West Country
Richards Mountain Pages


The view above is typical of the rolling fields of Southern England at harvest time. but what might not be so obvious is that the hill in the left background is the prehistoric hill fort of Maiden Castle just outside Dorchester. This hillfort is on such a scale that it can only really be appreciated from the air, where the concentric rings of embankments stand out.

The southwest of England is a tourist honeypot, so here I've tried to avoid all those views that are used to promote the area, and instead looked for the bits that tend to get overlooked. Hence, the view to the right is of the Northern end of the Quantocks. These hills are often missed in the rush to reach Exmoor.

The view on the left this is the side of Durdle Door that you'll never see on a box of chocolates. The famous arch is hidden from view, but instead a rewarding view of many layers of strata can be seen. The gap shown is wide enough for a man to hide in! The beach this side is also much quieter.

You can see Durdle Door by taking on the roller coaster section of the South West coast path, where it passes between Weymouth and Swanage.

Further along, Portland Bill stands out as an island of solid limestone that has somehow resisted the efforts of the weather and man to erode it. Most of the Bill is either a quarry, or has been, since the stone is well sought after. To find out more, visit its page by clicking below.
Further West still, we come to the fossil rich area around Lyme Regis. At nearby Charmouth the cliffs are made of yet more of that sticky grey clay that stinks of sulphur. The fossils this time are mainly sea creatures.

Once you reach Devon the dirt and the cliffs change to a rich red colour. The section of railway between Exeter and Plymouth winds its way through the red cliffs on one of the most scenic stretches in the country. The excitement is over in ten minutes, but the walk between Dawlish Warren and Tynemouth takes in the same ground at a more leisurely pace.

Devon is dominated by the granite swellings of Dartmoor and Exmoor, where a landscape more like those up North can be found. Dartmoor has its own page which can be reached by using the button above.

Beyond the bulges of Dartmoor and Exmoor lies the small moor of Bodmin in Cornwall, famous for its atmospheric Jamaica Inn, and an elusive large moggy. It maybe that the tales of the beast of Bodmin Moor were put out by the landowners, who have a reputation for not liking walkers in this area. Whatever the case, I risked camping out without a supply of cat food to placate it, and was rewarded with a stunning view of Rough Tor at 5am (below).


Around St. Austell, china clay works dominate. Not only has the landscape been coated in the green-white dust, but the whole landscape has been remodelled as a set of deep pits, and high conical spoil heaps. The high point of Hensbarrow Beacon is still accessible, but is surrounded by higher spoil heaps. The large one just to the East seems to be highest, though the one to the West will soon be higher. The rock is an apple white granite, with barely a trace of darker minerals.

The highlight of Cornwall is almost certainly the Lizard Peninsula. It was formed from violent volcanic activity that ripped up a bit of the Earths mantle. To find out more, and see some nice pictures click the text below.

Much of the rest of Cornwall is dotted with the romantic ruins of old tin mine workings. You'll find a walk amongst them on my walks page.


back to map