famous road
Porlock Hill
Britain's steepest A-road, where the A39 climbs out of Porlock onto Exmoor at gradients up to 1-in-4 with two severe hairpins. A scenic Victorian toll road offers a gentler coastal alternative.
9 km · about 15 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Minehead
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Minehead
Minehead works well as a base: 15 minutes from Porlock, 9km from Porlock Hill.
Minehead is in England, United Kingdom, with about 12,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Porlock, about 8 km away.
Minehead is a coastal town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It lies on the south bank of the Bristol Channel, 21 miles (34 km) north-west of the county town of Taunton, 12 miles (19 km) from the boundary with the county of Devon and close to the Exmoor National Park. The parish includes Alcombe and Woodcombe,Read more
suburban villages which have been subsumed into Minehead. At the 2021 census, the parish had a population of 11,752.
There was a small port at Minehead by 1380, which grew into a major trading centre during the medieval period. Most trade transferred to larger ports during the 20th century, but pleasure steamers continued to call at the port. Major rebuilding took place in the Lower or Middle town area following a fire in 1791. The fortunes of the town revived with the growth in sea bathing, and by 1851 was becoming a retirement centre. There was a marked increase in building during the early years of the 20th century, which resulted in the wide main shopping avenue and adjacent roads with Edwardian-style architecture. The town is the home of a Butlins Holiday Park, which increases the seasonal tourist population by several thousand.
There are a variety of schools and religious, cultural and sporting facilities including sailing, windsurfing and golf. An ancient local tradition involves the Hobby Horse, which takes to the streets for four days on the eve of the first of May each year, with accompanying musicians and rival horses. The town is the starting point of the South West Coast Path National Trail, the nation's longest long-distance countryside walking trail. The Minehead Railway, which opened in 1874 and closed in 1971, has since been reopened as the West Somerset Railway.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Minehead?
Within an hour or so of Minehead: Porlock Hill (9 km), Porlock Hill (A39) (9 km), Dunkery Beacon (9 km), Tarr Steps (17 km).
Are there any good drives near Minehead?
The nearest famous roads are Porlock Hill, Countisbury Hill and Cheddar Gorge Road (B3135).
Where is Minehead?
Minehead is in England, United Kingdom, about 8 km from Porlock.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 11,757
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 51.2045, -3.4828
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Minehead
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
famous road
Porlock Hill (A39)
One of England's steepest A-roads at 1-in-4 with hairpins out of Porlock onto Exmoor; a toll road offers a gentler alternative.
9 km · about 15 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Dunkery Beacon
The highest point on Exmoor and in Somerset at 519 m, with views to the Brecon Beacons and Dartmoor on clear days.
9 km · about 15 min drive
bridge
Tarr Steps
A 17-span prehistoric-style clapper bridge across the River Barle on Exmoor, repeatedly rebuilt after floods.
17 km · about 20 min drive
famous road
Countisbury Hill
A long 1-in-4 climb on the A39 out of Lynmouth onto Exmoor, with sweeping views over the Bristol Channel.
22 km · about 25 min drive
natural wonder
Watersmeet
A wooded gorge where Hoar Oak Water joins the East Lyn, with a National Trust tea garden in a former fishing lodge.
23 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Lynmouth
A harbour village where the East and West Lyn rivers meet the sea, rebuilt after the catastrophic flood of 1952.
25 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway
A water-powered funicular opened in 1890, climbing 152 m of 1-in-1.75 cliff between the two villages.
25 km · about 30 min drive
Driving roads near Minehead
- Right herePorlock HillBritain's steepest A-road, where the A39 climbs out of Porlock onto Exmoor at gradients up to 1-in-4 with two severe hairpins. A scenic Victorian toll road offers a gentler coastal alternative.
- Right herePorlock Hill (A39)One of England's steepest A-roads at 1-in-4 with hairpins out of Porlock onto Exmoor; a toll road offers a gentler alternative.
- Right hereDunkery BeaconThe highest point on Exmoor and in Somerset at 519 m, with views to the Brecon Beacons and Dartmoor on clear days.
- 17 kmTarr StepsA 17-span prehistoric-style clapper bridge across the River Barle on Exmoor, repeatedly rebuilt after floods.
- 22 kmCountisbury HillA long 1-in-4 climb on the A39 out of Lynmouth onto Exmoor, with sweeping views over the Bristol Channel.
- 51 kmCheddar Gorge ViewpointEngland's largest gorge with 450-foot limestone cliffs, offering jaw-dropping views from several pull-off points along the winding road.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
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