I walked from Minehead to Watchet and really enjoyed the variety, from seaside promenade, to wild coast, to inland open farmland, to enclosed wooded track, to peaceful hamlets, and quiet lanes, and finishing in a small harbour town....

Helen Gough

There are so many paths between Porlock and Minehead that you could probably do 20 versions of this route, but when you get to the flat ground near Porlock and look back you can see there is no easy way down Bossington Hill - without a parachute....

Helen Gough

There is a mixture of walking on quiet roads, footpaths across fields, and suburban greenways, with some lovely views over to Horner Hill along the way. From here the walking is along quiet lanes, sometimes with good views out, as well as pathways across fields and via woodland edges to reach the suburbs of Minehead....

Mockymock

All the hikes over the hill between Porlock and Minehead are good, and you could take your pick of the routes really, but this is a beautiful and pretty direct route. From Porlock, there is a flat walk across the fields and an easy stroll along the track towards Hurlstone point via the National Trust car park at Bossington, before a right turn and a steady haul up lovely Hurlstone Combe. If you prefer to use the coast path to get in and out of Minehead, it is tad longer but also a good option....

Mockymock

There is a far more beautiful route onto/off Bossington Hill which is only a little longer and avoids the long, slightly boring stretch enclosed bridleway at the Porlock end, and the rocky path up onto/off the hill....

Mockymock

A steep descent down Lynch Combe then easy walking through Bossington and Porlock.At Lower farm Bossington the route is showing passing on the east side of the cottage....

Tim Ryan

A nice, short, but tough in parts route to finish the Saltash to Minehead trail. I’d like to know who managed to walk this 8 mile trail in 2hrs 2min!...

Richard Wetenhall

The detour so you don't fall with the crumbling cliff into the sea at Blue Anchor does not detract from this lovely coastal stroll. Starting from Minehead (ice cream opportunity #1 of many), if you can resist the lure of Butlins, you head past the golf course and towards Dunster Beach (ICO #2...). You get great views of Dunster castle, the West Somerset Steam Railway and the wooded valleys of Exmoor as you get to Blue Anchor, where the England Coast path is diverted inland to avoid the crumbling headland....

Steve_Roser

A highly enjoyable rural holiday-zone leisure stroll along the coast path between Minehead and Blue anchor with golfers, dog-walkers and beachgoers around, and many opportunities to buy ice-cream in the season. Between Blue Anchor and Watchet the route jinks inland on a quiet, well-signed footpath diversion from the blocked coast path. This leads along a farmed valley with views of the Brendon Hills, then hops over a little hill at the village of Old Cleeve to Washford, finally following a tree-lined cycle path along the long disused mineral railway line into Watchet....

Mockymock

Although a flat route, it starts near the golf course in Minehead and meanders mostly along the coast, tricky in parts. Not the most attractive coastal walk....

Jude Halperin

The route down into Minehead was a bit confusing in terms of ensuring I was on the correct path, but all were well signposted and all led to Minehead....

Emily Howells

After the sharp bends take a path on the left signed to Dunkery then, at the bottom of the hill, go through a gate on the right signed Drapers Way. Cross the path with the snowdrop sign (snowdrop Valley is nearby and worth a detour at the right time of year) and cross the minor road to follow the track to Ford Farm. Continuing on the path divides – left to Porlock (signed Dunkery) and right to Minehead (signed Wootton Courtenay). Follow this all the way to the minor road then another, even rougher, track signed Ford (Digland lane) is walked to another minor road where, immediately left, is a third rough track to the hamlet of Ford. Crossing the ford (there is a small stone footbridge) follow the minor road uphill out of the hamlet and, at the top of the hill, there is a path on the right signed Wootton Courtenay. Turn right on Poundfield Road and then turn left on Cher/Bampton Street and there is a pavement all the way into Minehead...

Sonya B

Lovely Exmoor edge walk, well signposted and easy to do by taking the splendid 198 bus from Minehead to Wheddon Cross. The paths are rocky in places, but the route is straightforward, with chances to spot red deer, and fine views over towards Dunkery Beacon....

Steve_Roser

Pastures, bridleways, streams, pretty woodland north of Wheddon Cross and some forestry tracks. If walking towards Minehead it is easy to miss the post and little yellow sign for the small onward path up to the top of hill when you reach the first track crossing in the forestry north of Wootton Courtenay (at SS 943436 ish)....

Mockymock

The turning up North Hill is reasonably easy to find (there is a knee height road name style sign in the lane - the brown sign on the other side of the road is less visible). Its tempting to confuse Beacon Road with North Hill Road and set off into the woods too early. At about 5.5km you could take a different path over Selworthy beacon which offers higher views but the route as given skirts the northern edge. Once past Selworthy Beacon, the route starts to drop towards Bossington. The path as given in the route is longer and because its high hedges very close on either side offers little in the way of visual benefit. However at the end a path drops onto a lane which you then follow into Porlock itself, emerging in the centre of the village. Similarly at the Minehead end it might be tempting to continue right to the end of Quay road, out through the park and find a way up from there given the visibility there being better than up in the woods....

dvernalls

The path then opens out and becomes more of a track above the high water line (except possibly for storm surges) and continues alongside the golf course (watch out for stray shots). As of June 2021, the Steam Coast Trail had yet to be completed as it turns into plastic grid underlay then a hard core track to Blue Anchor. The access from the track to Blue Anchor Esplanade is officially along the beach which may be cut off at a very high tide and involves a set of steps up from the beach. The route continues along the long esplanade at Blue Anchor past a couple of cafés, a Holiday Park and a set of public toilets....

Sonya B

I struggled to upload all the photos I wanted to last time - here are the rest including the official diversion...

Sonya B

However, I would like to draw attention to a potential obstacle (see photo, taken at Blue Anchor) In addition there is currently (May 2021) a signposted detour to the east of Blue Anchor following a landslip at ST 03292 43558...

bmCwmbran