Saturday 26th September 2026:
The plan to leave before sunrise at 06:15…………. and what a fabulous morning it was!
The boys: Jason Andre, Jason B and myself set off from Weston to hike Brean Down and all the way to the Fort.
Arrived at the National Trust, Brean Down car park, it was a beautiful morning and the sun was rising.
After we started climbing the 200 steps from the base, we stopped halfway up to see the Sun rising over Uphill Church and the glistening river below which was nearing High Tide, moving our gaze around to the Bristol Channel, we noted that the tide had just reached its maximum before the ebb started.
Continuing the climb we soon reached the top and climbed up onto Brean Down, a lush green colour with the evidence of animals being grazed here. Looking back towards the sunrise, directly behind a lone tree, produced this photograph:
The walk towards the Trig Point was glorious in the morning sunshine and pleasantly warm on this late September morning, Gizzy, (Jason B’s dog) was
loving the freedom (albeit on his lead) and clearly loved the sea air. and he sits proudly on top of the Trig point.
We also had the customary photo bomb, whilst talking about the Fort in the distance, at this point you can’t see the Fort, but it is over the next rise, and then down to the craggy rocks that forms the place where land meets sea. There is no beach at this point.
The colours and the plantlike, including wild mushrooms was to everyone’s delight, as we all took what we all thought to be the best photos!
As we drop down we can see the Fort in the near distanced dotted strategically are the Gun emplacements, erected during the period of the world war.
The Fort itself was built in the 1800’s with the Powder Magazine being completed in the 1870’s, this photo explains the intricate and dangerous workings of the underground magazine. Looking at the photo, down the steps an underground magazine, where gunpowder was stored, the 100lb barrels of gunpowder wee lowered down using a pulley. The Archway beside the pulley leads into the lamp passage. At the end is a recess where candles or oil burners were placed to light the gunpowder magazine. Thick glass sealed the inside of the recess to prevent naked flames from igniting the gunpowder.
No metal objects were allowed in the magazine – the tiniest spark could cause a massive explosion. For this reason, the floor was covered in wooden slats, and the barrels were stored on wooden shelves. To avoid the risk of sparks from their uniforms, soldiers had to get changed before entering the magazine – into calico clothing with bone fastenings, and rope – soled sandals.
It’s a really fascinating to learn about this Fort and what went on, not only in the late 1800’s but also during the First and second World Wars. Incidentally there is a mural on the side of the building done by Disney.B32
“The artwork has caught a lot of attention, with all of it being “good” according to the artist. Painted at the end of October, the piece is a fitting tribute for Remembrance Sunday and has been titled ‘Lest We Forget’.
Disney, whose real name is kept a secret, like Banksy, said: “This piece is a Lest We Forget tribute, out of respect for the fallen.
“I painted this last week, but as I walk dogs that way, a lot of people have been taking photos and talking about it.
“I even had a conversation with a bloke who didn’t know I actually painted it, so it’s got a bit of attention already, and all of it has been good so far.”
Based in Birmingham, Somerset is the one county the artist has regularly visited, spray painting onto the “boring” walls of car parks, public toilets, and derelict buildings.
The street artist added, “I do seem to travel down south just to get out of Birmingham; I go wherever my art takes me. I do not have a preference where I paint; places seem to call out to me.”
Disney also uses artwork to mark important events in the UK’s history. He is often mistaken for Banksy, the Bristol-based pseudonymous street artist, who hosted the Dismaland art project in Weston-super-Mare back in 2015. The street artist confirms artwork on an Instagram account with 51,500 followers, with the handle @Disney.b32.
Leaving the Fort behind and climbing the slope back to the top of Brean Down, we chat as we walk, Gizzy entertains us and stories covering all sorts of subjects keep us entertained. Reaching the top we carry on past the steps and follow the well trodden path to where there is a lane (that allows farm vehicles and mountain bikes to gain access to Brean Down), and this is the route we take down to the car park at sea level.
Last year when we did this hike I produced a video for me YouTube channel HIKING BREAN DOWN & FORT BRITISH WEATHER !!! a complete contrast to today’s weather
Meandering down the lane and passed the Brean Down cafe, through the Tide Food gates and onto the beach perimeter it is a sight of serene tranquility
During the sunny warm days, changing colour days of Autumn, and even the cold bleak days of Winter, Brean Down is well worth a visit. Take as long as you like to explore and drink in the beauty and history of this area. Brean Down in Somerset became part of the National Trust , with most of the down acquired in 1954 and the historic fort added later in 2002
Breakfast was had at the Boathouse Bar & Bistro Uphill Boatyard, Uphill, Weston-super-Mare
