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Porlock and Porlock Weir Walk

5.6 miles (9 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap This circular walk from the town of Porlock uses sections of the South West Coast Path and the Coleridge Way to take you on a tour of the coast and woods surrounding the town.
The walk starts in Porock and follows the South West Coast Path east to Bossington before turning west along Porlock Bay to the pretty village of Porlock Weir.
It's a very popular area with a lovely harbour and lots of attractive little cottages, many of which date from the 17th century. After exploring the village the walk returns to Porlock via woodland trails around West Porlock.
To extend your walking in the area you can continue along coast path west to England's smallest church in Culbone and onto Foreland Point. The little church is a Grade I listed building, dating from pre Norman times. It's only a short woodland walk from the Porlock Weir car park so well worth a visit.
You can also follow the Coleridge Way south into Exmoor and visit Dunkery Beacon - the highest point in Exmoor and Somerset.
Also nearby is the splendid Holnicote Estate where you can climb Selworthy Beacon and Bossington Hill for more great views.
Just to the west you can explore the beautiful Doone Valley. Here you can try our lovely Lorna Doone Walk which visits some of the sites connected to Richard Dodderidge Blackmore's 1869 novel 'Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor'.

Postcode

TA24 8QD - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locations

Porlock and Porlock Weir OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Porlock and Porlock Weir Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Pubs/Cafes

The Bottom Ship Inn in Porlock Weir is a historic pub of some note. The harbourside inn dates back over 400 years and provides fine views over the Bristol Channel. You can find them at postcode TA24 8PB for your sat navs. They also have a sister pub in Porlock called the Top Ship Inn which dates back to the 13th century. You can find them on the High Street at postcode TA24 8QD.

Dog Walking

The coast, country and woodland around the villages make for a fine dog walk. Both the Ship Inns mentioned above are also very dog friendly.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

The Minehead to Porlock Walk will take you east along the coastal path to the start point of the South West Coast Path at Minehead.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Exmoor Walks page.

Photos

Porlock Weir harbour at low tide - geograph.org.uk - 1710789

Porlock Weir. Harbour at low tide There has been a harbour at Porlock weir for over a thousand years.

The Ship Inn, Porlock Weir - geograph.org.uk - 1710833

The Ship Inn, Porlock Weir. In the village there are several cottages dating from the 17th century, including the Gibraltar Cottages which have been designated as a grade II listed building.

View across Porlock Bay - geograph.org.uk - 926051

View across Porlock Bay. "Porlock" comes from the Old English port loca, meaning an enclosure near a harbour.

Bend in the road in the centre of Porlock - geograph.org.uk - 927924

Thatched cottages in Porlock.

Porlock saltings at high tide, from the Toll Road - geograph.org.uk - 105586

Porlock saltings at high tide, from the Toll Road. Now that the shingle ridge has been breached, the tide floods in to the Decoy and the salt-killed fields show how high the tides can reach in winter

Shingle Ridge, Porlock Beach - geograph.org.uk - 1658355

Shingle Ridge, Porlock Beach

Porlock, The Kiln at Porlock Weir - geograph.org.uk - 358239

The Kiln at Porlock Weir. A house built atop two redundant lime kilns, which once burnt limestone and coal shipped across the Bristol Channel from South Wales. Looking west-north-west

Porlock church

St. Dubricius church, Porlock. This ancient church dates from the 13th century and is Grade I listed. Within the church is a 15th-century tomb of John Harrington who fought alongside Henry V in France in 1417. The nearby Culbone Church is said to be the smallest church in England and dates back to the 12th century.

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Porlock and Porlock Weir.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)

Memory Map Route

Porlock and Porlock Weir.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Download Linked File)