Quantock Hills. An Area of Outstanding Beauty

You can:

Tackle some of the best mountain bike routes in the West Country

Ride horses or ponies along the many bridle paths (Lydeard Hill and Staple Plain have car parks that are large enough for a horse box if you are travelling

Walk from one end of the hills to the other and enjoy the breathtaking scenery and, if you don't want to walk, ride or cycle, you can do so many other activities

Lounge around or have a BBQ at the picnic area of Ramscombe

Spend a day at the beach - Kilve is suitable for families, especially children, who will be fascinated by the flat ammonites exposed on the foreshore and has great rock pooling as well.

Indulge your inner child and go on the West Somerset Railway which has steam trains that run from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead.

Take a stroll through the historic gardens at Hestercombe including The Edwardian Formal Garden created by Sir Edwin Lutyens and the planting by Gertrude Jekyll 

Bring the children to Fyne Court in Broomfield with its nature trails, picnic area, and, most importantly, toilets, and now its newly opened cafe available Wednesday - Friday from 10.30 - 4.00 and Saturday - Sunday from 10.00 - 5.00.

Coleridge Cottage at Nether Stowey and maybe walk the Coleridge Way.

This is just a taster of what we have to offer for your enjoyment so visit our individual headings (Coast, Heath, Wildlife, Combe) for more detail or contact the relevant Tourist Information Centres:

• Bridgwater: 01278 436438
• Minehead: 01643 702624
• Taunton: 01823 336344

Where can you go:

Walkers are allowed to use footpaths, bridleways and restricted byways and have right of access across the open hilltops

Horse riders and mountain bikers are well provided for through the numerous bridleways and restricted byways they are allowed to use. It is important to note however that under the CRoW Act 2000 it is illegal for motorised vehicles to off road on the Quantock Hills without specific landowners' permission.

To enjoy this area fully Ordnance Survey Explorer 140 map show all access land and the rights of way mentioned above. We hope you enjoy yourselves and leave the Quantocks in the same condition you found them.