Around Exmoor's Bossington Hill
One of the advantages of living on an island is that you’re never too far away from the sea, unless of course you’re living in somewhere like Australia’s Alice Springs, but here in England, the village of Coton in the Elms in Derbyshire is recognised as the furthest you can get from the coast, and it doesn’t matter which way you go, it’s still only a 70 mile journey to get there. Fortunately, I live in an area which lies on the South-West Coast path, and it only takes me 5 minutes before I can dip my toes into the English Channel.
For those who aren’t familiar, the South-West Coast Path is England’s longest official footpath and runs for 630 miles between Minehead in Somerset to Poole Harbour in Dorset, and if you start the trail at Minehead, then Bossington Hill will be the first part of your journey.
This post isn’t about the South-West Coast Path though, but about the area around Bossington Hill, and whether I want to or not, it’s impossible to ignore the seaside town of Minehead.
Many seaside resorts in Britain are not as fashionable as they once were, but that doesn’t apply to Minehead, because it was never in fashion. I may be being a bit harsh here because I spent many a happy hour at Butlin’s Holiday Camp when I was growing up – and many people still do, but with a population of just 12,000, Minehead was never going to be another Blackpool or Bournemouth.
The town is situated on the Bristol Channel coast at the western edge of Bridgwater Bay, but with the second highest tidal range in the world (after Fundy Bay in Canada), this stretch of water has had a mixed blessing for towns on both sides of the channel. It may have been an asset when ships could take advantage of the fast running tides, but as ship construction became more advanced and less reliant on nature, it wasn’t as important as it once was.
Even though it wasn’t all plain sailing, Minehead’s thriving harbour traded with places like Wales, Ireland and France for centuries, but by the 19th century it had gone into decline, and tourism started to take over as the town’s main source of income.
In 1874 the railway arrived at Minehead, and with it came many holidaymakers, but in reality, the town couldn’t compete with other resorts that were closer to bigger centres of population, let alone the blue sea and skies of the Mediterranean. The railway managed to keep going until 1971 when it was closed down, but all wasn’t lost because 5 years later it reopened as the West Somerset Heritage Railway – and is still going strong today.
Apart from the holiday camp, Minehead’s main attraction though is its proximity to Exmoor National Park. The popular town of Dunster with its castle is only a 10 minute drive away, but there are some attractive villages around Bossington Hill that attract far fewer visitors. Firstly though, I’m going to take you up onto the hill itself which can be reached either by the Coast Path if you’re walking, or a minor road from Minehead’s Higher Town if you’re not.
The highest point on Bossington Hill is Selworthy Beacon, which at 1,013 ft (309m) may not seem that high, but I can assure there are some fabulous views up here. To the south-west is Dunkery Beacon, Exmoor’s highest point at 1,703 ft, and across the Bristol Channel is South-Wales. If you’ve driven up onto the hill, the road leads to a car park which offers some enticing views of the Exmoor coastline.
Bossington Hill actually comes to an end at Hurlstone Point, which is where it meets the Bristol Channel and Porlock Bay. The 2½ mile (4 km) long beach curves around the bay to Porlock Weir and consists of a shingle ridge, which after thousands of years, created a barrier between the sea and the flat inland area behind it – or it did until it was breached by a storm in 1996 that created an ecologically interesting saltwater marsh in its wake.
Much of the area around here is cared for by the National Trust (NT), and a well maintained footpath leads inland from the beach to Bossington village.
Bossington village is part of the beautiful 12,500 acre Holnicote Estate, which before being acquired by the National Trust belonged to the Acland family. I say acquired, because it’s debateable as to whether the estate was given or sold to the NT, but whichever way you look at it, and no matter what I think of the way the NT is being currently run as an organisation, they do a grand job of looking after our coast and countryside.
The minor road out of Bossington leads to Allerford, another attractive village that has a stream running through it. Historically speaking, there’s not much to say about Allerford, unless that is, you’re a big fan of John Moresby. John who? I hear you ask, and just in case you won’t be able to sleep tonight unless I tell you, he was the admiral who explored the coastline of New Guinea and is why the country’s capital, Port Moresby, is named after him. This useless bit of information might not get you rushing down to Allerford straight away, but at least you won’t need to start counting sheep when you put your head on the pillow tonight.
Although I can’t be sure, there must be a distinct possibility that Moresby went to the local school, as it was built nine years before he was born in 1830. It closed as a school in 1981 but was reopened three years later as the West Somerset Rural Life Museum. It wasn’t open when I was here, but the main attraction in the village – the Packhorse Bridge – never closes.
The final village I want to take you to is Selworthy, arguably the most picturesque of those scattered under Bossington Hill, and if your idea of a picturesque village is one of thatched cottages set around a village green where you can enjoy a picnic or cream tea, then there won’t be any argument at all.
The village goes back quite a long way, but apart from the 15th century All Saints Church, there isn’t much to prove it, and that’s because Sir Thomas Acland rebuilt the village in 1828 to house the elderly and infirm of his Holnicote estate. It was a model village built in a similar style to Blaise Hamlet at Henbury in Bristol which had been built around 17 years earlier.
It has to be said that although Blaise Hamlet is definitely worth a visit, it doesn’t lie in such lovely surroundings as Selworthy, or even Allerford and Bossington. Now tell me that Minehead isn’t worth at least one overnight stop – and accommodation is cheaper than Dunster too.
POSTED – NOVEMBER 2023
Originally posted 2023-11-18 14:39:35.
This whole area looks like a walker’s paradise, Malc. With coastline like that, countryside as lovely as Bossington Hill and these picturesque villages, and with the added benefit of well maintained footpaths to boot (pardon the pun!), it would indeed be worth staying in Minehead for! Very much so! I knew about the South-West Coast path (love the sculpture marking the start) but I hadn’t realised quite how long it was. Now there’s a thought… 😉
I’ve covered much of the coast path, some of it on foot and some of it not Alli, and my daughter’s ambition is to cover it all on foot, but in stages. Some people do the whole lot in one go would you believe.. It’s definitely one of the country’s great outdoor challenges and Maddie would certainly love it I reckon.
One for the list then. 🙂
I’m sold! Forget Vienna. Take me to Bossington Hill.
Only if you promise not to fall over.
Hmmm… that’s a tricky one!
🙂
Another inspiring post, reminding me that I really need to get out more.
Thanks!. We’re not under lockdown now you know 🙂
😂
Oh yes, pretty villages and sweeping views – what’s not to like? I’ve been to a number of places you mention (Dunster, Porlock, Selworthy, Dunkery Beacon) but never, as far as I can remember, to Bossington Hill.
Fortunately there aren’t as many wild creatures hanging around here as there are in Madagascar – unless you include the ‘Beast of Exmoor’ 🙂
I am glad, Malc, that you are back in your entertaining frame of mind! I laughed at your suggestion of my loss of sleep if I don’t get all the details about the admiral John Moresby exploits on the other side of the world, and they were indeed impressive!
Your post, Malc, is delightful, as there are just a few places on this planet as beautiful as the traditional English
village with thatched cottages, the roses around the door, the little churches and the air of peace and safety.
The historical side covers the details of their creations, a close by little towns, and the proximity of Exmoor and the scenic pathway by the sea.
Your excellent photos, Malc, add the voice to the words of your post, and gave the overwhelming illusion of walking with you too, and even riding on the steam train!
Thank you, Malc, for brightening my day, in time of horrific news!
Joanna
Thank you so much for your wonderful comments Joanna. I know you’ve been having trouble with your computer whch is why I thought your comments weren’t coming through. If it makes you feel any better my computer got attacked by a storm we had last week and I had to re-do much of this post again because it happened before I had time to back it all up – and what’s more I had to fork out for another computer before I could do it.
I’m glad that you enjoyed this post because the world’s full of so much grief at the moment without writing about it and I thought it was about time I wrote about some of the more simple pleasures in life.
As always, Malc, we are in agreement, and you are more than welcome!
Joanna
What a lovely place. Yhe better for not being over touristed too. Loved all the pictures.
Thanks Shey. I’ve got the CDs up and running (hopefully) but I haven’t sat down and watched them properly yet.
The quality won’t be the best–like that the start had degenerated badly on the tape. But it will give a flavor. And thank you. Glad ou go sorted out.
I’ll bear that in mind Shey. Thanks again for sending them.
Yeah the first bit of Act one had gone and when it came back it was bumpy for a bit. The old vid tape has just gone there. A pity cos there was a song from the balcony at the very beginning
I’ve started to sit down and watch it along with the script. Just so that I know where I am with it, can you refresh my memory where this took place and the overview of what I’m watching. My head’s spinning with so much information lately.
Well… I think that unlike Halflins where we placed bets every night to see how far we’d get before it went out the window—-as the vid of that shows, a new record was set at the start of act 1 scene 2, and from then it wasn’t just out the window, it was down the street. the Claverse script was pretty well stuck to. But there is a lot about these times there and these were complciated times. Now most was filmed in Camperdown house until near the end of Act 2 where it was picked up in Mains Castle. The scope was between 1684 and 89, starting with Claverhouse’s marriage to the daughter of a prominent rebel family for whcih he found himself in disgrace and covering the biz of Charles’ 2nd death so James, duke of York, becomes king and messes that up. The scnees were a misture setting wise of the grahame family home, Dudhope Castle Dundee and Edinburgh but there’s ome in the west of scotland and some in London.
Ah! Thank you. Now I know where I am 🙂
LOl…. better than me in halflins and most days in mah life !!
Or should I add…..are you doon the street, or
over the river yet???
😄 More like under the table.
Brilliant post with wonderful images and it’s one area where we explored though not enough walking was enjoyed because the weather wasn’t the best. Devon holds a very special place in our hearts as family/friends live there. I remembered the yellow thatched cottage.
Thank you Suzanne and I’m glad it brought back some meories of friends and family. It’s always good to hear somebody tell me that.
Beautiful area, Malc. Very nice pictures.
Thanks Pat. Glad you enjoyed it.
Bookmarked to come back later for a thorough read. Looks amazing.
An interesting read over my afternoon coffee Malc. I’m never likely to go there so thanks for showing me round. The villages and cottages look so pretty, favourite shot is the fourth one in the last slideshow, it could easily be a jigsaw puzzle picture 🙂
It’s a bit different to Toxteth I must admit, but I thought I would lighten things up a bit with what’s going on everywhere at the moment 🙂