Blenheim Gardens are in the centre of town, right behind the Avenue, linking the town to the seafront. Open all year, these pleasant well-kept public gardens have a caf茅, an 18-hole putting course, and are accessible for prams and wheelchairs. There's also a bandstand which, in keeping with a long-standing tradition, still plays host to Sunday afternoon band concerts in the summer.
A wider range of music can also be heard on the bandstand on Saturday afternoons. The gardens are looked after by West Somerset District Council and were originally purchased from Alexander Fownes Luttrell of Dunster Castle in 1911 for the public to enjoy. Tall elm trees used to grace the gardens. They had to be felled in 1978 when all attempts to save them from Dutch Elm disease failed. You can see palm trees in the gardens today, though! Floral displays in Blenheim Gardens and The Parade are wonderful from June onwards. The town has been very successful in the national Britain in Bloom competitions, winning the Best Small Town trophy in 1995 and 1997, and becoming international winners in 2000. Continue walking through Blenheim Gardens, taking the left-hand path. Leave the park by a gate at the junction of Blenheim Road, Quay Lane and North Road. Turn right and walk along Quay Lane towards the seafront. When you reach the Esplanade, turn left. |