When summer heatwaves strike, the South West offers a hidden refuge. From ancient, damp sunken lanes and breezy upland ridges to shady coastal paths, deep forests, and steep river gorges, discover four classic West Country landscapes where you can find cool relief from the blazing sun.

High on the Quantock Hills lies a landscape of ancient hill-forts, lonely combes, and haunting place names like Dead Woman’s Ditch and Walford’s Gibbet. These dramatic, real-world locations served as the backdrop for my historical novel, The Last Broomsquire. Starting from Crowcombe Park Gate, this easy four-mile circular hike pairs sweeping views across the Bristol Channel with dark local lore and centuries of West Country history.

wooning in the tropical heat on a trip abroad, I promised myself a fix of cooling, quintessential England as soon as I returned. I found it in the damp, sylvan hamlet of Aisholt—what poet Sir Henry Newbolt called 'that beloved valley.' Starting from the high ridge at Triscombe Stone, this 6-mile circular walk descends into one of the quietest, most enchanting corners of the Quantock Hills.