Minehead Beach, Minehead, Exmoor National Park
Most popular family beach in this part of the Westcountry
Minehead Beach is the most popular family beach in this part of the Westcountry. Located on the eastern border of Exmoor National Park below the imposing North Hill, it's a huge low tide mainly sand beach that's geared to holidaymakers. The beach backs onto a sea wall and promenade. There are great local facilities including pubs, cafes and shops. Minehead Harbour is at the western end of the beach. Dunster Beach is to the south east.
Location of Minehead Beach
Minehead Beach is located by the eastern border of Exmoor National Park in West Somerset. The popular Exmoor gateway village of Dunster is to the south east. The Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is to the east.
The beach sits below North Hill. Porlock Bay, Bossington Beach and Porlock Beach are to the west.
We've positioned Minehead Beach on Google maps. Zoom in on the 'Satellite' setting to see its location.
Directions to, and parking at, Minehead Beach
Drive the A39 to Minehead and then follow one of the many roads across town to the seafront.
Moving west to east, there's parking at Quay West Car Park (by Minehead Harbour), North Road Car Park (behind the Esplanade), Station Car Park and the large East Car Park behind the eastern end of Minehead Beach. There's also plenty of parking behind the sea wall along Warren Road, the Esplanade and Quay Street.
You can walk in on the South West Coast Path and the West Somerset Coast Path.
Last, you can take the West Somerset Railway to Minehead. Note that the nearest national network train station is at Taunton.
Minehead Beach
Minehead is a huge low tide mainly sand beach that arcs from Minehead Harbour in the west to Madbrain Sands/Dunster Beach in the east. The back area of the beach is sand. There are areas of sand and stone most noticeably to the west near the harbour. The beach is sand and mud where it meets the sea at low tide.
There's a pebble beach just west of Minehead Harbour that's reminiscent of Bossington Beach and Porlock Beach at Porlock Shingle Ridge. Madbrain Sands and Dunster Beach are vast low tide sand and stone beaches. Note that there's a submarine forest at Madbrain Sands at low tide.
Minehead Beach backs onto a sea wall and there are substantial sea defences on either side. The South West Coast Path starts/ends behind the western section of the beach. The West Somerset Coast Path heads east behind the sand.
You can enjoy beautiful views of Minehead Beach from Minehead Harbour and North Hill.
There are good facilities and you can try various watersports in the area.
Beaches near Minehead Beach
Beaches on the coastline east of Minehead Beach:
Dunster Beach
Blue Anchor Beach
Watchet West Street Beach
Helwell Bay Beach
Doniford Beach
St Audrie's Bay Beach
East Quantoxhead Beach
Kilve Beach
Lilstock Beach
Beaches on the coastline west of Minehead Beach:
Bossington Beach
Porlock Beach
Sillery Sands (Beach)
Lynmouth Eastern Beach
Lynmouth Western Beach
Wringcliff Bay Beach
Lee Abbey Bay Beach
Woody Bay Beach
Heddon's Mouth Beach
Wild Pear Beach
Combe Martin Beach
Combe Martin Newbury Beach
Broadsands Beach
Watermouth Cove (Beach)
Hele Beach
Ilfracombe Rapparee Cove (Beach)
Ilfracombe Wildersmouth Beach
Ilfracombe Tunnels Beaches
Lee Bay Beach
Sandy Cove (Beach)
North Devon Atlantic facing beaches:
Rockham Beach
Grunta Beach
Barricane Beach
Woolacombe Sand (Beach)
Putsborough Sand (Beach)
Croyde Sand (Beach)
Saunton Sands (Beach)
Northam Burrows Beach
Westward Ho! Beach
Instow Sands (Beach)
Things to do near Minehead Beach
South West Coast Path
West Somerset Coast Path
Dunster Castle
The Dunster Douglas (the tallest tree in England)
West Somerset Railway
Dunkery Beacon
The Valley of Rocks
Lynton and Lynmouth Railway
Watersmeet (National Trust)
Villages and towns near Minehead Beach
Dunster
Selworthy
Bossington
Porlock
Porlock Weir
Lynton
Lynmouth