Highbridge offers ways to enjoy a stay centred on nature and local history. Apex Wildlife and Leisure Park spans Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge; memorials and heritage trails provide historical points of interest. The options range from woodland walks to garden design and railway history.
Nature at Apex Park
Apex Wildlife and Leisure Park covers approximately 42 acres and includes a woodland walking trail. If you would like to give nature and local history different emphasis when planning your visit, Apex offers a distinct focus alongside the memorials and historical trails.
Memorials and their history
Highbridge Garden of Remembrance is a Grade II-listed monument and includes the First World War Memorial of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway Company. It was salvaged from the decommissioned Highbridge Railway Station; the memorial site therefore also has a connection to railway history. Its formal design includes a central sunken garden and reflects influences from Arts and Crafts garden design. The central garden is a specific feature of the site, while the Arts and Crafts influences describe its design heritage. This makes it possible to understand the site both through its commemorative purpose and its design.
Highbridge War Memorial was erected and dedicated in 1921. It commemorates the 67 men of the Highbridge community who died while serving their country in the First World War, as well as the 19 who died in the Second World War. The focus is therefore on the community's remembrance of the men of the First World War and the number of those who died in the Second World War. By comparison, the memorial in the Garden of Remembrance points to a salvaged memorial with a railway history and its own formal garden design.
Heritage trails in Highbridge
Both trails are available as downloadable PDFs, but they have different focuses. The Highbridge Heritage Trail runs through Highbridge and brings the town's heritage to life. The S&D Railway Heritage Walk runs from South Esplanade in Burnham-on-Sea to the main railway station in Highbridge and follows approximately the former route of the Somerset & Dorset Railway branch line between the two towns. The first trail focuses on the town's heritage; the second adds a railway connection through a route with named endpoints. When choosing, you can consider whether you would like to focus on general town heritage or the history of the former railway connection.
Parkrun at Apex Park
The Burnham and Highbridge parkrun takes place in Apex Park on Marine Drive in Burnham-on-Sea & Highbridge (TA8 1LT). Alongside the woodland walking trail, this provides a specific event location in the park; its location differs from the start and end points of the S&D Railway Heritage Walk. Check the event location before travelling.
Discover more destinations: Shepton Mallet, Chard, Clatworthy, Mark, Catcott, North Brewham, Bagborough, Brent Knoll
For the broader travel overview: Somerset.
