Selworthy Beacon

Perched above Minehead, this coastal Marilyn offers panoramas of the Bristol Channel that are arguably too good for the minimal effort required. It’s a heather-clad haven where the South West Coast Path almost reaches the summit, but settles for a scenic compromise instead.

• •Standing at 308 meters, this is a designated Marilyn, meaning it has a drop of at least 150 meters on all sides—not bad for a hill you can practically drive up.
• •The beacon was historically part of a chain of signal fires used to warn of approaching invaders, though today it mostly signals that you’ve nearly reached Minehead.
• •Much of the surrounding land belongs to the National Trust’s Holnicote Estate, which covers over 12,000 acres of diverse Exmoor landscape from moorland to coast.
• •On a clear day, the views across the Bristol Channel reveal the Welsh coastline so clearly you can almost hear the distant debate over whether it's going to rain there first.
• •The road leads almost to the very top, meaning you’ll likely find yourself standing at the summit, windswept and triumphant, only to be overtaken by a retiree in a Honda Jazz who didn't even break a sweat.