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= Eyre Highway =
Eyre Highway is a 1 @,@ 660 @-@ kilometre ( 1 @,@ 030 mi ) highway linking Western Australia and South Australia via the Nullarbor Plain . Signed as National Highways 1 and A1 , it forms part of Highway 1 and the Australian National Highway network linking Perth and Adelaide . It was named after explorer Edward John Eyre , who was the first European to cross the Nullarbor by land , in 1840 – 1841 . Eyre Highway runs from Norseman in Western Australia , past Eucla , to the state border . Continuing to the South Australian town of Ceduna , it then crosses the top of the Eyre Peninsula before reaching the city of Port Augusta in South Australia .
The construction of the East – West Telegraph line in the 1870s , along Eyre 's route , resulted in a hazardous trail that could be followed for interstate travel . A national highway was called for , but the federal government did not see the route as important enough until 1941 , when a war in the Pacific seemed imminent . The highway was constructed between July 1941 and June 1942 , but was <unk> by January 1942 . Though originally named Forrest Highway , after John Forrest , by the war cabinet , it was officially named and gazetted Eyre Highway , a name agreed upon by the states ' nomenclature committees .
The finished road , while an improvement over the previous route , still was not much more than a track , and remained such throughout the 1940s and 1950s . Efforts to seal the highway began in Norseman in 1960 , with the Western Australian section completed in 1969 and the South Australian section finished in 1976 . Further improvement works have been undertaken since the 1980s , including widening and reconstructing portions of the road .
= = Route description = =
Eyre Highway is the only sealed road linking the states of Western Australia and South Australia , running east from Norseman in Western Australia for 1 @,@ 200 kilometres ( 750 mi ) across the Nullarbor Plain to Ceduna , South Australia . It then crosses the top of the Eyre Peninsula as it continues eastwards for 470 kilometres ( 290 mi ) , before reaching the city of Port Augusta . Eyre Highway is part of the National Highway route between Perth and Adelaide , and also forms part of Australia 's Highway 1 . It is signed as National Highway 1 in Western Australia , and National Highway A1 in South Australia . The vast majority of the highway is a two @-@ lane single carriageway with a speed limit of 110 kilometres per hour ( 70 mph ) , except in and around built up areas . Road trains ( A @-@ double or B @-@ triple ) up to 36 @.@ 5 metres ( 120 ft ) are permitted on Eyre Highway , but are limited to the slightly lower maximum speed of 100 kilometres per hour ( 62 mph ) .
The Western Australian section of Eyre Highway is on the western side of the Nullarbor Plain ; the South Australian section crosses the eastern section of the Nullarbor Plain , and the top of the Eyre Peninsula . The Nullarbor gets its name from Latin for " no tree " , and the typical view is that of a straight highway and practically unchanging flat saltbush @-@ covered terrain , although some parts are located on ridges . The Eyre Peninsula has been extensively cleared for agriculture , although there are remnant corridors of native eucalyptus woodland alongside its roads .
Main Roads Western Australia and the Department of Planning , Transport and Infrastructure in South Australia monitor traffic volume across the states ' road networks , including various locations along Eyre Highway . In Western Australia , the recorded traffic volumes ranged between 430 and 760 vehicles per day in 2013 / 14 . In South Australia , the estimated annual average daily traffic as of September 2015 varied between 500 and 1500 west of Lincoln Highway , and was 2700 to the east .
Eyre Highway was assessed by the Australian Automobile Association in 2011 to be among the lowest risk highways in the country , based on total number of casualty crashes per length of road . However , individual risk based on casualty crash rates per vehicle kilometre travelled was assessed as high for the 95 @-@ kilometre ( 59 mi ) section east of Yalata to Fowlers Bay , medium for a 106 @-@ kilometre ( 66 mi ) section from Fowlers Bay to Ceduna , low @-@ medium between Ceduna and Port Augusta , and low west of Yalata . In 2013 , Eyre Highway similarly received a lower safety rating for the South Australian sections , compared to the Western Australian section . Out of five stars , approximately 10 % was rated as one- or two @-@ star in Western Australia , generally towards the Norseman end , and 91 % was rated three- or four @-@ star . In South Australia , 49 % was rated as one- or two @-@ star , mostly from Yalata to Ceduna , and across the Eyre Peninsula , with the remaining 51 % rated as three- or four @-@ star .
= = = Western Australia = = =
Eyre Highway begins at the town of Norseman , on the Coolgardie – Esperance Highway . Apart from Eucla , 12 kilometres ( 7 @.@ 5 mi ) from the South Australia border , roadhouses serving the highway are the only settlements on the 720 @-@ kilometre @-@ long ( 450 mi ) stretch through Western Australia . These are located 65 to 180 kilometres ( 40 to 110 mi ) apart , at Balladonia , Caiguna , Cocklebiddy , Madura , and <unk> . The section between Balladonia and Caiguna includes what is regarded as the longest straight stretch of road in Australia and one of the longest in the world . The road stretches for 145 @.@ 6 kilometres ( 90 @.@ 5 mi ) without turning , and is signposted and commonly known as the " 90 Mile Straight " . Travelling east , the highway descends through the Madura Pass just before the Madura roadhouse from the Nullarbor Plain to the coastal Roe Plains . It skirts the bottom of the escarpment , climbing back through the Eucla Pass just before Eucla .
Because of its remoteness , some widened sections of the highway serve as emergency airstrips for the Royal Flying Doctor Service . These airstrips are signposted , have runway pavement markings painted on the road , and turnaround bays for small aircraft .
= = = South Australia = = =
After crossing the border at the settlement of Border Village , the highway passes through the Nullarbor Wilderness Protection Area and then through the localities of Yalata , Penong and Ceduna . Before arriving at Ceduna , it enters the Eyre Peninsula . After Ceduna , the highway passes the intersection with Flinders Highway and heads south @-@ east towards the town of Kyancutta . After passing through the localities of <unk> , Poochera , <unk> and <unk> , the highway arrives at Kyancutta where it meets the north end of the Tod Highway . After Kyancutta , the highway turns to the east towards the town of Kimba . Before arriving at Kimba , it turns to the north @-@ east . After Kimba , the highway passes through the southern end of the Lake Gilles Conservation Park and to the immediate north of both the town of Iron Knob and the <unk> Training Area before meeting the Lincoln Highway . It then continues north @-@ east until it intersects Augusta Highway and Stuart Highway , north @-@ west of the Joy Baluch AM Bridge which crosses Spencer Gulf at Port Augusta .
An alternative route between Ceduna and Port Augusta , formerly signed Alternate Route 1 and now signed B100 , follows Flinders Highway and Lincoln Highway down the western and eastern sides of the peninsula respectively .
= = History = =
= = = Background = = =
Edward John Eyre was the first European to traverse the coastline of the Great Australian Bight and the Nullarbor Plain by land , in 1840 – 1841 , on an almost 2 @,@ 000 @-@ mile ( 3 @,@ 200 km ) trip from Adelaide to Albany , Western Australia .
Three decades later , the East – West Telegraph line was installed . Constructed between 1875 and 1877 , it followed the same route across the Nullarbor and along the Great Australian Bight , after John Forrest retraced Eyre 's route in 1870 and confirmed its suitability . Repeater stations were installed at Port Lincoln , Streaky Bay , Smoky Bay , Fowlers Bay , Eucla , Israelite Bay , Esperance , and Bremer Bay . Stations were latter added at Franklin Harbour ( Cowell ) in 1885 , <unk> in 1896 , and Balladonia in 1897 .
An inland route across the Nullarbor was established with the 1912 to 1917 construction of the Trans @-@ Australian Railway , from Port Augusta via Tarcoola to Kalgoorlie . With few roads or tracks encountering the line , most of it is only accessible by rail .
= = = Highway planning and construction = = =
The construction of the telegraph had resulted in a trail that could be followed for interstate travel , but it was a haphazard route which only the more adventurous motorists would take . Many travellers were unprepared for the harsh conditions and lack of services ; they would cause a nuisance for station owners and other travellers by scrounging petrol , contaminating water supplies , leaving gates open , and committing acts of vandalism . In 1938 the Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia ( RAC ) called for a national highway to be constructed by the federal government , as it would be a strategic defence road , provide another link between Western Australia and other states , and improve the tourist experience . The federal government did not see the road as important enough for its involvement .
In May 1941 , following the construction of the central north – south Stuart Highway , the federal government announced its decision to build the east – west highway between Norseman and Port Augusta . A northerly route , close to the Trans @-@ Australian Railway , had been considered , but extensive limestone outcrops made it impractical . Taking a route east from Norseman , with some detours around limestone ridges , would allow a road to be formed quickly and easily . With a war in the Pacific seemingly imminent , construction soon began , in July 1941 . The Army was responsible for fuel , food , and communications , while the state government departments of Main Roads ( Western Australia ) and Highways ( South Australia ) managed the actual construction .
While initial estimates placed the construction cost at £ 125 @,@ 000 over a period of four months , it actually cost twice as much , and was not completed until June 1942 , though the road was sufficiently <unk> and in use by January 1942 . The finished road , while an improvement over the previous route , still was not much more than a track . The only sections with a bitumen surface were the Madura and Eucla Passes . The formed width was 30 feet ( 9 @.@ 1 m ) , with some sections lightly gravelled over a 16 @-@ foot ( 4 @.@ 9 m ) width .
= = = Naming = = =
In the 1930s and 1940s , the Western Australian Nomenclature Advisory Committee had been choosing directional names for the state 's main arterial roads ( such as Great Eastern Highway ) , while the South Australian Highways Department had been naming the major roads to other states after explorers ( such as Flinders Highway , named after Matthew Flinders ) . The historical memorials committee of the Royal Geographical Society in South Australia was disappointed in 1938 that no road had been named after Eyre , despite its suggestion that the road from Port Augusta towards Perth should be Eyre Highway . In the same year , the RAC suggested that the proposed new highway be named Forrest Highway , after John Forrest , and the Assistant Minister for Commerce , Senator Macdonald , concurred .
On 21 January 1942 , Prime Minister John Curtin announced the war cabinet decision to name the newly constructed road Forrest Highway , for military purposes . Separately , the states ' nomenclature committees were considering names for the road . A proposal for a single name to be used in both states was put by the Western Australian committee to the South Australian committee when the highway was completed . Two names were suggested : Great Western Highway , in line with similar directional names in Western Australia , and Eyre Highway , after the explorer . After several communications between the committees , both decided to use the name Eyre Highway . After a receiving a letter from the South Australian Premier in May 1943 , supporting the nomenclature committee 's recommendation , Curtin agreed to the name , subject to approval from the Western Australian government .
The South Australian section was named Eyre Highway on 20 May 1943 , with the portion from Murat Bay ( Ceduna ) to the state border declared a main road . Eyre Highway was gazetted in Western Australia on 11 June 1943 , and included the road from Coolgardie to Norseman until Coolgardie – Esperance Highway was gazetted on 16 August 1957 .
= = = Sealing = = =
The state of Eyre Highway remained relatively unchanged throughout the 1940s and 1950s . The road received yearly maintenance , but further , more expensive works were not warranted due to the low traffic volume of approximately fourteen vehicles per day . However , the maintenance and grading was hindered by a lack of rainfall – the road was smoothed out each year , and small sections were gravelled , but the soil the road was made from was too weak to be an effective road surface . When it did rain , even in small amounts , the road would become boggy , from patches that had broken down into a powdery substance ( known as " <unk> " ) during dry periods . Large numbers of vehicles travelling the highway in 1962 , for the Commonwealth Games in Perth , damaged the road in numerous locations , and the lack of moisture required salt water to be pumped from 350 feet ( 110 m ) below the surface for use in repairs and maintenance .
Work to seal Eyre Highway was undertaken in the 1960s and 1970s . As the federal government refused requests from Western Australia and South Australia for a special allocation to fund the sealed road , the work was left for the states to finance , over a number of years . Construction began in 1960 , at the Norseman end . By the end of that year five miles ( 8 @.@ 0 km ) had been reconstructed , and was ready to be sealed over a 20 @-@ foot ( 6 @.@ 1 m ) width . Fourteen miles ( 23 km ) were sealed in 1961 , another 67 miles ( 108 km ) were completed by 1963 , and in 1964 the seal reached 111 miles ( 179 km ) out from Norseman . By the mid @-@ 1960s , approximately 60 miles ( 100 km ) were being sealed each year . With increased priority given to the project from 1966 , Western Australia 's portion of the highway was completed in 1969 , with a ceremony held in Eucla on 17 October .
In South Australia , a decade @-@ long program to seal the highway began in the mid @-@ 1960s . The first section to be completed was the 462 @-@ kilometre ( 287 mi ) route between Port Augusta and Ceduna , in December 1967 . In October 1972 the Ceduna to Penong seal was completed , and the final link to be sealed , between Penong and the state border , was completed with a ceremony held on 29 September 1976 near <unk> Tank , South Australia . Between Yalata and the state border , the highway was realigned and deviated considerably from the original unsealed route . In deciding the new alignment for the South Australian section of the highway between Yalata and the state border , long , straight , flat sections were purposely avoided to prevent driver boredom and consequent fatigue , as well as sun @-@ glare and glare from oncoming headlights . The new alignment also took into consideration the potential tourism opportunities provided along the coast of the Great Australian Bight . The older highway route runs from Border Village to the Nullarbor Homestead , approximately 15 to 20 kilometres ( 9 @.@ 3 to 12 @.@ 4 mi ) away from the coast . The previous route from the Nullarbor Homestead to <unk> Motel also travelled further inland than the new alignment , past Ivy Tank Motel and Yalata Roadhouse .
= = = Further improvements = = =
The 1960s standard of a twenty @-@ foot ( 6 @.@ 2 m ) sealed width with four @-@ foot @-@ wide ( 1 @.@ 2 m ) gravel shoulders was proving to be inadequate by the 1980s . Increasing numbers of truck and tourist coaches caused fretting , and reduced the actual sealed width to 5 @.@ 6 metres ( 18 ft ) along much of Eyre Highway . Main Roads in Western Australia spent around a million dollars a year on rehabilitating 50 @-@ to @-@ 100 @-@ kilometre ( 30 to 60 mi ) sections . A major project to improve Eyre Highway , rather than just repair the damage , began in 1984 with federal government funding to reconstruct 300 kilometres ( 190 mi ) in Western Australia .
The highway was rebuilt with a seven @-@ metre @-@ wide ( 23 ft ) pavement , with shoulders partially sealed to a width of one metre ( 3 ft 3 in ) . Work began in mid @-@ 1985 near Cocklebiddy , with a 58 @-@ kilometre @-@ long ( 36 mi ) section completed in 1986 . Work undertaken from 1987 to 1988 reached out 110 kilometres ( 68 mi ) east of Cocklebiddy , and 225 kilometres ( 140 mi ) had been completed by June 1990 . The upgrade from Cocklebiddy to the state border was completed in October 1994 .
Since the 1990s , regular maintenance and minor improvements have been an ongoing effort ; $ 3 @.@ 9 million was spent on these works in Western Australia in 1996 . There have been larger @-@ scale works including reconstruction of sections near Caiguna , Balladonia , and the Frazer Range in Western Australia , as well as <unk> and Kyancutta in South Australia .
= = Major intersections = =
= Minehead =
Minehead is a coastal town and civil parish in Somerset , England . It lies on the south bank of the Bristol Channel , 21 miles ( 34 km ) north @-@ west of the county town of Taunton , 12 miles ( 19 km ) from the border with the county of Devon and in proximity of the Exmoor National Park . The parish of Minehead has a population of approximately 11 @,@ 981 making it the most populous town in the West Somerset local government district . This figure includes Alcombe , a suburban village which has been subsumed into Minehead .
There is evidence of human occupation in the area since the Bronze and Iron Ages . Before the Norman Conquest it was held by Ælfgar , Earl of Mercia and after it by William de Moyon and his descendants , who administered the area from Dunster Castle , which was later sold to Sir George Luttrell and his family . There was a small port at Minehead by 1380 , which grew into a major trading centre during the medieval period . Most trade transferred to larger ports during the 20th century , but pleasure steamers did call at the port . Major rebuilding took place in the Lower or Middle town area following a fire in 1791 and the fortunes of the town revived with the growth in sea bathing , and by 1851 was becoming a retirement centre . There was a marked increase in building during the early years of the 20th century , which resulted in the wide main shopping avenue and adjacent roads with Edwardian style architecture . The town 's flood defences were improved after a storm in 1990 caused flooding .
Minehead is governed by a town council , which was created in 1983 and has been part of the West Somerset local government district since 1974 . In addition to the parish church of St. Michael on the Hill in Minehead , the separate parish church of St Michael the Archangel is situated in Church Street , Alcombe . Alcombe is also home to the Spiritualist Church in Grove Place . Since 1991 , Minehead has been twinned with Saint @-@ <unk> , a small town close to the regional centre of Laval in the Mayenne département of France . Blenheim Gardens , which is Minehead ’ s largest park , was opened in 1925 . The town is also the home of a Butlins Holiday Park which increases Minehead 's seasonal tourist population by several thousand .
There are a variety of schools and religious , cultural and sporting facilities including sailing and wind surfing and golf . One popular ancient local tradition involves the Hobby Horse , or Obby Oss , which takes to the streets for four days on the eve of the first of May each year , with accompanying musicians and rival horses . The town is the starting point of the South West Coast Path National Trail , the nation 's longest long @-@ distance countryside walking trail . The Minehead Railway was opened in 1874 and closed in 1971 but has since been reopened as the West Somerset Railway .
= = History = =
The town sits at the foot of a steeply rising outcrop of Exmoor known as North Hill , and the original name of the town was <unk> , which means mountain in Welsh . It has also been written as <unk> ( 1046 ) , <unk> ( 1086 ) , <unk> ( 1225 ) and <unk> ( also 1225 ) , which contain elements of Welsh and Old English words for hill .
Bronze Age barrows at Selworthy Beacon and an Iron Age enclosure at <unk> Brake , west of the town show evidence of prehistoric occupation of the area , although there is also possible evidence in the intertidal area , where the remains of a submerged forest still exist .
Minehead was part of the hundred of Carhampton . It is mentioned as a manor belonging to William de Moyon in the Domesday Book in 1086 , although it had previously been held by Ælfgar , Earl of Mercia . William de Mohun of Dunster , 1st Earl of Somerset and his descendants administered the area from Dunster Castle , which was later sold to Sir George Luttrell and his family .
There was a small port at Minehead by 1380 , but it was not until 1420 that money given by Lady Margaret Luttrell enabled improvements to be made and a jetty built . During the reign of Elizabeth I , the town had its own Port Officer similar to the position at Bristol . Vessels in the 15th century included the <unk> which traded between Ireland and Bristol , and others carrying salt and other cargo from La Rochelle in France . Other products included local wool and cloth which were traded for coal from South Wales . In 1559 a Charter of Incorporation , established a free Borough and Parliamentary representation , but was made conditional on improvements being made to the port . The harbour silted up and fell into disrepair so that in 1604 James I withdrew the town 's charter . Control reverted to the Luttrells and a new harbour was built , at a cost of £ 5 @,@ 000 , further out to sea than the original , which had been at the mouth of the Bratton Stream . It incorporated a pier , dating from 1616 , and was built to replace that at Dunster which was silting up . Trade was primarily with Wales for cattle , sheep , wool , butter , fish and coal . These are commemorated in the town arms which include a <unk> and sailing ship . Privateers based at Minehead were involved in the war with Spain and France during 1625 – 1630 and again during the War of the Spanish Succession from 1702 – 1713 . The first cranes were installed after further improvements to the port in 1714 .
The Mermaid , one of the oldest business premises in the town , has been , at various times , a ship chandler 's , a nineteenth @-@ century " department store " and in more recent years a tearoom . The building was the home of Minehead ’ s famous Whistling Ghost – Old Mother Leakey , who died in 1634 . The ghost became notorious by allegedly " whistling up a storm " whenever one of her son ’ s ships neared port . The level of anxiety in the town became so great that , in 1636 , the Bishop of Bath and Wells presided over a Royal Commission to inquire into the matter . The commission eventually reported that the witnesses were unreliable and when its findings were signed by Archbishop Laud and ghost 's publicity began to wane .
By the beginning of the 18th century , trade between Minehead and Ireland , South Wales , Bristol and Bridgwater grew , with forty vessels based in the harbour for trade and herring fishing . It was also a departure point for pilgrims to Santiago de <unk> . Until the 19th century trade continued with Ireland but Minehead vessels started to travel further afield to Virginia and the West Indies . Further problems with the port continued and led to a decline in trade and the fisheries in the late 18th century and in 1834 the port lost its jurisdiction to Bridgwater . In the 20th century most trade transferred to larger ports , but pleasure steamers did call at the port . Minehead Lifeboat Station was established in 1901 near the harbour . The pier was demolished during the Second World War as it obstructed the view from the gun battery on the quay head , as part of the coastal defence preparations , which stopped steamers calling at the harbour until it was cleared in 1951 .
Major rebuilding took place in the Lower or Middle town area following a fire in 1791 . In that year a Carrara marble statue of Queen Anne , sculpted by Francis Bird was presented to the town by Sir Jacob <unk> , who served as the local Member of Parliament from 1698 to 1715 . It originally stood in the parish church but was moved to Wellington Square in 1893 , when the marble pedestal and canopy by H. Dare Bryan were added . Lower town and the quay area were rebuilt and the fortunes of the town revived with the growth in sea bathing , and by 1851 was becoming a retirement centre .
Early areas of development of the town include Higher Town with its cottages , many of which are " listed " buildings of historic interest , some of which are still thatched , and the Quay area . In Victorian times wealthy industrialists built large houses on North Hill and hotels were developed so that tourism became an important industry . There was a marked increase in building in the early years of the 20th century when the landowners , the Luttrells of Dunster Castle , released extensive building land . Probably the most prolific Edwardian architect was <unk> from North Devon who settled in the town and was responsible for designing several hundred domestic properties as well as the Market House , Town Hall and Queens Hall . It was in the Edwardian and Victorian era that tourism in the town increased . | Edwardian style architecture . The steamship SS Pelican grounded in Minehead Bay on 22 June 1928 , on an unmarked reef known as the Gables that circles Minehead Bay , 0 @.@ 7 miles ( 1 @.@ 1 km ) from land . The Pelican was sailing from Port Talbot to Highbridge . The crew of five were rescued by the Minehead Lifeboat . Evacuees were billeted in Minehead during the Second World War . Butlins opened in 1962 , and has brought thousands of visitors to the town .
= = Governance = =
The civil parish of Minehead is governed by a town council , which was created in 1983 . In 2002 , the parish was estimated to have a population of 10 @,@ 330 . Administratively , Minehead has been part of the West Somerset local government district since 1974 , having previously been Minehead Urban District . The district is in turn part of the Somerset shire county , and administrative tasks are shared between county , district and town councils .
It falls within the Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament ( MP ) by the first past the post system of election . The current MP is Ian Liddell @-@ Grainger , a member of the Conservative Party .
Minehead is within the South West England ( European Parliament constituency ) , which elects six MEPs using the d 'Hondt method of party @-@ list proportional representation .
= = Geography = =
Minehead is located on the Bristol Channel coast of South @-@ West England , and thus experiences one of the highest tidal ranges in the world . The tidal rise and fall in the Bristol Channel can be as great as 14 @.@ 5 m ( 48 ft ) , second only to the Bay of Fundy in Eastern Canada .
The town is overlooked by North Hill , and is just outside the boundaries of Exmoor National Park . The cliff exposures around the shoreline are dramatic and fossils are exposed . Areas of the town included Higher Town , Quay Town and Lower or Middle Town , although they are no longer separate .
In 1990 , much of Minehead 's beach was washed away in a severe storm which also caused serious flooding in the town . A £ 12 @.@ 6 million sea defence scheme by the Environment Agency was designed to reduce the risk of this erosion and flooding happening in the future . The Environment Agency built 1 @.@ 1 miles ( 1 @.@ 8 km ) of new sea wall and rock or concrete stepped revetments between 1997 and 1998 and imported 320 @,@ 000 tons of additional sand in 1999 to build a new beach . This beach sits between four rock groynes and has been built at a much higher level than the previous beach so that the waves are broken before they reach the new sea wall . Any waves that do reach the new wall are turned back by its curved shape . The town 's new sea defences were officially opened in 2001 .
Blenheim Gardens , which is Minehead ’ s largest park , was opened in 1925 . The bandstand within the park is used to host musical events .
Along with the rest of South West England , Minehead has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of England . The annual mean temperature is about 10 ° C ( 50 ° F ) with seasonal and diurnal variations , but due to the modifying effect of the sea , the range is less than in most other parts of the United Kingdom . January is the coldest month with mean minimum temperatures between 1 ° C ( 34 ° F ) and 2 ° C ( 36 ° F ) . July and August are the warmest months in the region with mean daily maxima around 21 ° C ( 70 ° F ) . In general , December is the dullest month and June the sunniest . The south west of England enjoys a favoured location , particularly in summer , when the Azores High extends its influence north @-@ eastwards towards the UK .
Cloud often forms inland , especially near hills , and reduces exposure to sunshine . The average annual sunshine totals around 1 @,@ 600 hours . Rainfall tends to be associated with Atlantic depressions or with convection . In summer , convection caused by solar surface heating sometimes forms shower clouds and a large proportion of the annual precipitation falls from showers and thunderstorms at this time of year . Average rainfall is around 800 – 900 mm ( 31 – 35 in ) . About 8 – 15 days of snowfall is typical . November to March have the highest mean wind speeds , with June to August having the lightest . The predominant wind direction is from the south @-@ west .
= = Landmarks = =
The town 's major tourist attraction is Butlins holiday camp . Others include : the terminus of the West Somerset Railway ; the town 's main ornamental park , Blenheim Gardens , off Blenheim Road ; and the Minehead & West Somerset Golf Club , Somerset 's oldest golf club , established in 1882 , which has an 18 @-@ hole links course . A variety of sailing and wind surfing options are on offer , as well as the usual beach activities . There are many other attractions and amusement arcades and a variety of well @-@ known high street stores such as W H Smith and Boots , together with independent local shops . The town has both a Tesco and a Morrisons supermarket on its outskirts with a new <unk> currently under development .
The South West Coast Path National Trail starts at a marker , erected in Minehead in 2001 , partly paid for by the South West Coast Path Association . The UK 's longest long @-@ distance countryside walking trail , it runs along the South West Coast to Poole in Dorset .