitor centre you will take a loop through the village passing the Yarn Mark, Dunster Castle, St Georges Church and the Dove Cote. Distance:  0.8 miles/1.2km Duration:  1.5 hours at an amble Story:  Heritage and Nature Access:  The walk is on level pavements and paved paths with a short incline up Castle Hill. It is classed as suitable for wheels.

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In the Higher Town uncover the scandal surrounding Mother Leaky, find out who is buried in the church yard and where the secret nook called ‘smugglers doom' was located. In the Middle Town you discover the old alms houses, which literally arrived on a storm, how the great fire of Minehead came to pass in 1791 and the spectacle of the first aeroplane to land on Minehead sands. Quay Town is the home of smuggling tales and maritime history, the tale of the stolen boy and the silvery catch that brought prosperity and international trade to the town. Welcome to the Minehead Hidden History Storywalks on the England Coast Path. The three trails explore the history of Minehead and its people. The Higher Town Trail rises above Minehead and climbs to the old thatched cottages that line the narrow streets where little has changed in a hundred years, while the Middle Town Trail journey's into the heart of Minehead and the Quay Town Trail heads to the harbour to uncover the location of Minehead's inland lagoon. Storywalks offer a skimming stone of facts, myth, history and tales linked to location. Using a smart phone they are designed to be read aloud to family and friends to embellish your experience of the walk. All directions are provided on screen during the walk. For more information about Storywalks download the Storywalks leaflet here. Start Points: Higher Town Trail - South West Coast Path sculpture, Minehead  TA24 5UJ Middle Town Trail -  outside Minehead Visitor Centre opposite the railway station, Minehead TA24 5AP Quay Town Trail - Blenheim Gardens, Minehead TA24 5PZ Distance:  three walks of less than 1 mile/1.4km each Duration:  allow 45 minutes at an amble for each walk Story:  Heritage Access:  The Middle and Quay Town walks are on level pavements and paths throughout and classed suitable for wheels. The Higher Town walk includes some steep hills and some steps (although these can be by-passed), so while suitable for some wheels it may not be suitable for everyone.

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These walks were created with support from Minehead Bid, Minehead Bay, the Minehead Development Trust, The Minehead Vision Project, and West Somerset District Council

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Welcome to the Minehead Parks Arboretum Storywalks. Explore the trees of Minehead Parks through these three walks based on a pamphlet produced by the Exmoor Natural History Society and with generous guidance from Chris Adams a former manager and gardener of The Parks in 2014. Storywalks offer a skimming stone of facts, myth, history and tales linked to location. Using a smart phone they are designed to be read aloud to family and friends to embellish your experience of the walk. All directions are provided on screen during the walk. For more information about Storywalks download the Storywalks leaflet here. Start Point: The first of the walks begins at Parkhouse Road, Minehead TA24 8AD, with subsequent walks beginning at the end of the previous one. Route: from Parkhouse Road the three walks take you through Minehead Parks ending at Bratton Mill Lane. Distance:  three walks of less than 1 mile/1.4km each Duration:  allow 45 minutes at an amble for each walk Story:  Nature Access:  The walks are on level pavements and paths throughout and classed suitable for wheels.

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These walks were created with support from Minehead Bid, Minehead Bay, the Minehead Development Trust, The Minehead Vision Project, and West Somerset District Council

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The sections of the King Charles III England Coast Path at Helwell Bay, just after Watchet, and St Audries Bay are both on the beach and become impassable on high tides. Once in these sections there is no way off the beach other than the path and it is possible to become trapped by an incoming tide. Where possible plan your walk so that you reach these sections on an outgoing tide and can wait, if necessary for the tide to recede. Crossing Helwell Bay takes approximately 20-30 minutes and St Audries Bay takes 15-20 minutes, longer if you spend time, rock pooling, fossil hunting or stopping at the Waterfall in St Audries Bay. If you are travelling east to west, the alternative route for this section begins just after East Quantoxhead so please plan in advance to avoid reaching St Audries or Helwell Bay when the beach is impassable. If you are travelling west to east, the alternative route for this section begins in Watchet so please plan in advance to avoid reaching St Audries or Helwell Bay when the beach is impassable. The Severn Estuary has the second highest tidal range in the world and in this area high spring tides are between 9 - 11 meters and it can be a long wait for these sections of coast to become passable. If you are unable to plan your journey to avoid this, the official tidal diversion is to follow the West Somerset Coast Path from Watchet to East Quantoxhead (marked by the ammonite symbol shown on the left). This takes you into the Quantock Hills National Landscape and includes some fantastic views of the coast and is a diversion of about four house.

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This section of the trail is on the beach all the way from Burnham-on-Sea to Brean and during spring tides the beach is impassable at high tide. The Severn Estuary has the second highest tidal range in the world and in this area high spring tides are between 9 - 11 meters. General advice is that it becomes accessible two hours after high tide. If you are unable to plan your journey to avoid this, the official tidal diversion is to follow the combination of local footpaths and roadways shown here - note this is not signed on the ground but the .gpx file here may help you to plan your route. See also the Circular walks available at Burnham-on-Sea and Berrow which include inland sections on a combination of paths and roads. However, given the length of the section even if it is not passable when you start it may become passable during your walk, or may be passable when you set out but then become impassable as you progress. We have tried to show some of the many footpaths that connect the coast road back to the beach so that you can leave or re-join the beach if your situation changes. Please plan in advance and make a note of these if you think the route might become impassable during your walk. If the tide is coming in while you are walking always take the nearest path off the beach to reach the road. You should also be aware that areas of sand on these beaches can become silt and soft mud - especially at low tide - and stay close to the top of the beach when walking.  

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