This part of the Westcountry offers a large variety of very different landscapes in which to walk. From the high moorlands of the Exmoor plateau, to the sweeping lowlands of the Somerset Levels, hikers will find a little bit of everything.

Exmoor has been a national park since 1954 and, because of its geographic make-up, offers some of the best walking country in Britain. It is an intimate topography is riddled with coombes and steep river valleys - not to mention the vertiginous sea cliffs that border its dramatic coast - so that walkers enjoy rapidly changing scenery every step of the way.

The Vale of West Somerset is one of the peninsula's hidden jewels. Cut off from the rest of England by three ranges of hills (the Quantock, Brendons and Exmoor), it is bordered to the north by the Bristol Channel. The hinterland is made up of rolling hills boasting a rich tapestry of quaint villages and hamlets interlinked by myriad footpaths.

The Quantock Hills offer some of the finest short walks to be had anywhere in the country. From the top of the long, thin, north-south ridge you are guaranteed tremendous views in just about every direction. The hills are fringed with endless wooded coombes and ravines, offering endless opportunities for circular walks.

To the south and east of the Quantocks lie the Somerset Levels, one of the most unspoilt and least visited areas of the Westcountry. Although not overly endowed with public-rights-of-way, the Levels do have a unique charm of their own. Vast sky-scapes dotted by flocks of water birds are the order of the day and there are many charming small villages adorned with Flemish architecture and old fashioned pubs.

Click here to see a list of links to the walks.

Local information

Heart of Somerset Tourist Information Centre
Open Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5pm and Summer Sundays 11am to 3pm
Taunton Tourist Information Centre
Library, Paul Street, Taunton. TA1 3XZ
Tel: 01823 336344 Fax: 01823 340308
Email: tauntontic@tauntondeane.gov.uk
Visit the website 24/7 and book online

Celebrating Somerset
A wealth of essential information.
www.visitsomerset.net