The pretty little port of Porlock Weir, two and a half kilometres to the west, occupies the last sheltered low ground before the county boundary with Devon, where the great massive shield of rock that forms the main part of Exmoor tumbles in wooded cliffs towards the Bristol Channel.
Porlock Weir Bed and Breakfast
image supplied by kind permission of Somerset Tourism, Somerset County Council
The difference in height between the lowest water level on the spring tides and the highest is about 8 and a half metres - nearly 30 feet. These two factors, the cliff falls to the west and the high tides have helped to fashion one of the most striking natural features of the Vale
of Porlock, the natural 6,000-year-old shingle ridge which geologists believe was formed with the rise in sea levels at the end of the last ice age. The South West Coastal footpath runs close by. In every direction there are wonderful walks from Porlock.
The handsome little port of Porlock Weir is backed by a precipitous drop of almost 1400 feet (450 metres) and was always difficult of access. In the nineteenth century there was a proposal for an incline plane, rather like the Cliff Railway at Lynmouth, but it was never built.
Porlock Harbour
image supplied by kind permission of Somerset Tourism, Somerset County Council
Porlock Weir
Porlock Weir or harbour is a popular
beauty spot with a row of 17th century cottages, a hotel and old Ship
Inn. Once the haunt of commercial vessels Porlock Weir is now dedicated
to pleasure craft. There is a toll road to the top of Porlock Hill and
a good walk up to Culbone Church - the
smallest parish church in England.
The shingle ridge that forms Porlock Bay started to appear 8000 years ago after major rock falls.
Porlock Harbour around 1890
Porlock Harbour in 1990
Porlock Harbour in 1990
Porlock Harbour tending to a yacht
Porlock Weir is a picturesque hamlet and former working harbour, enclosed by lock gates. The gates are now used mainly to flush pebbles from the harbour entrance, which cuts through the shingle ridge. Porlock Weir is on the Coast Path and a starting point for walks to Culbone or Porlock Marsh. There is a car park, toilets, pub, restaurant and shops.
The harbour at Porlcok Weir
The harbour entrance at Porlock Weir
Looking over Porlock Beach to Hurlstone Point
Porlock Weir
Porlock Weir Photo supplied by Dave Sorrell
Porlock Weir beach Photo supplied by Dave Sorrell
Porlock Weir wartime bunker on the beach Photo supplied by Dave Sorrell
Porlock Weir harbour Photo supplied by Dave Sorrell
Porlock Weir Photo supplied by Dave Sorrell
Porlock Weir The Ship Inn Photo supplied by Dave Sorrell
Porlock Weir sea defences Photo supplied by Dave Sorrell
OS Grid Reference: SS8647 |
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