Walking the Coleridge Way
- In the Footsteps of the Romantic Poet
A walking holiday along the Coleridge Way takes you through peaceful mixed landscape of Somerset, from the Quantocks, England’s first Area Of Natural Beauty, through the Brendon Hills and into Exmoor National Park.
The Coleridge Way passes through woodland, farmland, deep combs. high moorland heath, and hidden villages that inspired Coleridge during his time in this charming area.
The poet was a prolific walker, thinking nothing of a 40-mile hike to visit friends. Coleridge’s most creative period was in Somerset, where he rented a cottage in Nether Stowey in 1797. Within three years he wrote all his most famous work, often as he walked the surrounding hills and combs.
“Now, my friends emerge/ Beneath the wide wide Heaven – and view again / The many-steepled tract magnificent/ Of hilly fields and meadows, and the sea.”
Beginning at Coleridge’s modest cottage, you continue to Wordsworth’s House in AlfoxtonPark and ascend the slopes of the Quantocks Hills ; with an early start you may catch sight of some of the 1000 plus red deer which roam here.
Your walk continues over the red soil pastures, of rolling BrendonHills, interspersed by deep green combs, and along the beautiful high moorland edges of Exmoor, one of our finest wild open landscapes.
Along the way you pass through secluded villages with wonderful names like Quantoxhead, and Bicknoller Monksilver where you may be tempted by an array of ancient pubs, which lubricated the thirst of Coleridge and Wordsworth on their walks.
The final views from Exmoor are amazing, across into south Wales, and into mid-Devon, before you descending gradually to the coast at Porlock Bay, where you meet the spectacular South West Coast Path.
Our team would be delighted to talk to you about an itinerary for a walking holiday along the Coleridge Way
Celtic Trails has 20 years’ experience providing tailored, quality itineraries for walkers who appreciate good service, comfort and organisation.
