Poet’s Walk

Poets’ Walk in Clevedon is a little over a mile long, but offers a rich diversity of wildlife, an Iron Age fort, a Second World War shelter, and lovely views across the Bristol Channel. Its name references the poets, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Alfred Tennyson, who visited Clevedon and were inspired by the time they spent there.

St Andrew’s Church sits on a hill overlooking the Bristol Channel. It was used as the parish church in the television series, ‘Broadchurch’ and is a very attractive Grade 1 listed building. It is the burial place of Arthur Hallam, subject of the poem, In Memoriam AHH, by his friend, Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The poem begins…

Strong Son of God, immortal Love,

   Whom we, that have not seen thy face,

   By faith, and faith alone, embrace,

Believing where we cannot prove;

Thine are these orbs of light and shade;

   Thou madest Life in man and brute;

   Thou madest Death; and lo, thy foot

Is on the skull which thou hast made.

The Poet’s Walk starts (or finishes!) to the right hand side of the church (well worth popping in to!), up a slight incline and around the curve of the peninsular, offering views across the water to Clevedon Pier. Following the path around the coastline, you come across the ‘Sugar Lookout’, built in about 1835 by Ferdinand Beeston, then owner of the Salt House which was restored in 2000.

The path leads round and down to Marine Lake. Words on the steps are taken from Tennyson’s poem, ‘In Memoriam’ and lead up into the woodland- or you can follow the road round and back to the church. It is a very short walk, but one which has much to recommend it in terms of beauty and peace.

Although called ‘The Poets’ Walk’, there is little reference to the poets who supposedly walked it! A leaflet about the walk produced by North Somerset Council can be found here.