Bridgwater

Bridgwater is a sizeable town: the parish had 38,310 people at the 2021 census. It lies along both sides of the River Parrett, with the Quantock Hills to the west and the Mendips to the north. For a visitor, it is a practical base with a real town around it rather than a village.

The town’s best-known son is Admiral Robert Blake, born here in 1598, and a house in Blake Street is believed to be his birthplace. A statue of him by F. W. Pomeroy, made in 1898, stands in front of the Corn Exchange. The town’s annual Guy Fawkes Carnival is an illuminated procession that its organisers rank among the largest in the world. In 2026 it sets off at 6pm on Saturday 7 November, with grandstand seats at £32, so book early if you plan to come then.

For outdoor time, the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal runs about 14 miles between the two towns. It opened in 1827 and was reopened throughout in 1994. Its towpath forms part of National Cycle Network route 3, which runs from Bristol and Bath to Land’s End, so cyclists and walkers have a flat line out of town. Bridgwater Bay has been a Site of Special Scientific Interest since 1989 and is a Ramsar wetland of international importance. The Battle of Sedgemoor, which ended the Monmouth Rebellion, was fought nearby in 1685.