Clevedon
Introduction
Clevedon is a seaside town in North Somerset, England, set along the Severn Estuary among small hills. Several of these hills shape the town and its surroundings, including Church Hill, Wain's Hill, Dial Hill, Strawberry Hill, Castle Hill, Hangstone Hill and Court Hill, the last a Site of Special Scientific Interest with overlaid Pleistocene deposits. The town is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086.
Clevedon grew in the Victorian period as a seaside resort, and that heritage still defines its character as a place to visit by the estuary.
Before you go
Clevedon sits on the South West England coast, where the climate is temperate and generally wetter and milder than elsewhere in the country. The nearby sea keeps seasonal temperature variation less extreme than in most of the United Kingdom, so summers are warmest in July and August and winters bring cool to cold minimums rather than deep freezes. Rain is a regular feature at any time of year, so pack layers and something waterproof whatever the season.
The town's shoreline is made up of pebbled beaches and low rocky cliffs, with an old harbour at the western edge where the Land Yeo meets the sea. The rocky beach is a designated geological Site of Special Scientific Interest, so expect to share the foreshore with people studying the rocks as well as those simply strolling. Set aside time for the seafront's ornamental gardens and Victorian bandstand, and note that Salthouse Field has a light railway around its perimeter and donkey rides in summer.
Getting there
By car, Clevedon is reached from Junction 20 of the M5. The nearest railway station is Yatton, on the Bristol to Exeter line, served by Great Western Railway.
Getting around
The seafront, pier and town centre sit close together, which makes walking between them straightforward.
Where to stay
Clevedon has very little in the way of accommodation, so plan ahead if you intend to stay overnight. The one established option is the Walton Park Hotel (Best Western) on Wellington Terrace, with a BS21 postcode.
Food & drink
The source material for Clevedon contains no information on where or what to eat and drink, so there is nothing to say here without inventing it.What to see and do
Start on the seafront, which runs from the pier to Salthouse Field and packs in ornamental gardens, a Victorian bandstand, a bowling green, tennis courts and crazy golf. Marine Lake, a former Victorian swimming pool, is now used for boating and hosts a small annual festival where you can try out new sports. Salthouse Field has a light railway running round its perimeter and summer donkey rides. Above the town, Clevedon Pier is a classic Victorian pleasure pier, and Clevedon Court, a National Trust property, sits on Tickenham Road.
The shore itself mixes pebbled beaches with low rocky cliffs, and the old harbour lies at the western edge of town at the mouth of the Land Yeo. The rocky beach is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest, a mineralised fault beside the pier where baryte and a range of sulphide minerals can be seen in the dolomitic conglomerate. For walking, follow Poets' Walk, a footpath looping round Wain's Hill and Church Hill south-west of the seafront, named for visitors such as Coleridge and Tennyson. The upper town has further footpaths through parks and wooded areas laid out in the 19th century, and a local nature reserve across Church Hill and Wain's Hill takes in calcareous grassland, coastal scrub and woodland.
Three days in Clevedon
Day one: Start in Clevedon and get your bearings on foot, climbing Church Hill, Wain Hill, Dial Hill, Strawberry Hill, Castle Hill, Hangstone Hill or Court Hill for views over the town and the Severn Estuary. Drop down to Marine Lake, then walk out above Clevedon Pier, the Victorian landmark that gives the seafront its character. If the weather turns — rain is common in July and August — save the hills for another day and take a slow wander instead.
- Church Hill
- Wain Hill
- Dial Hill
- Strawberry Hill
- Castle Hill
- Hangstone Hill
- Court Hill
- Marine Lake
- Clevedon Pier
Day two: Follow the Land Yeo and the old route through Salthouse Field, where the junction by the Site of Special Scientific Interest reveals the town's Pleistocene past. Continue to the Domesday Book village of Yatton, or head into Bristol or Exeter by rail on the Great Western Railway. Back in Clevedon, settle into a terrace for the evening — Wellington Terrace and the area around the Walton Park Hotel make a good base for a stroll.
- Land Yeo
- Salthouse Field
- Site of Special Scientific Interest
- Pleistocene
- Domesday Book
- Yatton
- Bristol
- Exeter
- Great Western Railway
- Wellington Terrace
- Walton Park Hotel
Day three: Use your last day to explore the neighbourhoods of Clevedon at an unhurried pace, from the hills to the seafront, and take in the views across the Severn Estuary towards South West England. Finish with a walk above Clevedon Pier and a look back over the town before you leave North Somerset.
- Clevedon
- Severn Estuary
- South West England
- North Somerset
- Clevedon Pier