England’s SouthWest has so much to offer the walker with its contrasting scenery. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the beautiful countryside and the fascinating heritage.

In this article we talk with Graham & Sue Robinson from Bath & West Country Walks. Graham and Sue have lived in beautiful Somerset (England) all their lives and know it like the back of their hands. They’ve been operating walking tours there for 20 years now and will organise your holiday to meet your needs…

So whether you’re considering a walking holiday for the first time or you’re a keen walker looking to discover a new part of the English countryside, Bath & West Country Walks can help. They offer a variety of guided and self-guided walks to suit everyone. Each package will enable you to come in contact with nature, wildlife and the local heritage and they charge no single supplement on guided holidays.

Why is Somerset such a wonderful area for a walking holiday?

The beautiful area of Somerset has so much to offer the walker with its contrasting scenery. Some of our walks encompass the City of Bath, which has some of the finest architectural sights in Europe with the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey and the famous Georgian Crescent. Wherever you stay in the area you will be pleasantly surprised by the beautiful countryside and the fascinating heritage.

View of the Great Bath, part of the Roman Baths complex, a site of historical interest in the city of Bath, England. The baths, based on the local hot springs, were built during the Roman occupation of Britain.

Could you talk a bit more about some of the sights visitors can see in Somerset?

We’ve planned the walks so that you can discover the rolling hills of the Mendips with the tranquil serene landscape and stone walled villages. Underground the Mendips are honeycombed with caverns carved out of limestone by the erosive power of the water over millions of years.

And if you wish you can visit Cheddar and Wookey Hole Caves on your walks. The mendips are an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ and from the summit of the Mendip Hills you’re able to absorb the spectacular panoramic views towards Exmoor and the South Wales Coast and Salisbury Plain. It’s very beautiful here.

And you also have walks in the Cotswolds?

Yes, we do. In distinctive contrast to the Mendip Hills our walks will take you to the Cotswolds, a range of rolling hills that rise from the meadows of the upper Thames to an escarpment known as Cotswold Edge. Nowhere else in England does the work of nature and the work of man appear to be in greater harmony. The combination of idyllic stone villages and small towns set amidst gentle rolling countryside is without parallel and quintessentially “English”.

Are your walks guided or self-guided?

We offer both Centre-Based and Linear Walks. And all our packages can be designed to meet your requirements should you wish to stay longer or shorter periods. The self-guided Centre-based walks enable you to relax and enjoy the surrounding countryside and its heritage without the need to drive your car.

And what kind of accommodation do you use?

We have a wide variety of accommodation available ranging from hotels, coaching inns to a country manor house. Quality accredited accommodation with en-suite facilities is offered with all our walking packages.

The Cotswolds and Somerset are noted for their high standard of restaurants and delicious food which you can sample. After a day walking within the magnificent scenery you’ll be able to relax and enjoy England’s warm hospitality.

Where can we get more information?

We’re excited about showing you England’s beautiful SouthWest. For more information, see our website and our listings on WalkingHolidayInfo:

• Somerset Towers and Castles (self-guided)
• West Mendip Way (self-guided)
• Cotswolds Towns and Villages (guided)

Image credits

The larger photos are by Bath West Walks. The smaller ones in the public domain (CC0) and sourced from Pixabay. The photo of the Roman baths is a Creative Commons photo from Wikimedia Commons by Diego Delso [CC BY-SA 4.0]