One of the great things about living in Somerset is that you’re always within walking distance or a short drive of some beautiful scenery.
You might have seen all of the best bits of greenery in your area, but there’s plenty to explore right not far away.
From forests to lakes, landmarks and views, each attraction on this list has something unique to offer that could brighten your weekend. Here are 11 of the best walking routes in and around Somerset
READ MORE: Eight of our favourite long distance Somerset walks and trails
Cheddar Gorge
Where: Cheddar, Somerset
Walk length: 3 miles
Cheddar Gorge, Somerset
(Image: Getty Images)
Cheddar Gorge is England’s largest gorge and offers some amazing features such as weathered crags and pinnacles. The gorge is an incredible 400ft deep and 3 miles long, and the cliff-top walk takes people round a 3-mile route with some of the finest views in Somerset.
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Gloucestershire Way
A view of May Hill and Highnam Church Spire from Alney Island
(Image: Bristol Live)
Where: Full width of Gloucestershire from the Welsh border town of Chepstow to Tewkesbury on the River Severn
Walk length: 94 miles, broken up into 12 different routes
This massive 94-mile route can be broken up into 12 different walks, all varying in length and difficulty. The route takes you through the Forest of Dean, Severn Plain and Cotswolds linking the Wye Valley Walk and Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail to the Severn, Cotswold, Oxfordshire and Heart of England Ways.
Check the weather and travel before you head out – find the latest local information here
West Somerset Coast Path
Where: Car park at Steart, next to the Bridgwater Bay Nature Reserve
Walk length: 25 miles or broken up into routes
West Somerset Coast Path
(Image: Bristol Live)
The West Somerset Coast Path is a great walk to organise your day around. The 25-mile stretch from Burnham on Sea to Minehead gives you plenty of beautiful coastal views, and if you fancy a bite to eat along the way, there a number of places to go en route, including Kilve, Williton, Blue Anchor and Dunster.
Bath Skyline Walk
Where: Bathwick Hill, Bath
Walk length: 6 miles
A great way to appreciate the beauty of Bath and all the landscapes that surround it. The Bath Skyline Walk takes you through six miles of meadows and ancient woodlands to secluded valleys.
The Cleeve Hill and Common Walk
View from top of Cleeve Common on Cleeve Hill in the Cotswolds between Cheltenham and Winchcombe, Gloucestershire.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Where: Cleeve Hill, Cheltenham
Walk length: 4.5 miles
A 4.5-mile walk roaming across the Cotswolds’ highest common for brilliant views to the Malverns and into Wales, providing it’s a clear day. The common is great all year for walking but walkers should be careful during bad weather.
Blagdon Lake
Where: Foot of the Mendip Hills
Walk length: 1 mile
Blagdon Lake
(Image: Getty)
Blagdon Lake is An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and it’s easy to see why. There’s a well-kept footpath running along the lake shore and through the lakeside woodland which offers breathtaking sights. The Discovery Wood can be visited too, which includes roe deer, badgers, foxes and otters. On the nature trail there are wildflower meadows with Green winged orchid, knapweeds, white ox-eye daisies and pink devils bit.
Weston Woods
Where: Worlebury Hill Road, Weston-super-Mare
Walk length: 2 miles
Weston Woods
(Image: Bristol Live)
West Woods offer 130-hectares of woodland, which has something for everyone. It’s great for hikers who want to explore steep hills but it also has a gravel path which was built to accommodate parents with pushchairs and wheelchair users. A recently made level access path lasting for roughly one and a half miles has links the main entrance at Worlebury Hill Road with the Hill fort.
Glastonbury Tor
Where: Glastonbury, Somerset
Walk length: 2 miles
Glastonbury Tor at sunset
Steeped in history, Glastonbury Tor is one of the most famous landmarks in the West. The top of the tor provides beautiful views across the Somerset Levels and children will no doubt enjoy walking through St Michael’s Tower, the listed building which sits atop the hill.
Chew Magna Circular
Where: Chew Magna, Somerset
Walk length: 3 miles
A three-mile circular walk starting in the beautiful village of Chew Magna. The walk gives people the chance to enjoy the many historic buildings within the village as well as field paths that give great views of the surrounding hills and a few of the ancient stone bridges which cross the River Chew and Winford Brook.
Stourhead Terrace Walk
Stourhead
Where: Stourton, Wiltshire
Walk length: 5.5 miles
A beautiful 1,072-hectare estate at the source of the River Stour near Warminster, Wiltshire. The estate includes a Palladian mansion, the village of Stourton, gardens, farmland, and woodland. Stourhead has been part-owned by the National Trust since 1946.
Westbury White Horse
Where: Westbury, Wiltshire
Walk length: 8 miles
The eight-mile circuit begins and ends at the car park next to the Westbury White Horse and the earthworks of Bratton Camp. The walk begins on tracks and level ground along the Imber range fences, passing the top of the road down into the ‘ghost village’ of Imber. It then arrives above Eddington to present dramatic views.
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