Pack Horse Bridge

The bridge itself is unassuming - a low stone arch barely wide enough for a laden packhorse to squeeze through, located in the quiet reaches between Minehead and the higher moorland. What makes it worth seeking out is the sheer age of the thing. This is medieval infrastructure, genuinely medieval, built when the main trade route between the coast and Exmoor ran this way.

You'll spend ten minutes here, perhaps twenty if you're the type to sit on the bank and imagine the goods trains that would have passed overhead centuries ago. It's a proper walk from anywhere, so most visitors won't stumble upon it by accident. That's part of its appeal - you're seeing something real and old, not a reconstructed tourist attraction with a visitor centre.

History enthusiasts will find it interesting. Families with young children might find it a bit underwhelming on its own - it's more of a photo stop than an afternoon's entertainment. Walkers, though, should absolutely include it in a route across the moorland or from Minehead inland.

The nearest town is Minehead, where Butlins and the Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite both offer base camps. From either, a good half-day walk will get you here, past farmland and over decent tracks. No admission charge, no opening hours - it's just sitting there doing what it's done for six centuries.