Places We Love to Visit
Over the years we’ve found loads of places we love to visit in the area surrounding Dunster. These are some of our favourites.
Dunster Castle is the real deal, a former motte and bailey castle perched on a hill just a stone’s throw from the beach. First constructed in the 11th century it was fortified and then continually expanded by the Luttrell family who owned it between the 14th and 20th centuries. Today it belongs to the National Trust and as visitors we’ve not only enjoyed nosing around its historic walls, we’ve watched sheepdog and falconry displays, participated in archery and pistol shooting, and lost the kids in the lushly planted garden.
Dunster Castle - 1.7 miles
The quintessential British seaside town, Minehead also boasts the dreaming spires of Butlins – perfect for a day’s holiday entertainment. A bustling promenade and high street sees plenty of sweet shops and beach toys to keep children happy while the stunning North Hill crammed with a mix of architecture gives amazing views back across the bay. Minehead is the starting point of the South West Coast Path National Trail and has a fabulous station where you can pick up the restored railway engines and carriages of the West Somerset Railway.
Minehead 2.9 miles
Get your crab lines out and get yourselves down to Porlock Weir. On the way you can stock up on locally brewed and roasted tea and coffee at the Porlock village Miles factory shop, then burn some rubber on Porlock Hill which climbs 400m in less than 2 miles, with gradients of up to 1 in 4. Porlock Weir is a small harbour about 1.5 miles west of Porlock village. Pretty, with cottages that date back to the 17th century, Porlock Weir features a harbour wall that’s an ideal dunking spot for crabbing. It is tidal of course, so check out times first otherwise you’ll have to languish in one of the pubs until high tide.
Porlock Weir 10.2 miles
Home to the jawdroppingly brilliant Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway, these unique little twin towns offer the best mix of rural and coastal. Park up top at Lynton then take the Victorian funicular lift down the side of a cliff to the bottom of the wooded Lynmouth valley. Kids will enjoy the stunning views, parents will pretend they understand how the lift works. All you need to know is, it’s water-powered.