Severn Bridge to Bridgewater

Starting in the North with the ports of Bristol, the Severn Bridge to Bridgewater stretch of the estuary holds beautiful Victorian seaside towns and areas of stunning coastline, with a rich historical past and geological setting. Clevedon is one of these Victorian towns, popular for its Grade 1 listed pier, pebbled beaches and cafés overlooking the marine lake. Sand Point and Middle Hope are some of the most scenic areas of the North Somerset coastline. The peninsula is a prime location to explore geological history, where you can spot ‘pillow lavas’ (cooled and solidified molten lava) from over 300 million years ago, relics of a volcanic past. The seaside resort town of Weston-Super-Mare has something for everyone, with miles of golden sandy beach and cool water to enjoy paddling, wind surfing and ice creams. Brean Down is situated on a 300-million-year-old limestone deposit, marking the end of the Mendip hills before disappearing under the Bristol Channel. The tip of this headland holds Brean Fort, built in 1870 as a bastion against possible French invasion, while Berrow beach is a six-mile stretch of pristine beach, with sand dunes that support a diverse selection of insects and 270 species of wildflower. Further along the coast, Burnham-On-Sea is a thriving seaside town, with an award-winning sandy beach and plenty of shops to find delicious fish and chips! At low tide, wander up to the ‘lighthouse on legs’, built in 1832 to deliver fishing boats back home to their safe harbour. Further south along the Somerset coast, explore nature in rolling hills, sandy beaches and the Steart Marshes Nature Reserve. The marshes are home to birds and animal life such as skylark, otter, roe dear and brown hare, making it a wildlife watcher’s paradise.