Somerset Walks: A Guide to the Hills, Coast and Hidden Corners of England’s Quiet County
Somerset: From the Quantock Ridges to the Bristol Channel
"Somerset offers a landscape of dramatic transitions, from the high, heathland spine of the Quantock Hills to the Jurassic-age cliffs of the Bristol Channel coast. Here, panoramic ridge-top views meet the second-highest tidal range in the world, shaping a shoreline of salt marshes and limestone pavements. These routes lead through the wooded combes of eastern Exmoor and across ancient tracks, offering a walking experience defined by wide horizons and a rugged, historic coastline.
Somerset Is One of England’s Most Overlooked Counties for Outdoor Leisure
If you were to rely on the national media for information about holidaying in the West Country you might be forgiven for thinking the region consisted only of Devon and Cornwall. Indeed, if you stand on an M5 motorway bridge close to the Somerset–Devon border you will see how most holiday traffic shuns the local junctions to continue heading towards the setting sun.
But the journalists who wax lyrical about the far west — and the travellers who follow their advice — are missing a trick. Somerset, with its Quantock Hills, sweeping vales, mysterious Levels and ancient lowland moors, is every bit as rewarding a destination as anywhere in Britain. Check out the across the very ridge of the Quantocks.
Landscapes That Change Every Few Miles
Many travel writers also make another mistake when discussing the region: they claim Exmoor lies in Devon. In fact, two thirds of the national park lies within Somerset, helping to make the county one of the most diverse landscapes in England.
Exmoor is famed for its purple heather moors, but it also contains deep wooded valleys, rushing rivers and some of the most dramatic and lonely coastline in the country - take a look at our Exmoor page.
Elsewhere lie the wetlands of the Somerset Levels, the wooded slopes of the Blackdown Hills and the panoramic ridges of the Quantocks.
Somerset’s Quiet Coast
Somerset’s coastline is another hidden treasure. From the vast sands of Burnham and Brean to the fossil-rich shoreline beneath the Quantock Hills, this stretch of the Bristol Channel offers wild beauty without the crowds found elsewhere.
A County of Endless Variety
The Quantock Hills
Bristol Channel Coast
Somerset Levels
Dunster Castle and the Minehead area
Much of Exmoor lies within Somerset and you can explore many of its finest routes in my Exmoor walking guide.
Somerset is the West Country’s biggest and best-kept secret.