The Quantock Hills in Somerset cover just 48 square miles between Taunton, Bridgwater and the Bristol Channel, but is quite rightly deserving of its National Landscape status - what used to be known as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The latter seems so much more appropriate because The Quantocks are so beautiful it can leave you lost for words.
The Quantock Hills is a very special landscape of wooded combes that rise to wide open heaths, clad with heather and gorse, of forestry plantations, and winding lanes leading to sleepy villages with quaint cottages and in most cases, a welcoming country inn. The views are incredible, especially from the main ridge, rolling on across nearly the whole of Somerset, into Devon and across the Welsh Coast.
It's that mix that makes the Quantocks unique, the quaintness and the wild beauty, it’s so perfectly matched. The whole area is fantastic for wildlife, from lizards, ravens and warblers to red deer and wild ponies. So, with it being this untamed, it makes sense that there are some jolly good walks to be had in these hills. So many that it’s hard to know where to start, but here’s a short list of some of our favourite parts of The Quantocks for a hike or a short stroll:
Wills Neck, West Bagborough
If you don’t mind a bit of a puff up a big hill, Wills Neck is the one to head for when you’re exploring the Quantocks, mainly because at 386m, it’s the highest point in the hills and the 360-degree views are absolutely staggering. No kidding, pick a clear day and you’ll be able to see across the Somerset Levels and the Mendip Hills, and out over the Bristol Channel as far as the Brecon Beacons. To the south are the Blackdown Hills, Exmoor and Dunkery Beacon, in the far distance, Dartmoor.
Take your pick of starting points for a walk to Wills Neck. Amble up from Triscombe, past the Bronze Age stone that according to legend, grants you a wish if you pause to sit on it. When you get back to the village you can go in the Blue Ball for sustenance. Otherwise, mosey over from Lydeard Hill, then reward yourselves with a drink at The Rising Sun at West Bagborough, or set off from the Thankful Village of Aisholt, across Aisholt Common to the summit. All are fantastic walks, not too long, best enjoyed on a clear summer's evening, a fresh spring day, or in early autumn.
Holford Combe, Holford
The Quantocks Hills have so many beautiful combes, magical dingly dells with tinkling streams, and sun dappled woodlands with gnarly old oak trees. If you park in the car park at Holford Green you can walk up through Holford Combe to come out in the open on the main ridge of the hills where wild ponies graze, contentedly swishing their tails. On the way up the paths twist and turn through the woods and on along bracken clad heathland; the views are absolutely breathtaking so you must allow time to stop and stare.
Holford Combe and the ridgeway was a favoured walking spot of the romantic poets William Wordworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Wordsworth lived close by at Alfoxden, Coleridge at Nether Stowey where you can still visit Coleridge Cottage (NT).
Go back down to the village for refreshments at The Plough, take a detour on foot to Holford Silk Mills where for those old enough to remember, Bryan Adams’ soundtrack to Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was filmed; Everything I do, I Do It for You… that’s your earworm for the day.
Staple Plain, Weacombe
Stride across the glorious heaths at Staple Plain and you’ll be rewarded with guess what? Yep, more of those astounding views, best from the trig point at Beacon Hill - the kind of thing that makes you appreciate how good it is to be on this earth. A 3.5 mile circular waymarked trail from the car park will take you down through a wooded combe and back up into the open to the summit.
Take your binoculars because this lowland habitat supports a lot of fascinating wildlife. On a hot summer day, you might spot common lizards and adders basking, from spring to early summer you might hear the melodic song of the skylark or Dartford Warbler; red deer feeding are a common sight, and for the Coleopterists among you, dung beetles can be found among the… well, the dung. If you have a thing for ancient history, you should know that Staple Plain, like much of the Quantock heaths, has several Bronze Age burial cairns.
Good for tucker and a drink is The Bicknoller Inn, just a couple of miles away.
Ranscombe Forest, Nether Stowey
Ramscombe Forest is an enchanting grassy glade deep in Great Wood, a former royal hunting forest, and oh, it’s so lovely on a warm day when sunlight filters through the trees and birdsong is echoing all around. Immense fir trees tower above the oaks, the scent of pine drifts on the breeze; there are shallow streams to splash in, BBQ areas, woodland trails for all abilities, and even loos. Do the easy 2.5 mile circular walk, come back and spread your picnic rug, then tuck into egg sarnies, sausage rolls, and of course, lashings of lemonade. Otherwise head over to Nether Stowey 2.5 miles away for tucker at The Ancient Mariner or to Kitchen at Quantock Lakes.
Lydeard Hill, West Bagborough
High on the Quantock heaths, Lydeard Hill offers glorious vistas across the Vale of Taunton and the Blackdown Hills. In summer it’s ablaze with colour from the purple-pink heather, in the winter the vibrant yellow gorse takes its turn. The heathland and rich grasslands are a haven for wildlife; in the springtime this is a favoured spot for hearing the cuckoo. A clear winter night provides excellent star gazing opportunities, autumn brings the golden red hues of the woodlands in the valleys, so it’s a good place to be outdoors at anytime of year.
Lydeard Hill is a good starting point for a walk - from the car park there are several tracks, one of the being the amble over to Wills Neck; a short walk with a steep climb that’s well worth it for the views from the trig point. Take a picnic, go to the café at Fyne Court (NT) 3 miles away, or to The Rising Sun at West Bagborough, just over a mile.
Kilve, Bridgwater
Venture over to the coastal part of the Quantocks for bracing clifftop walks, dramatic beaches with waterfalls and wave cut platforms, and wholesome sea air. A 3 mile signposted loop takes you from the car park at East Quantoxhead across the cliffs and fields to the beach at Kilve where you can hunt for fossils – it’s well known for ammonites in particular, but you can only look at them, and photograph them; Kilve is an SSSI so no slipping fossils in your pocket.
Take your cheese rolls and find a nice spot for your lunch, or go to The Hood Arms in the village of Kilve, or the very charming Chantry Tea Gardens just up the track from the beach. Both are worth the diversion.
Cothelstone Hill, Cothelstone
The views from Cothelstone Hill are achingly beautiful, stretching out all over Somerset and right across to the coast of Wales if it’s not too cloudy. On the summit there’s a clump of beech trees, known as the Seven Sisters, silently guarding 3 bronze age burial mounds and the just about visible remains of a ruined tower that was built here in the 18th century.
It’s a captivating spot, especially in late spring when the woodland floor is awash with bluebells and the air is full of birdsong. Exmoor ponies happily nibble at the grass and it really is the loveliest sight, so wild and so natural. The summit is 1 mile from the car park and there are trails to follow for longer walks. If you fancy a bite to eat, go to the café at Fyne Court or the Rising Sun Inn at West Bagborough.