Recommendations for Somerset/North Somerset beaches?

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Soldato
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We're off to Somerset at the end of the week, staying near Wells which according to Google Maps is about 1hr drive to Weston-Super-Mare. So we'd like to do a day-trip to the coast but have no idea where to aim for. Somewhere preferably away from the crowds but a decent lunch/pub lunch and a stroll on the beach would be nice.

WSM looks downright uninviting (:confused: ?) so I'm hoping to find a smaller town/village nearby where we can pit-stop, grab some food then head to a random stretch of beach rather than being stuck near a big town with all the other tourists.

Any ideas? Thanks :)
 
I find it (quality of the beach) quite hit and miss along the North Somerset coast there until you get into Devon. Minehead is OK with some stuff to do and some OK places to eat, etc. but can be hit and miss for crowds.

EDIT: Though the places I was going to recommend for eating are indefinitely closed or have closed up permanently due to the current situation :(
 
Rroff said:
Minehead is OK with some stuff to do and some OK places to eat, etc. but can be hit and miss for crowds.
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Hmn well Minehead is almost double the driving time than somewhere close to WSM. What about Burnham on Sea and the surrounds?

Is WSM that bad? :)
 
WSM is a hole, they have a strip club though.
Burnham-on-Sea is full of old people.
Minehead is the better shout.
 
I live in WsM, and believe me it's a dive! No where decent to actually eat.. the place is really run down! However there is some nice walks. You've got cheddar trails/strawberry line etc.. beach wise I'd personally go down the coast, the further down you go the cleaner the water, it's all brown and full of **** here.
 
Furyus said:
However there is some nice walks. You've got cheddar trails/strawberry line etc.. beach wise I'd personally go down the coast, the further down you go the cleaner the water, it's all brown and full of **** here.
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Thanks I'll have a look at those. If there's nothing worth seeing but the walks are ok we can always take some packup and do that instead. And does the terrible water quality go for going north of WSM towards Bristol? Nothing worth investigating up that way?

Semple said:
I thought WSM was well known for being a bit of a ****hole.
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I thought it was, but I wanted to check :p
 
Scam said:
Thanks I'll have a look at those. If there's nothing worth seeing but the walks are ok we can always take some packup and do that instead. And does the terrible water quality go for going north of WSM towards Bristol? Nothing worth investigating up that way?

I thought it was, but I wanted to check :p
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I'd say no. for better water quality you need to head down the coast, and try get out of the estuary we are in. I've lived in WsM for 15 years, moved over from SA and I've never put foot in the water here! It's absolutely disgusting
 
Scam said:
Hmn well Minehead is almost double the driving time than somewhere close to WSM. What about Burnham on Sea and the surrounds?

Is WSM that bad? :)
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TBH my knowledge of the coast between Blue Anchor and WSM is spotty - the beaches I have visited have either been a bit **** or just boring. As others have said the experience improves as you go further west.
 
Scam said:
Found this:
https://www.somerset-life.co.uk/home/12-of-somerset-s-beautiful-beaches-to-explore-1-4681743

@Furyus and truth to that or is it all guff? Would Clevedon be a better day trip? What aboutBrean Down, Uphill, Middle Hope. Not for swimming, heck we're not even beach people. Just for a walk and some seaside air and a fairly decent view?
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Bread down is a good walk! Think there is close to 900 stairs to climb to get to the top, but worth it for the views and the ww2 fort at the end. Clevedon is ok, nothing special, portishead futhure up you've got a nice marina for some outside bars etc... mendips is very good for walking it's very very open so if it's boiling make sure you have loads of water as nothing in sight..
 
Scam said:
Would Clevedon be a better day trip?
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Clevedon is nice but i think you would struggle to spend a whole day here unless you are just relaxing.

krF8QH7.jpg


This is a view of the Marine Lake and seafront, it extends right the way down to the Pier ( which you can walk out onto )
From here there is a pub behind me, The Salthouse, which is decent for food and also there is a small woodland/coast walk close to here.
Just beyond the flagpoles is another pub, The Little Harp, again decent food - both are typical pub type food.

The 2nd seafront is by the Pier itself
gZanCzJ.jpg


Here is 1 pub and various small eateries with some limited parking.
Here you can see what most of the Bristol Channel suffers from, a very high and low tide results in mud flats at low tide - Though in the distance you can see the only bit of sandy 'beach' we have !!

The typical beach is pebbles and rock
HcSrAM3.jpg


Depanding on weather and amount of foot traffic its a nice chilled place to spend sometime
 
Furyus said:
Bread down is a good walk! Think there is close to 900 stairs to climb to get to the top, but worth it for the views and the ww2 fort at the end. Clevedon is ok, nothing special, portishead futhure up you've got a nice marina for some outside bars etc... mendips is very good for walking it's very very open so if it's boiling make sure you have loads of water as nothing in sight..
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Brean overall I found somehow kind of bland - the down isn't bad for a walk but dunno a lot of that area doesn't do it for me personally - possibly I'm contrasting it with further down where I've spent more time.
 
Yaayuh! said:
WSM is a hole, they have a strip club though.
Burnham-on-Sea is full of old people.
Minehead is the better shout.
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I should feel right at home then in a few weeks time. ;)

I'll be doing the opposite of the OP if things go to plan, cycling up those wonderful climbs in the Mendips including Draycott Steep; Cheddar Gorge; Burrington Combe; Eborr Gorge; Old Bristol Rd etc. in the morning (hopefully) and then doing stuff with the better half from around lunch.

Must admit I was rather weary when we booked it due to Covid outbreak there a few weeks ago, but my eyes lit up when I saw it was only ~10/12 miles to Cheddar/Draycott respectively, compared to being a big day out (70+ miles) to travel there and back on the bike from Longleat Center Parcs... Especially as Covid closed all the CP villages days before our booked hol.
 
Cheddar Gorge has been closed to motor vehicles on and off lately due to irresponsible people which is a shame - though if cycling probably won't be an issue.

The Gorge and The Combe are definitely worth a visit.
 
We did the cheddar gorge circular this time last year. But didn't get across to the seaside hence trying this trip. Do t get me wrong, we're staying in the Mendips and will also have a day out there walking etc.

Thanks @Brizzles for all the notes, that sounds decent enough for us but we'll see where we end up :)
 
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