Watchet and Splash Point on the Somerset Coast.

Watchet on the Somerset Coast is one of my favourite places to visit.  It is not only an interesting, tranquil little harbour town, but the journey to it along the A358 through the gently rolling foothills of the Quantocks is a pleasure in itself.

I visited Watchet on 16 June, a very hot day, with the primary intention of walking up to Splash Point on the eastern side of the town to see if I could spot the tower of St. Decuman’s Church on the hill to the west.  The easier of the footpaths to Splash Point initially follows alongside the West Somerset Railway line and then passes behind the East Quay complex.

In my eyes, East Quay just about qualifies as a blot on the landscape.  It is garish and angular with what looks like a couple of bright blue shipping containers plonked between it and the marina.  The building’s odd geometrical design does mitigate its ugliness, but only slightly.  I did not linger!

East Quay at Watchet Harbour on the Somerset Coast.

I continued on along the footpath and up the steep steps to Splash Point where I found views east and west, and out over the Bristol Channel – well worth the effort of climbing those steps!  However, I was not rewarded with a view of St. Decuman’s.  The area around Splash Point was known to the Victorians as The Pleasure Ground – it once had a tea room for their refreshment. 

A view of Watchet looking across the marina and tidal harbour from Splash Point.

Unsurprisingly for such a vantage point, I came upon the remains of a World War Two bunker and coastal artillery emplacements.  No doubt they were ideally situated to defend Watchet Harbour and the approaches to the Cardiff, Newport and Avonmouth docks.

The World War Two bunker on Splash Point above Watchet Harbour in Somerset.  The footpath and steps down to the Eastern Pier, from where this photo was taken, are on the right.

From beside the WW2 bunker I walked down another set of steep steps to the Eastern Pier and proceeded on a gentle stroll around the marina, the Esplanade and the tidal harbour wall.  I was surprised at how few people were around considering it was such a fine day.

Pleasing shot of an old lifeboat in the marina at Watchet on the Somerset Coast.

The fossil beach below Splash Point at Watchet on the Somerset Coast.  The photo was taken from the Eastern Pier.  The forest of cranes at the Hinkley Point nuclear power station construction site can just be seen on the horizon to the right of picture.

After an interesting visit lasting two hours, at a very reasonable cost of £2.20 to park the car, I left Watchet at 1630. Heading home I took the B3191 to Williton, then the A358.  Both roads were very quiet so I had another chance to relax a little and enjoy the scenery.

A view of the Somerset Coast on the Severn Estuary from Poets Walk at Wain's Hill, Clevedon.

Another view from the archives, this time of the Somerset Coast of the Severn Estuary  taken from Poets Walk on Wain’s Hill in Clevedon.  Looking south west along the coast Middle Hope and Sand Point are visible with Steep Holm in sight out in the Bristol Channel.

On the top of Wain’s Hill, just above the position where I took the photos, is a Second World War pill-box/bunker which was ideally placed to observe the comings and goings in the Severn Estuary.

Just to the south of the hill are the mud flats where the two rivers known as the Blind Yeo and the Land Yeo flow into the estuary.  The photos were taken on the 22 September 2011 as the horizon was becoming a little hazy.

The view to the south west along the Somerset Coast from Wain's Hill, Clevedon.  Steep Holm is just visible in the haze.  Middle Hope and Sand Point are in the middle of the horizon.

The view from Poets Walk, Wain's Hill on the Somerset Coast at Clevedon.  The Blind Yeo and the Land Yeo join the Severn Estuary at this point.

Severn Estuary mud!

Crook Peak and Wavering Down on the Mendip Hills in Somerset.

Crook Peak stands at the western end of the Mendip Hills in Somerset.  At 627 ft. in height it is a prominent rocky feature overlooking the M5 and A38 with tremendous far reaching views to all points of the compass.  In 2011 I made several trips to Crook Peak by approaching it across Wavering Down.  I found the National Trust car park at Kings Wood, just a few yards west of the A38 at Winscombe Hill, the most convenient starting point.

It is best to allow an entire afternoon for the walk as at any spot on the entire route one is tempted to just sit down and enjoy a view of England’s green and pleasant land unfolding before you. 

From the car park walk up the steadily rising ground through the wood and you will emerge onto Cross Plain.  Carry on past Hill Farm – its residents must have one of the finest outlooks in Somerset - and follow the track up the hill to the trig point on Wavering Down.  I found this section of the walk the most difficult: although dry the track was rutted and pitted presumably as a result of past heavy rain and frequent use.  On reaching the trig point, at a height of 692 ft., I usually stopped for a much needed breather, but there are views to enjoy while doing so.

Crook Peak on the Mendip Hills in Somerset, viewed from Wavering Down.

The view toward Glastonbury Tor from Wavering Down on the Mendip Hills in Somerset.

Keeping the drystone wall to your right head on across Wavering Down toward Crook Peak, but don’t forget to look down  on the picturesque village of Compton Bishop and its church of St. Andrew.

On reaching Crook Peak - it is almost like standing on the prow of a ship - you will see not only the hills and fields of Somerset stretching away in all directions, but also the Bristol Channel, Severn Estuary and the coast of Wales.  

A view of the M5 from Crook Peak on the Mendip Hills in Somerset.

The view to the south-west from Crook Peak on the Mendip Hills in Somerset.

I always came across cattle, sheep and ponies on my walks so be aware if taking your dog with you!

Cattle graze on Wavering Down on the Mendip Hills in Somerset.

The English and Bristol Channels' ship canal. An ambitious 19th century scheme to link Stolford in Somerset and Beer in Devonshire.

Until I read Somerset Mapped (Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society in association with Halsgrove Publishing, 2016) by Emma Down and Adrian Webb I had never heard of the ambitious scheme to link the Bristol Channel and English Channel by constructing a ship canal between Stolford in Somerset and Beer in Devonshire

The idea first came about in 1768, but it was not until James Green, under the supervision of Thomas Telford, surveyed the route in 1824 that the project became a serious proposal.  In 1825 an Act of Parliament gave the scheme the go-ahead, but although 600 subscribers came forward by 1828 the estimated cost of £1,712,844 had not been raised and the canal never saw the light of day.

The ship canal would have had new docks and harbours at Stolford and Beer.  From Stolford on the coast of the Bristol Channel the canal was planned to pass close to Bridgwater and east of Taunton then on through Somerset skirting the Blackdown Hills between Ilminster and Chard before entering Devonshire to end at Beer.  Building new docks and a harbour at Beer might have been feasible, but I am curious to know how a canal would have negotiated the high cliffs and steep hills surrounding that picturesque little coastal village – no doubt Georgian and Victorian engineers could have found a way!     

A view of the beach at Beer in Devonshire looking west toward Beer Head.

The beach at Beer in Devonshire on the English Channel coast.