Burnham-on-Sea: Somerset Seaside Town With a Leaning Lighthouse and Britain's Shortest Pier
Burnham-on-Sea sits on the Somerset coast at the mouth of the River Parrett, where it meets Bridgwater Bay. The population is around 20,000 including the adjoining village of Highbridge. The town has two peculiar claims. The Low Lighthouse on the beach, a white wooden structure on stilts, leans at an angle and has become something of a local icon. The Pier, at just 37 metres, is frequently cited as the shortest pier in Britain. The beach itself is vast at low tide, with views across to the Welsh coast, but the tidal range is enormous and the mud can be treacherous.
The High Street has the usual mix of independent and chain shops. Burnham-on-Sea station closed in 1951, so the nearest rail connection is Highbridge and Burnham station on the Bristol to Taunton line, about a mile inland, with trains to Bristol Temple Meads in roughly 40 minutes. The M5 junction 22 is nearby, giving access to Bristol, Taunton, and Exeter.
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Burnham-on-Sea sits on the Somerset coast at the mouth of the River Parrett, where it meets Bridgwater Bay. The population is around 20,000 including the adjoining village of Highbridge. The town has two peculiar claims. The Low Lighthouse on the beach, a white wooden structure on stilts, leans at an angle and has become something of a local icon. The Pier, at just 37 metres, is frequently cited as the shortest pier in Britain. The beach itself is vast at low tide, with views across to the Welsh coast, but the tidal range is enormous and the mud can be treacherous.
The High Street has the usual mix of independent and chain shops. Burnham-on-Sea station closed in 1951, so the nearest rail connection is Highbridge and Burnham station on the Bristol to Taunton line, about a mile inland, with trains to Bristol Temple Meads in roughly 40 minutes. The M5 junction 22 is nearby, giving access to Bristol, Taunton, and Exeter.
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