The small seaside town of Clevedon in North Somerset, England might not scream the epitome of romance to everyone.
But we have a bit of a soft spot for it as we were married in Clevedon last August. *cue all your “awws” and wistful sighs
To all the happy couples out there who have met in Clevedon, gone on dates together there or got married in Clevedon just like us, this blog post about the most romantic things to do in Clevedon is just for you.
Romantic Things To Do In Clevedon, England
1. Stroll along Clevedon Pier
What was once an old stomping ground for Victorians is now a Grade I listed pier and easily Clevedon’s most famous attraction.
Complete with teal green paintwork, Victorian lamp posts and even a Japanese-style pagoda, a wander along the pier is definitely a very romantic thing to do in Clevedon.
We actually had some of our wedding photos taken on the pier, which are some of our most favourite photos from the day.
2. Swim in Clevedon Marine Lake
Clevedon Marine Lake has been a local hotspot since as far back as 1929. It’s a large open water swimming lake overlooking the ocean.
Although it’s open to the public year-round (apart from during certain planned events), you’ll probably want to save this date idea for warmer days.
But as far as romantic infinity pools go, this one is pretty damn special!
It’s free to swim in the lake although the charity running it does appreciate donations to help with running costs. Just pop £1 or whatever you can spare into one of the donation boxes next to the lake.
3. Follow the picturesque Poet’s Walk
The starting point for the rather romantically named Poet’s Walk is just next to the swimming lake, so why not combine a dip date with a romantic ramble?
The Poet’s Walk in Clevedon gets its name from the various poets and writers that have visited Clevedon over the centuries including none other than Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 1795 and Alfred Tennyson in 1834.
This charming walking route follows part of the coastal path and through meadows and woodlands.
What could be more romantic than walking along here hand in hand with your beau?
Did you know? Clevedon is so synonymous with poets that this fact is even celebrated in a poem by Pam Soper called ‘An Ode to Clevedon’. Read the poem here.
4. See the sights from up high at Sugar Lookout
One of the highlights of the Poet’s Walk is called the Sugar Lookout. Because it’s such a romantic highlight, we thought it deserved its own spot on this list of romantic things to do in Clevedon.
The Sugar Lookout is home to a viewpoint of the Bristol Channel with Clevedon Pier sitting pretty in the distance.
Although it looks a little like a princess’s castle turret, it was actually built in 1835 and used by old sugar importers looking for their ships coming into land.
Either way, the views from up here are second to none and the backdrop of the stonework makes for some very pretty photos of the two of you.
5. Eat at Tiffin At The Beach
In our opinion, a cutesy date in a seaside town should always involve a cutesy tea shop and cake… lots and lots of cake.
A favourite of ours in Clevedon is Tiffin At The Beach.
This charming teahouse is just steps from Clevedon Beach and is the perfect place to come for delicious cake, loose leaf tea and deep and meaningful chats across the table.
Your only problem will be choosing just one decadent piece of cake to indulge in, so you’ll probably want to come back again and again!
6. Chill on the beach
What would a date to the seaside be without a trip to the beach?
In Clevedon, the beach is a small stretch of sand mixed with pebbles and the iconic Clevedon Pier is its backdrop.
Although it gets busy on weekends in the summer, we can think of nothing better than chilling in the sun with your beau whenever you get the chance!
7. Follow the scenic ‘Lovers Walk’ along the coast
Another romantically named walk in Clevedon is the coastal route of the Lovers Walk.
The full walk runs for about six miles from Marine Parade in Clevedon to Portishead Lake Gardens.
Along the way, you’ll see plenty of sea views as well as Victorian bandstands, colourful floral displays, secluded bays and shady forest glades making for a perfectly romantic seaside ramble together.
8. Wander around historic Clevedon Court together
Clevedon Court is home to a stunning 14th-century manor house and 18th-century terraced garden run by the National Trust.
Clevedon Court has been home to the Elton family since 1709, who are responsible for Clevedon’s connection with poets like Tennyson and Thackeray, as well as Elton Ware pottery.
Because the house is still occupied by members of the Elton family, it’s only open on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday afternoons (and select Bank Holiday Mondays) from April 1st to September 30th.
The gardens in particular are a pleasure to walk around on a sunny afternoon though, so do try to make the trip if you can.
9. Stay at Walton Park Hotel
If you want to turn your romantic day out into a romantic weekend getaway then we highly recommend staying at Walton Park Hotel.
This Victorian cliff top hotel has comfortable rooms (some with sea views!), a pretty garden area and even an outdoor terrace overlooking the sea, which is simply perfect for cocktails at sunset.
A delicious continental breakfast is served daily and the hotel also has a separate restaurant and multiple bar areas to keep you entertained well into the evening. They even hold special Valentine’s Day dinners, which are all kinds of romantic (and delicious!)
You should know that this hotel is a popular wedding venue, so you should book your stay in advance – especially throughout the spring and summer months.
We actually got married here ourselves, which brings us nicely onto our final romantic thing to do in Clevedon.
10. Get married(!)
Okay so we kinda threw this one in for a laugh…
But in all seriousness, Clevedon is a popular wedding destination – and for good reason!
While you can have some of your wedding photos taken on the pier and beach, you may even be lucky enough to have an outside wedding with sea views.
At least, that’s what we were treated to at Walton Park Hotel.
With the sun blazing down on us during an August Bank Holiday weekend, we said our “I do’s” under a picturesque gazebo with the sparkling Bristol Channel as its backdrop.
We even had our Rough Collie, Kai join us as Ring Bearer (with special thanks to Lynn from Waggs ‘n’ Woofs for getting him there and helping him strut his stuff on the day!)
Aside from Walton Park Hotel, another popular wedding venue in Clevedon is the rather majestic Clevedon Hall.
Either way, if you’re planning on getting married in the Bristol area anytime soon then we’d highly recommend considering Clevedon, which is just 40 minutes away. Hopefully you’ll have great weather for a picture perfect seaside wedding… just like we did!
We hope you like this list of romantic things to do in Clevedon just as much as we’ve enjoyed sharing some of our most precious memories with you! Did you also get married in Clevedon? Meet the person of your dreams there? Or just go on lots of dates together? We’d love to hear your romantic stories involving this beautiful – yet highly underrated – English seaside town…
Note: The photos from our wedding were taken by our very talented photographer, Mark Leonard and are used on our blog and social media channels with his permission.
Did this bring back memories for you? Or did you just like it a bit? We’d love it if you could share it with your loved ones…
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