Bristol Channel - Coastal Cities and Towns

Coastal Cities and Towns

The city of Swansea is the largest settlement on the Welsh coast of the Bristol Channel. Other major built-up areas include Barry (including Barry Island), Port Talbot and Llanelli. Smaller resort towns include Porthcawl, Mumbles, Saundersfoot and Tenby.

There are no cities on the English coast but the resorts of Burnham-on-Sea, Watchet, Minehead and Ilfracombe face directly onto the Bristol Channel, whilst Barnstaple and Bideford are sited on estuaries opening onto Bideford Bay at the westernmost end of the Bristol Channel. The city of Bristol, originally established on the River Avon but now with docks on the Severn estuary, is one of the most important ports in Britain and gives its name to the Channel which forms its seaward approach.