Kilve Coast: Wildlife Walk

Book Cover- The Nature of Somerset's Coast
Grade
Easy
Distance
2.5 miles / 4km
Duration
2 hours
Event type
Coastal ecology, Official Festival Walk, Walk
Heritage and History, Nature and ecology
Walk Type
Circular walks
Date & time
Finished
Cost
£8
Venue & Location
St Mary's Church, East Quantoxhead
  • East Quantoxhead Duck Pond
  • Rock formations at East Quantoxhead
  • Kilve beach
  • Kilve beach
  • St Mary's Church, Kilve
  • The East Quantoxhead coastline view
  • East Quantoxhead Estate woods

Discover this stunning section of coast and countryside between East Quantoxhead and Kilve. Nigel Phillips, author of The Nature of Somerset's Coast, is an ambassador for the Somerset coast and will be highlighting the wildlife to be found on this walk. Please bring binoculars and field guides if you have them.

The walk begins in the tranquil village of East Quantoxhead where picturesque, thatched cottages, medieval barns and the village duckpond sit alongside St Mary's Church and Court House, the manor house for the East Quantoxhead Estate, parts of which date back to the 13th Century.

Leaving the village the route heads to the coast and the King Charles III England Coast Path, where it turns east towards Kilve. The coast here offers great views across the channel to Wales, west to Minehead and east to Steep Holm and Brean Down.

The shore in this area has fascinating rock formations protected as part of the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) that runs from Lilstock to Blue Anchor; the same Jurassic Blue Lias formation that runs under West Dorset re-emerges here on Somerset’s coast, and the limestone deposits are rich with the fossils of sea creatures that existed millions of years ago.

At Kilve we turn inland passing the old Chantry and St Mary’s Church Kilve, before returning across farmland and through local woods to East Quantoxhead.

Walk Leader:

The walk will be led by Nigel Phillips. A seashore and coast enthusiast, Nigel has written books on the Somerset coast, including a shore-life identifications guide and, most recently, The Nature of Somerset’s Coast, which supports the Somerset Wildlife Trust.

Terrain:

The route takes place on a mixture of farm and woodland footpaths and tracks with a short section of quiet rural road in Kilve. The beach here is a combination of pebbled areas and rock pavements.

Meeting Point:

The meeting point for the walk is St Mary’s Church Car Park, East Quantoxhead, Bridgwater TA5 1EJ, UK. There is an honesty box at the car park for a suggested donation of £1.50, so please bring change.

Get in touch with the organiser for more information

Telephone

email

info@somersetcoastfestival.co.uk

Website

Info & Booking

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