Bath & North Somerset

Central Somerset

South Somerset

West Somerset

Somerset Coast

Somerset Accommodation

The Mendips are criss-crossed with footpaths and walking trails

Blagdon Lake in North Somerset for fishing

The Mendips limestone is great for rock climbing and caving

Have a go at rock climbing and caving at Rocksport in Cheddar Gorge

Chew Valley Lake and Cheddar Reservoir are all good for fishing too

Walking up Glastonbury Tor is popular - thought to be the spiritual Isle of Avalon

The Somerset Levels offer miles of walking and cycling also great for birdwatching

Pick up the long distance South West Coast Path at Minehead

Somerset has several long distance walking routes - you can pick up sections or do them all!

Somerset Walking Outdoor Activities Walks Caving Climbing Cycling

Somerset lends itself to all kinds of outdoor activities. Its wide open spaces and beautiful countryside make it a popular walking destination and there are several long distance walking trails around the main Somerset Hills as well as coastal walks.

For more active outdoor pursuits mountain bike trails are being established in the Mendips and Exmoor in particular. With Sustrans being based in Bristol there is an increasing network of cycle routes throughout the county. Caving and climbing is very popular in the Mendips where the limestone rocks lend themselves to some fabulous underground discoveries.

Featured Somerset Accommodation

Manor Farm Bed and Breakfast - East Horrington

A grade II listed home which has been lovingly restored now offering luxurious B&B accommodation in the village of East Horrington, near Wells in Somerset

£60 to £85 Per room B&B (2 sharing)

The Mendip Hills Somerset Caving Mountain Biking Walks in Mendips Chew Valley Lake

The Mendips are a ridge of carboniferous limestone hills that run from Bristol in the west to Frome in the east of Somerset. They contrast sharply with the flat Somerset Levels which flow out south from the base of the Mendip Hills. The limestone has been valuable as a commodity in the past and there are many quarries dotted around the Mendips as well as the magnificent caves carved by water seeping through them for thousands of years at Cheddar and Wookey Hole.

Outdoor activities are popular in the Mendips. There are plenty of caving and climbing opportunities and certainly gives you a different perspective of the area. There are plenty of walks crossing the hills and walking the hills will give you the best views of the area. If you fancy less strenuous walks you'll find riverside walk and gentle strolls down in the valleys. Mountain biking trails have also been identified throughout the Mendip Hills with a variety of difficulty gradings so there's something to suit everyone.

West Mendip Way

The West Mendip Way is a long distance walking route starting in Uphill near Weston-super-Mare, taking you through the southern scarp of the Mendip Hills overlooking the Somerset Levels, through Cheddar Gorge, down to Wookey Hole and ending in Wells.

The route is 28 miles long taking you through some of Somerset's most stunning landscapes.

You can download a guide to the West Mendip Way from the AONB publications website, link right, as well as walking guides for other walks in the Mendips.

There are plenty of other shorter walks through the Mendips, many start off from around the Charterhouse Centre - an outdoor centre and the base for the AONB Service near Blagdon. These take you through Blackmoor and Longwood Nature Reserve and up to the highest point in the Mendips, Beacon Bath on Blackdown. Again leaflets can be downloaded from the AONB website.

Outdoor Activities Cheddar Gorge Somerset

Cheddar Gorge is one of the few places in the country where you can just turn up and go rock climbing, abseiling or more adventurous exploration of Cheddar Caves by caving beneath the Mendip Hills

Rocksport is based at Cheddar Caves and Gorge and offer training on rock climbing, abseiling and adventure caving. For climbing and abseiling instruction you get to climb up a 50 foot rock face in Cheddar Gorge itself. This is a one and half hour introductory taster lesson and you can hire all necessary equipment. An excellent way to find out if you want to take it further. The instructors are registered with the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority. Sessions are available every day from March to October.

The caving instruction is led by a National Caving Association qualified Caving Leader, through a system of "wild" caves beyond the caverns of Gough's Cave. It is best to book in advance and you can hire all the equipment needed from Rocksport. You will need reasonable fitness and the minimum age for caving is 11 and a minimum height of 4 foot 8 inches (142cm). Adventure caving is available every day, all year round (except Christmas Eve and Day).

If you want to book a group or have special medical needs, learning difficulties or physical disabilities it is best to call Rocksport first. Tel: 01934 742343. Rocksport Email: RockSport@visitcheddar.co.uk. There is a whole host of outdoor activity companies operating in the Cheddar area. Check the weblinks right for details of other climbing and caving companies some of whom also offer other outdoor pursuits near Cheddar.

Colliers Way - Dundas Aqueduct Radstock and Frome

The Colliers Way is part of the National Cycle Network. It will eventually link up with routes all the way down to Southampton and Portsmouth. It can also be used by walkers, horseriders as well as cyclists.

The route follows disused railway lines and country lanes from Dundas Aqueduct on the east of the River Avon south west of Bath. The Dundas Aqueduct carries the Kennet and Avon Canal over the River Avon. Building started in 1797 and it was constructed out of Bath Stone. There is a Visitor Centre with refreshment facilities available. The Colliers Way route takes you through the Somerset Coalfield area through Radstock - where you can pop into the museum to find out more about the area's social and industrial history - and then down to Frome for a welcome relax and refreshment stop in one of the cafes in the medieval streets.

Check the links right for a downloadable route leaflets, maps showing places of interest and downloadable walking, cycling and riding leaflets.

The River Parrett Trail

The River Parrett Trail is a 50 mile, long distance hiking trail that extends from near Crewkerne to Combwich near Steart, just south of Burnham-on-Sea. You can complete the whole trail over 3 or 4 days or break it up as a series of shorter walks during your holiday in Somerset.

The trail follows the River Parrett from the Dorset Hills where it starts through the Somerset Levels countryside and characteristic Somerset market towns, ending at its mouth at Bridgwater Bay.

Just on the edge of Langport on Bow Bridge, is the Langport Visitor Centre. The Centre holds an interesting array of displays, exhibitions, including the hands-on "Discovery Room", and useful information about the local area, market towns, events and the River Parrett Trail. Particularly useful information is on walks around the area and a bit about the history of the market towns of the Somerset Levels and Moors. You can also buy your River Parrett Guide from here that contains maps and information on attractions to visit along the River Parrett Trail.

Langport & River Parrett Visitor Centre, Westover, Langport, Somerset TA10 9RB. Tel: 01458 250350.

South West Coast Path Somerset to Dorset

The South West Coast Path is a 630 mile long trail around the South West of England. The Path goes through some of the country's most beautiful coastal scenery through Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Dorset.

The South West Coast Path starts in Minehead and is estimated to take 7-8 weeks if you want to do the whole route! More realistically, the South West Coast Path website, link right, has details of suggested walks along different parts of it, as well as a search function so you can find a walk to suit your ability and requirements. There's everything from easy strolls, feasible for all abilities, to more challenging week long hikes.

The Path is waymarked with the acorn logo and distances are signed at main access points. The weblink right also includes a distance calculator and links to transport and Tourist Information Centres - everything to help you plan your walk before setting out. You can also purchase guidebooks to the trail.

The Coleridge Way West Somerset

You can pick up The Coleridge Way as it crosses through Exmoor from the Quantock and Brendon Hills to the east, ending in Porlock.

It is a 36 mile long distance walking trail which includes places that Coleridge is known to have wandered during his time in Nether Stowey drawing inspiration from the landscapes around him.

You can do the whole route or just take the Porlock to Wheddon Cross route which will take you through the Exmoor section. Check the weblinks right for more information.

Exmoor Outdoor Activities - Walking Cycling Horse Riding

Walking in Exmoor is one of the best ways to fully appreciate its beauty. Walks vary from low level riverside walks through fantastic wooded valleys, to more difficult hill walking. Exmoor contains 18,000 hectares of open access land with over 1,000 kilometres of public rights of way. So as long as you're equipped with a map you should be able to find something to suit you. There are lots of walking guides available from Visitor Centres throughout Exmoor National Park or you can buy them online from the Exmoor National Park's website, link right.

Alternatively you can pick up guided walks organised by rangers and local guides. Check the Exmoor Visitor Centres for more details or the free Exmoor Visitor newspaper, also available from Visitor Centres and Tourist Information Centres.

For a more active way of seeing Exmoor you might fancy cycling. There are some relatively less hilly cycle rides suitable for weekend cyclists and families such as the "Pedal around Porlock" leaflet available from Porlock Visitor Centre. This is a circular route around Porlock Vale covering just under eight miles. Check the National Park Cycling Guides for other ideas, link right. For more challenging mountain biking Exmoor has some good off-road routes ranging from easy to expert. Leaflets are available of mountain bike routes around Exmoor and can be obtained from Visitor Centres or online from the Exmoor National Park website, links right.

Horse riding is always popular on Exmoor and gives you the chance to see the herds of Red deer or native Exmoor ponies at close quarters. There are 400 miles of bridleways within the National Park itself. A wide range of stables and riding centres in Exmoor offer lessons, guided hacks or where you can book animals for rides across Exmoor. If you want to bring your own horse a good choice of farms and stables that offer both holiday accommodation for you and stabling facilities for your horses. Check the Equine Tourism link right. The Exmoor National Park Authority, the Quantock Hills AONB and the British Horse Society have produced a leaflet giving details of eleven circular riding routes across Exmoor and the Quantock Hills. Check with Tourist Information and Exmoor Visitor Centres for availability.