The Coleridge Way is a

long-distance trail A long-distance trail (or long-distance footpath, track, way, greenway) is a longer recreational trail mainly through rural areas used for hiking, backpacking, cycling, equestrianism or cross-country skiing. They exist on all continents exc ...

in Somerset and

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

, England. It was opened in April 2005, and the route links several sites associated with the poet

Samuel Taylor Coleridge Samuel Taylor Coleridge ( ; 21 October 177225 July 1834) was an English poet, literary critic, philosopher, and theologian who was a founder of the Romantic Movement in England and a member of the Lake Poets with his friend William Wordsworth ...

starting from Coleridge Cottage at Nether Stowey. Originally the route finished at Porlock but on 21 May 2014 an extension to

Lynmouth Lynmouth is a village in Devon, England, on the northern edge of Exmoor. The village straddles the confluence of the West Lyn River, West Lyn and East Lyn River, East Lyn rivers, in a gorge directly below the neighbouring town of Lynton, w ...

was launched. Walkers have the option of continuing along the

South West Coast Path The South West Coast Path is England's longest waymarked Long-distance footpaths in the UK, long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for , running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harb ...

into the Valley of the Rocks and Poets Shelter. The footpath is waymarked. It starts in the

Quantock Hills The Quantock Hills west of Bridgwater in Somerset, England, consist of heathland, oak woodlands, ancient parklands and agricultural land. They were England's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, designated in 1956. Natural England have desi ...

(England's first

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB; , AHNE) is one of 46 areas of countryside in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland that has been designated for conservation due to its significant landscape value. Since 2023, the areas in England an ...

), passing through the villages of

Holford Holford is a village and civil parish in Somerset within the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is located about west of Bridgwater and east of Williton, with a population of 392. The village is on the Quantock Greenway and ...

, West Quantoxhead and Bicknoller before moving onto the

Brendon Hills The Brendon Hills are a range of hills in west Somerset, England. The hills merge level into the eastern side of Exmoor and are included within the Exmoor National Park. The highest point of the range is Lype Hill at above sea level with a sec ...

, within Exmoor National Park, through the villages of Monksilver, Roadwater, and Luxborough, across Lype Hill to Wheddon Cross. The route then crosses an area of moorland at

Dunkery Hill Dunkery Beacon at the summit of Dunkery Hill is the highest point on Exmoor and in Somerset, England. It is also the highest point in southern England outside of Dartmoor. The sandstone hill rises to and provides views over the surrounding m ...

to the woodland village of Horner and moves towards the coast at Porlock on the

Bristol Channel The Bristol Channel (, literal translation: "Severn Sea") is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales (from Pembrokeshire to the Vale of Glamorgan) and South West England (from Devon to North Somerset). It extends ...

. From here the route climbs through Worthy Woods before descending into the Doone Valley passing Oare, Malmsmead, Brendon and Watersmeet before finishing by the Pavilion National Park Centre in

where it intersects with the South West Coast Path. The landscapes include heathland, moorland, deciduous and coniferous woodland, farmland, deeply wooded valleys. In May 2007 The Coleridge Bridle Way was launched providing a horse riding route between Nether Stowey and Exford and includes over of bridleways. Most of the Way is an easy walk, though there are several sections that are moderate. (One small lane on the way between Roadwater and Wheddon Cross is hazardous when wet, which it often is.) The initial section out of Porlock is challenging and may prove a problem for elderly walkers. Some of the maps and guides to the path are dated in that they may omit features that have changed, such as the addition of road. In 2008 the Way was selected by ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...

'' as one of Britain's best autumn walks.

References

External links

Coleridge Way web siteColeridge Way
on the

Long Distance Walkers Association The Long Distance Walkers Association (LDWA) is a British not for profit, volunteer-led association whose aim is "to further the common interests of those who enjoy Long Distance Walking" in rural, urban, mountainous, coastal and moorland areas. ...

site {{coord, 51, 12, 31, N, 3, 34, 44, W, source:kolossus-plwiki, display=title Coleridge Way, The Monarch's Way, The Exmoor Samuel Taylor Coleridge Quantock Hills

See also

References

External links