Weston-super-Mare - Seafront, Park & Gardens

Navigating The Route

This is a circular Treasure Hunt around Weston-super-Mare's seafront, park and gardens, with Explorers helping the Exploration Society follow a map linked to five pirate captains who once met in Weston-super-Mare and working through the clues to discover where the treasure ended up.

The quest covers 2.5 miles and should take around 2 hours to complete. You'll set off from The Grand Pier, explore Weston-super-Mare and the seafront, investigate park and garden areas, pass the Winter Gardens and the Piazza, continue along the promenade towards Knightstone Island, then return to the starting area.

This Trail is wheelchair accessible and pushchair accessible, but there are hills which could prove tricky for some wheelchair users.

The route includes hills, busy roads to cross and roads to walk along, so use pedestrian crossings when needed and keep Mini Explorers close around traffic.

Getting There

By car: Begin your treasure hunt at The Grand Pier (BS23 1AL), using ///feed.actor.little. For parking, various pay and display options along the seafront are recommended, with the seafront being the best area to aim for.

By public transport: Make your way to The Grand Pier (BS23 1AL), using ///feed.actor.little, to begin the quest. The circular route returns to the starting area once the pirate captains' trail has been followed.

Need the Loo?

Useful comfort stops can be found at Melrose and Sovereign, and by the pier, so there are options before or during your seafront treasure hunt.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

If you decide to bring four-legged Explorers, plan for a lively seaside route. 🐾

The quest includes the seafront, promenade, park areas, hills and busy roads to cross or walk along, so keep dogs close around traffic and busier sections, and be ready for a decent 2.5-mile leg-stretch.

Food & Drink Stops

Pirate-map plotting is hungry work, but there are plenty of chances to stop for refreshments and stock up on snacks along the way.

If you'd rather bring your own provisions, enjoy a picnic in the park at Clues 09-13 or on the beach.

Want to Make a Day of It?

WSM Museum

The WSM Museum tells the story of Weston's past, from an area occupied since the Iron Age to a seaside town that was not always a resort. In the early 19th-century there were just 30 cottages in the village, before the arrival of the railway in 1841 helped spark a tourism boom. It remains a popular holiday destination today.

Grove Park Garden of fragrance

The Trail passes Grove Park, where there are clues and a bandstand, and Explorers can enter the Grove Park Garden of fragrance to investigate the sensory garden on the left. It's a lovely green pause in the middle of all that pirate business.

Winter Gardens and the Piazza

The route leads towards the Winter Gardens, then past the Piazza, where sharp-eyed treasure hunters can look for the stonework and the person who presented it. From there, the adventure continues along the promenade towards Knightstone Island.

Knightstone Island

The promenade, beach and large stone archway lead Explorers towards Knightstone Island. Weston-super-Mare's beach and seafront also make the most of the town's very large tidal range, giving the final stretch a proper seaside sense of scale.