TWO new marathons will be held in Somerset in a matter of weeks as part of a wider festival designed to celebrate the county’s extraordinary coastline.

The Somerset and Exmoor Coastal Festival was staged for the first time in late-September 2023, with numerous events being staged to allow residents and visitors to explore the hidden treasures on Somerset’s coastline.

The festival – which included a series of walks along all 80 miles of Somerset’s coast – is designed to boost tourist numbers and support local businesses as the summer season comes to an end.

This year’s festival, which takes place between September 21 and 29, has upped the ante, with more than 60 events being held across an eight-day period – including a marathon and an ultra-marathon for committed trail runners.

The festivals is being staged by the King Charles III England Coast Path team based at Somerset Council, which this year has teamed up with local outdoor events organisers to offer new challenges.

The festival is funded by EDF Energy as part the the Hinkley Tourism Action Partnership, which is designed to boost communities impacted by the ongoing construction of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.

Both running events will take place on September 28, towards the end of the festival, and will take in numerous landmarks along the King Charles III England Coast Path.

The marathon will begin at the Northgate Docks in Bridgwater town centre and proceed via the Pawlett Hams, Burnham-on-Sea and the Berrow Dunes before ending with a lap of Brean Down.

The ultra-marathon (comprising just over 62 miles) will begin at the hands monument on Minehead seafront – the northern terminus of the South West Coast Path.

From there the route takes in Blue Anchor, Watchet, the West Quantoxhead waterfall, Kilve beach, Lilstock and Steart Marshes before entering Bridgwater, finishing in the same place at the standard marathon.

Both trail running events are being run by Channel UK Events CIC, a outdoor events organisations based on Warren Road in Minehead.

Organiser Dan Brice said: “The initial response to this new event via social media has been overwhelming, and we hope this transfers into fantastic entry numbers and over time make this a ‘must do’ marathon or ultra-marathon.”

For those of a more leisurely disposition, the festival will include the 80 Miles in Eight Days challenge, with the entire Somerset coast being broken down in eight lengthy walks, beginning at Brean Down and ending in Porlock via the County Gate.

A range of other events are taking place to showcase Somerset’s “unique yet often overlooked coastal”, with the council partnering with a large number of local tourism and hospitality businesses as well as voluntary organisations.

The festival will kick off in Bridgwater on September 21 with a ‘fuse fire and light trail’, with the town centre being transformer with live music, sculpture, performance and sound.

The events range from musical performances (including an evening of sea shanties in Porlock) to historic tours (such as the Dunster ghost walk), and from fine dining on the West Somerset Railway to a toddler walk in Watchet.