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

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

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

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

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

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

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 Download the .gpx file here

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 Download the .gpx file here

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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Take me to the walk

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 Download the .gpx file here

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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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

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

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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

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

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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 Download .gpx files for the full walk, the Castles Loop, or the Coast Loop Download walking notes for the Castles Loop or Coast Loop

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.

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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 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

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 Download the .gpx file here

Take me to the Natural History trail    or    Take me to the Heritage trail

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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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 walks are on level pavements and paths throughout.

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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.

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This walk takes in the 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. 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. Download the .gpx file here

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 Download the .gpx file here

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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The Stert Peninsular has been internationally recognised as an important site for wintering wildfowl and migratory birds since 1954. Taking in both the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and Bridgwater Bay nature reserves, 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 Download the .gpx file here

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.

Take me to the walk

Take me to the walk

Take me to the walk

The walk starts at the Esplanade in Watchet where you have a view of the Harbour and West Pier and the new East Quay Arts Centre. You then walk down the Old Mineral  Line and under the railway bridge. On this walk you have a choice of three different ways. You can go and visit Cleeve Abbey or you can continue on the circular walk or you can go to the heritage site of Dawes Castle. You can enjoy views of Wales, Steep Holm, Flat Holm and the Mendip Hills. The section of walk between Blue Anchor and Watchet is currently closed due to cliff falls, please check the main trails map here before you set out. This walk is 7.5 miles long with toilets and cafes in the villages you pass. Download the .gpx file here