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Cloutsham and Horner Valley Walk: One of Exmoor's Finest Short Walks
This delightful Exmoor walk combines ancient woodland, sweeping moorland views, a lost medieval settlement, red deer country and the enchanting East Water Valley beneath Dunkery Beacon. A perfect introduction to one of the most beautiful corners of Exmoor.
Martin Hesp
4 days ago4 min read


Bude Beach Walk: Crooklets, Northcott Mouth and Summerleaze Downs
One of Cornwall's finest beach walks, this easy four-mile circular route from Bude combines dramatic cliff-top scenery, rolling coastal downs, golden sands and fascinating maritime history. Just be sure to check the tides before setting off.
Martin Hesp
4 days ago4 min read


Taw Head Dartmoor Walk: Following the River Taw to Its Source
A long and exhilarating Dartmoor hike from Belstone to Taw Head, following the River Taw towards its remote source beneath Hangingstone Hill. This memorable seven-mile walk takes in Taw Marsh, Oke Tor, Steeperton Tor, Belstone Tor and some of the wildest scenery in Devon.
Martin Hesp
5 days ago5 min read


Southern Dartmoor: A Call to the Hills
Escape to Dartmoor’s wide-open spaces on this easy four-mile walk from Saddle Tor to Buckland Beacon, with sweeping views, ancient legends, and the famous Ten Commandments stones.
Martin Hesp
May 116 min read


Walking from Cogden Beach to West Bexington: A Chesil Beach Adventure
A spontaneous stop on Dorset’s dramatic coast road leads to a bracing walk along Cogden Beach to West Bexington. Tough underfoot but richly rewarding, this stretch of Chesil Beach offers wild scenery, quirky beach art and a memorable meal at The Club House.
Martin Hesp
Apr 194 min read


🎙️ A Radio Play, a Remarkable Woman… and a Memory Revisited
A BBC Radio 4 play about Exmoor writer Hope Bourne sparked memories of a remarkable encounter on the moors. This personal story reveals her fiercely independent life in a remote caravan, her outspoken views, and the extraordinary resilience that made her one of Britain’s most fascinating countryside voices.
Martin Hesp
Apr 114 min read


🌊 The Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall: Britain’s Wildest & Most Southerly Headland
The Lizard Peninsula is Cornwall’s most dramatic and distinctive landscape — a windswept headland stretching into the Atlantic and home to Britain’s most southerly point. From the turquoise waters of Kynance Cove to the timeless fishing village of Cadgwith, this remarkable corner of the West Country feels more like Brittany than Britain.
Martin Hesp
Apr 116 min read


The Lamb of God and the High Places: 10 West Country Hills to Climb this Easter
From the ancient ‘Lamb of God’ tradition on Dunkery Beacon to the ruined churches of the Somerset Levels, discover the 10 best hills to climb in the West Country this Easter for stunning views and a touch of local folklore.
Martin Hesp
Mar 293 min read


Exmoor Walks with Rivers: Following the Exe, Barle, Lyn and Horner Water
Exmoor is shaped by its rivers. From the wild, boggy heights of the Chains to wooded valleys and hidden coastal combes, these waterways define the landscape — and some of the finest walks on the moor.
Martin Hesp
Mar 257 min read


Best Exmoor Walks: Favourite Routes Across the Moor, Valleys and Coast
An overview of the walks which can be enjoyed in and around Exmoor National Park - the article introduces you to various walks and areas within the national park
Martin Hesp
Mar 106 min read


Dunkery Beacon Walk, Exmoor: Views, Legends and Mysteries
A guide to the Dunkery Beacon walk on Exmoor, including where to park at Webber’s Post, the best views over Porlock Vale and the legends surrounding Exmoor’s highest hill.
Martin Hesp
Mar 98 min read


10 Great West Country Beaches
I wouldn’t put this up in summer—many of these beaches can get crowded. But in spring autumn you might visit any of these ten spots and find yourself entirely alone. From the rope-climb descent of Pedn Vounder to the fossil-filled pavements of Doniford and the Caribbean-white sands of St Martin’s Bay, this is my personal shortlist of the West Country’s finest stretches of sand. Whether you are looking for surf, silence, or a sense of history, these are the places that haunt t
Martin Hesp
Feb 253 min read


Exmoor’s Ancient Stone Circles: The Mystery of the Micro-Monoliths
Exmoor’s ancient builders had a problem: no big rocks. While Stonehenge got the glory, our local ancestors had to make do with "micro-monoliths." From the "napping floors" of Hawkcombe Head to the mysterious stone circles near Porlock, I explore why these tiny stones still hold a 7,000-year-old secret about who we really are.
Martin Hesp
Feb 124 min read


5 Best Circular Pub Walks in Cornwall: Coastal Hikes & Historic Inns
Looking for the perfect Cornish day out? I’ve rounded up 5 of my favorite circular coastal walks that start and end near a great local pub. From the hidden creeks of the Helford to the rugged cliffs of Fowey, these tried-and-tested routes offer the very best of the West Country landscape.</p>
Martin Hesp
Jan 203 min read


6 Best Somerset Walks: From the Quantock Hills to the Secret Somerset Levels
a quick guide to six first class walking routes in the county of Somerset
Martin Hesp
Jan 155 min read


Walking Your Way to Fitness and Health After the Festivities
Gentle Winter Walks Across the West Country Walking your way to fitness and health after the festivities is one of the most enjoyable and invigorating things you can do during that dreary time of the year otherwise known as the second-half of winter. Some people take post-festive fitness very seriously, signing up for gym regimes and diets that would cause a serious athlete to lose sleep. Inevitably, all to many realise they are living a fantasy. You can only eat raw carrots
Martin Hesp
Jan 57 min read


Best Post-Christmas Walks in the West Country (Easy Festive Walks Across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset & Dorset)
A very quick guide to some excellent winter walks in the West Country
Martin Hesp
Dec 28, 20257 min read


Dartmoor Walks: Trowlesworthy Warren and the Whitehall Yeo China Clay Pit
Discover one of Dartmoor’s most fascinating short walks as Martin Hesp explores Trowlesworthy Warren from Cadover Bridge to Great Trowlesworthy Tor. This scenic circular route passes ancient rabbit warrens, prehistoric remains, dramatic granite tors and the striking Whitehall Yeo china clay pit, combining wild moorland beauty with centuries of human history
Martin Hesp
Nov 2, 20256 min read


Devon Walk: 3.5-Mile Circular Walk Around Tuckenhay
Hike the 'Devon's Frenchman's Creek': A Secret 3.5-Mile Circular Walk Around Tuckenhay The Dart Valley cuts a slice of countryside so deep and secluded that it feels a world away—and this short, sensational loop from the creek-side hamlet of Tuckenhay is proof. This 3.5-mile circular walk is utterly crammed with waterside views , the haunting call of wildfowl , ancient trackways, and picturesque, time-forgotten villages. It scores at least nine-out-of-ten on the 'Hesp-patent
Martin Hesp
Oct 19, 20253 min read


True Start of the South West Coast Path? The Portishead to Clevedon Walk
The South West Coast Path has been making headlines recently, partly thanks to the now rather infamous Salt Path debacle, but also because we’ve had a glorious summer (if you’re a walker and not a farmer, that is) and increased numbers - inspired by the book or the film - have been trudging along at least some of its 630-mile length. But where should our most famous long distance trail really begin and end? Minehead or Portishead – Where Should the Path Begin? I ask the quest
Martin Hesp
Aug 26, 20256 min read
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