Somerset is a forgiving county to learn to walk in. Paths are generally well waymarked, the hills rarely rise high enough to be intimidating, and you are seldom more than a short drive from a car park, a tearoom or a pub. The five routes below are the ones that come up again and again when people ask where to start.
Each can be finished in a morning or a short afternoon. None needs specialist kit. Between them they cover a hilltop, a wetland, a reservoir, a headland and a river valley, so you can match the walk to your legs, the time you have and whoever is coming with you.
The Tor is the obvious starting point and, for plenty of people, the first Somerset hill they ever climb. From the town centre it is roughly a mile and a half up and back, on a path that steepens sharply near the top. There are steps in places, and the grass turns slick after rain.
Parking is the main frustration. Town car parks are the straightforward option. There is also limited parking closer to the hill on Stone Down Lane, and charges change from year to year, so check the National Trust listing before you travel. If you want a shorter version, starting from the upper lane roughly halves the climb.
The reward is the view: the Levels spread out flat and green, the Mendips to the north, the Quantocks to the west, and the Bristol Channel glinting on a clear day. Go early or late. The summit is popular, and the wind up there is stronger than it looks from the bottom.
If a climb sounds like too much, head for the Avalon Marshes. The RSPB reserve at Ham Wall and the neighbouring Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve share a network of flat, waymarked trails and boardwalks running between reedbeds, pools and wet woodland. Loops of one to three miles are easy to piece together, and you can turn back at any point without missing much.
The surface is gravel and boardwalk, so heavy boots are not essential, though the edges can be muddy after wet weather. Parking is on Ashcott Road between Meare and Shapwick; check current opening times and any donation request before setting out.
Take binoculars if you own a pair. This is one of the best spots in the county for bitterns and marsh harriers, and on winter evenings the starling murmurations draw crowds to the reedbeds. Wrap up: there is little shelter and the light goes quickly.
The reservoir sits below the Mendips just outside Cheddar, and its perimeter path makes a flat circuit of roughly two miles. The surface is firm, a mix of tarmac and compacted gravel, which makes it a sensible choice for pushchairs, for anyone returning from injury, or for breaking in new boots.
There is a small car park beside the water, and it fills quickly on sunny weekends, so aim for early morning or late afternoon. The reservoir is a working water supply, so expect signs about swimming and dogs, and follow them.
The scenery is wide rather than dramatic: open water, reed fringes, birds, and the dark line of the Mendips behind. Shade is scarce, so on a hot day carry water and wear a hat. If you want photographs of Cheddar Gorge without the climb, this is the place to get them.
Brean Down is a limestone headland jutting into the Bristol Channel, cared for by the National Trust. The classic route runs from the car park at the base to the old fort at the far end, about two miles there and back. It begins with a steep flight of steps — the hardest part of the whole walk — then settles into an undulating ridge path.
Parking is at the National Trust car park at the foot of the down, with charges for non-members, so check before you go. Cattle and sheep graze the headland for much of the year, which means dogs need to be kept close and on a lead around livestock. Some sections have sheer drops, so keep children within reach.
From the top you get Steep Holm and Flat Holm, Weston-super-Mare, and on a clear day the Welsh coast. Two warnings. The wind can be fierce with nowhere to hide, and the mudflats below are genuinely dangerous. Stay on the path and keep well clear of the soft ground at low tide.
Tarr Steps, on Exmoor, is a clapper bridge of huge stone slabs laid across the River Barle, and it is generally thought to be medieval in origin. A riverside path runs upstream through oak woodland, with loops of roughly a mile and a half to two and a half miles depending on how far you push on.
This is the roughest terrain of the five: roots, stones, leaf litter and mud, plus a few short pulls. Shoes with grip make a real difference. Parking is at Tarr Steps itself and there is usually a charge; it can be full by late morning at weekends and through the autumn, when the colours bring people out.
One thing to know before you go: the river crosses the road at a ford beside the bridge. After heavy rain it can be deep and fast-moving. Do not drive or walk through it — use the bridge.
Trainers are fine at the reservoir and on the marshes. For the Tor, Brean Down and Tarr Steps, wear something with tread and take a light waterproof — Somerset weather changes its mind quickly. Carry water even on short walks, and start earlier than you think you need to, particularly in winter when daylight runs out by mid-afternoon.
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Photo: John Cronin / Pexels
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