Sustainable Recreation

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The Mendip Hills National Landscape Team aim to promote a sustainable balance between conserving and enhancing the landscape and its natural and historic environment and promoting the area to support the visitor economy and people’s health and wellbeing. This has always been a challenge and none more so than today, when the hills are busier than ever.

We run initiatives to better understand visitor numbers and pressure on the hills and work with the Rights of Way teams and access specialists on the Partnership to establish stile-free and multi-user routes where possible in order to promote access for all.

You can download our Visitor Guide here and explore promoted routes and trails here.

Summary of our sustainable recreation work

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We look at when, where and how people explore the Mendip Hills National Landscape.

Society counts on Mendip for many services – from providing food, biodiversity, clean air and water; to tourism and recreation for health, wellbeing and enjoyment.

We count people on Mendip to give us a more informed approach when promoting recreation that’s sustainable and that minimises the impact on nature.

Thanks to initial funding from the National Grid Community Grant Programme in 2021, we maintain and monitor 15 visitor counters, which collect valuable data at key locations across the National Landscape.

Our data shows the hills are busier now than they were in 2019, when we started collecting consistent data in this way.

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We use the visitor data gathered to help improve people’s access to the countryside, and in turn, their connection to nature and landscape.

Thanks to current funding from Defra, we’re making key visitor sites and routes more accessible by installing new benches, picnic tables, paths and gates (replacing or complementing stiles). We’re also working with partners to dedicate new bridleways for multiple users and supporting The Strawberry Line Society to continue restoring this important cycle and walking route through the Mendip Hills.

We’ve also published a new Mendip Way trail guide and the Walking the Darker Side of Mendip book.

How you can do your bit

– Follow the Countryside Code – respect, protect and enjoy the countryside on your visit. Please leave gates how you find them, be considerate of local people and other users, stick to marked paths, and take your litter and dog poo home with you.

– Keep dogs under close control or on a lead to protect wildlife and farm animals – this is even more important during the breeding season (March – September) when species such as adders and birds that nest on the ground can be easily disturbed (it’s safer for your dog too!).

– Take a look at our Visiting the Mendip Hills webpage for information on where to visit and which areas are likely to be busiest. Why not try somewhere new if a site is too busy?

– Visit our Walks webpage for promoted circular walks. If you’re walking The Mendip Way, please support local businesses along the route and use public transport to get to the start/end where possible. You can find out more on The Mendip Way webpage where there are links to Walkers are Welcome groups that provide local information along the route.

– Report your wildlife sightings to us via social media and through the iNaturalist app (or direct to the Local Environmental Records Centre).

– Report any issues with the Rights of Way network to the relevant Local Authority (e.g. for issues in the County of Somerset, use Explore Somerset).

– If you spot any illegal activities or wildlife crime, call the Police on 101, or 999/112 in an emergency.