Blackdown Hills AONB

About Us

The Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty was designated in 1991 in recognition of the special qualities of its natural and built environment. The Blackdown Hills are a group of hills lying on the border of Devon and Somerset. The area extends from Wellington in the north to Honiton in the South, and from Cullompton in the west to Chard in the east. The area covers 336 square kilometres, 110 square kilometres of which is in Somerset.

The Blackdown Hills AONB is managed by the Blackdown Hills Rural partnership. The Partnership comprises of local communities, local authorities, national agencies, voluntary and interest groups who are committed to implementing the Blackdown Hills Management Plan and delivering the Partnership mission.

Cycling
The Blackdown Hils offers excellent on-road cycling on mainly quiet country lanes. The suggested routes above are suitable for reasonably fit and experienced cyclists. You will encounter some challenging hill climbs - worth it for the wonderfulviews and exhilarating downhill stretches.


Off-road cycling

The most well-known off-road route in the Blackdown Hills is the Herepath - a 13.5mile multi-use trail which has been developed in the Neroche area. For more information, go to http://www.nerochescheme.org/herepath.php