This month, Andrew Swift, takes us on a circular walk along the Somerset Coast Path to the rocky cove of Charlcombe Bay. The walk not only takes in Charlcombe Bay and the coast path, but also loops inland, climbing through ancient woodland and crossing a high common littered with Bronze and Iron Age remains and now managed as a nature reserve. Image above: Along the coast path
Walk this way…
Length of Walk: Five miles
Approximate Time: Three to four hours
Terrain: Steep climbs and descents, one flight of tricky steps and rough and overgrown paths. A short section across a golf course and two places where cattle may be encountered. A walking pole may be useful for the steps and any ‘off piste’ explorations. As much of the coast path leads through a green tunnel, with overhanging branches and occasional trailing brambles, you may also wish to consider wearing a hat.
Map: OS Explorer 154
Much of the North Somerset coastline is characterised by shining sands, mudflats and salt marshes, but there are also, if you know where to look, some sheltered, rocky coves. Although most are inaccessible, a few are relatively easy to climb down to, and one of the finest is Charlcombe Bay, near Portishead.
Charlcombe Bay is also one of the least known coves and receives few visitors, even in the height of summer. There is no road anywhere near, so you have to get there on foot, following the Somerset Coast Path.
Start in the village of Walton in Gordano
The starting point is in the village of Walton in Gordano, which lies on the B3124 between Clevedon and Portishead. As you drive through the village, look out for Walton Street (with a signpost to St Paul’s church) and turn north along it.
The lane is narrow and busy, but after 600m, shortly after passing Spring Head Cottage, you come to a wider section with room for several cars to park on the left (ST423735: BS21 7AP).
Having parked, walk back to Spring Head Cottage and turn right along a grassy track beside the spring. After a few metres, bear left up steps to follow a rough track up through Rock Wood. The track eventually levels out and after 650m you emerge on the edge of a golf course (ST418731). Carry on for another 200m, with the woods on your right, before turning right along a stony track.
When the track forks, bear left through a kissing gate (KG), carry on down a tarmac drive, and, when you come to a footpath signpost, turn right along a road leading to the club house (ST415729). When you reach the car park, carry straight on along a grassy footpath past a five-bar gate. After another 50m, turn left at a T junction and follow the path past a broken-down stile to be greeted by a view of the estuary far below.
Carry on along the path for 200m before turning right to follow it steeply downhill. Care is needed here – the rudimentary steps could be a succession of trip hazards. At the bottom, turn right along the Somerset Coast Path (ST410732).
The Coast Path Guide describes this as ‘the best bit of the path anywhere between Bristol and Stert Point’, running along a ‘lovely, charming, coy stretch of coastline, all secretive coves and bays’. The path is also overgrown, but, as most of what impedes your progress consists of ferns and similarly innocuous vegetation, forging your way through this green tunnel, with the sound of the surf for company, only adds to the sense of adventure.
Look out for extraordinary rock formations
The coastline here is geologically complex and there are some extraordinary rock formations and caverns to look out for. There are several places where you can scramble down to the rocky ledge below, but, if you decide to do so, you need to exercise extreme caution, for this coastline is not as benign as it may seem. Rock falls are common and some of the cliffs rise to over 30m.
A recent episode of Saving Lives at Sea featured the rescue of a man who had fallen while trying to scramble down such a cliff to save his dog. If you stick to the path, however, and keep dogs on leads, you should be absolutely fine.
After about 1800m you pass below Portishead Signal Station (ST424743). This was built in the early 20th century on the site of what maps describe as a ‘pigeon house’ – the cove below it is still known as Pigeon House Bay. The station was manned by watch-keepers who signalled to ships anchored offshore, using flags, to let them know when berths were available at Avonmouth. It was later converted to a communication relay station.
A little further on, the path runs below the chalets of Walton Bay Caravan Park. Walton Bay is the small inlet down to your left, which may look tempting. Access is tricky, however, and Charlcombe Bay, a little further on, presents no such problems.
After another 200m, when you come to a waymark on the left, you will see a path leading up through a tunnel of trees on the right (ST430747). Although you will be heading up it later, for now carry on along the coast path and after 350m, just after passing a wooden gate on the left, turn left down steps to Charlcombe Bay.
This is the largest inlet on this stretch of coastline, and, although the suburbs of Portishead start less than half a mile away, the chances are you will have it more or less to yourself. It’s a lovely place to linger, wandering around, idly turning over the pebbles, or just sitting to enjoy the views out to sea and the sound of waves lapping the shore.
The return walk
When you are ready to leave, head back along the coast path and turn up the path you passed earlier. After going through a KG, carry on up as the path steepens, past venerable crab apple trees, into a field where there are likely to be cows. They appear placid, but should you want to avoid them, you can carry on up on either side of the hedge, although the KG at the top is on the left-hand side of it.
Image: Heading steeply downhill
After going through the KG, cross the road and head straight on along a lane which soon degenerates into a stony track. After 250m, as you enter woodland, you come to three turnings on the right in quick succession. Take the third, marked with a footpath signpost, to head west through Common Hill Wood, designated by Natural England as Ancient & Semi-Natural Woodland, and with an unkempt, brooding charm.
After 700m, you emerge on Walton Common (ST428738). This secluded spot is not only a nature reserve, managed by the Avon Wildlife Trust and grazed by cattle, but also a scheduled ancient monument, with Bronze and Iron Age remains. As you carry on past information boards, you walk through the grassy ramparts of an Iron Age hillfort.
Image: The view of the estuary
Carry on in the same direction, and, after passing through the ramparts on the far side, when the path forks, carry straight on. After passing a waymark, open grassland gives way to ferns. Soon the path enters woodland again and starts to drop downhill. Carry straight on when you come to a crosspath, beyond which the path swings right before heading through a KG and dropping down to the road, a right turn along which takes you back to the starting point.
To read more of Andrew Swift’s work and purchase his books, visit akemanpress.com | All photos courtesy of Andrew Swift