13 Facts About Bristol Channel

Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England.

Until Tudor times the Bristol Channel was known as the Severn Sea, and it is still known as this in both Welsh: Mor Hafren and Cornish: Mor Havren.

Upper limit of the Bristol Channel is between Sand Point, Somerset and Lavernock Point.

Western and northern Pembrokeshire and north Cornwall are outside the defined limits of the Bristol Channel, and are considered part of the seaboard of the Atlantic Ocean or more specifically, the Celtic Sea.

Along the margins of the Bristol Channel are extensive linear tidal sandbanks that are actively dredged as a source of aggregates and in the Outer Bristol Channel off the Welsh coast are the OBel Sands, an extensive area of sand waves up to 62' high, covering an area of over 400 sq.

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Bristol Channel is an important area for wildlife, in particular waders, and has protected areas, including national nature reserves such as Bridgwater Bay at the mouth of the River Parrett.

Largest islands in the Bristol Channel are Lundy, Steep Holm and Flat Holm, which are mostly uninhabited and protected as nature reserves, and are home to some unique wild flower species.

Bristol Channel has some extensive and popular beaches and spectacular scenery, particularly on the coasts of Exmoor and Bideford Bay in North Devon and the Vale of Glamorgan and Gower Peninsula on the Glamorgan coast.

The Bristol Channel can be a hazardous area of water because of its strong tides and the rarity of havens on the north Devon and Somerset coasts that can be entered in all states of the tide.

Bristol Channel raised funds and in 1839 a specially designed mission cutter was built with a main cabin which could be converted into a chapel for 100 people, this later became first initiative of the Mission to Seafarers.

High quality of the landscape of much of both coasts of the Bristol Channel means that they are popular destinations for walkers.

Bristol Channel completed the swim, nominally 11 miles but equivalent to 22 miles because of tidal flows, in 7 hours 20 minutes.

Bristol Channel held the record for the fastest swim across the Bristol Channel until 2020.