By /

Brean and Berrow

Brean & Berrow

Brean and Berrow sit at the northern end of the Somerset coast which ends with the dramatic backdrop of Brean Down – a historic monument managed by the National Trust and full of history, wildlife and rare plants. Beneath this dramatic backdrop is Brean beach, the northern end of the seven mile long stretch of sand that begins in Burnham-on-Sea to the south. A fantastic holiday destination, it is the perfect setting for a trip to the seaside, offering miles of sandy beach as far as the eye can see and plenty of open space to enjoy.

The sands in Berrow are backed by dunes that are recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Local Nature Reserve to protect their varied habitats, including sand, saltmarsh, slacks, ponds, scrub, woodland and a freshwater lagoon. These support a high level of diversity including over 270 plant species, many relatively rare.  Just south of the Nature Reserve is the wreck of the Nornen, a wooden barque from Norway which became grounded in a storm in 1897, and proved impossible to salvage. Two stark rows of broken timbers are all that remains.

Whether you’re on holiday or just visiting for the day, the beach is a sunbathing hotspot perfect for building sandcastles, playing beach games and paddling in the sea – when the tide is in. There are footpaths from the coast road to the beach along its length, beach access roads in Brean and Berrow, where sections of the beach are available for beach parking, and car parks at Brean Down and Berrow.  Due to the length of the beach here, this area still retains uncrowded areas for those seeking solitude to get away from it all. The beach is dog-friendly all year round, making it ideal for dog walks too.

Alternatively you can head to the top of Brean Down and take the exhilarating 1.5 mile walk along Somerset’s greatest natural pier. At 97m high, the views from the top are truly spectacular, looking out over the Bristol Channel towards south Wales and Steep Holm, inland over the Somerset Levels and west across the Somerset coast to Exmoor. At the end of the peninsular there is a Palmerston Fort with buildings and stores to explore, while the journey to reach it passes the sites of an old iron age fort and a Roman temple!

At the northern end of the beach the National Trust has an information centre and café while in Berrow St Mary’s Church regularly serves cream teas on summer weekends.

  • Brean Down Fort
  • View towards the Mendip Hills from Brean Down
  • Wreck of the Nornen at Berrow
  • Brean Beach
Learn more

What’s on nearby

Self Guided Walk
Burnham-on-Sea Circular Walk
Burnham-on-Sea Circular leaflet cover
Learn more
Self Guided Walk
Berrow Beach Circular
Berrow Beach Circular leaflet cover
Learn more
Trail Passport stamping point
Burnham-on-Sea Visitor Centre
Burnham on Sea Visitor Centre
Learn more
Walk
Coast – Day 8: Highbridge to Brean Down
Wreck of the Nornen at Berrow
When
Sunday, 5th October
Learn more
Walk
Coast Challenge – 80 Miles in Eight Days
Walking the Quantock Hills
When
28th September to 5th October
Learn more
Self Guided Walk
Brean Down Circular
Brean Down Circular leaflet cover
Learn more

Where to stay

Please note: this map shows approximate location
Scroll to Top