Local Attractions & Links
Places To Go, People To See!
There is plenty to see and do in Somerset, here are a few suggestions :
WELLS
Wells is the smallest city in England and has one of the most beautiful cathedrals in England. This cathedral took 250 years to build and replaced an old cathedral pulled down by Bishop Reginal de Bolun around 1180. The stone to build the cathedral was brought from Doulting (a village near to Wells). The cathedral is a must visit with over 400 carved figues on the West Front, an unusual clock on the North transept and a stunning and unique interior. Also in Wells you should make time for The Bishop's Palace, Wells Museum, Wells Market - held on Wednesdays and Saturdays and where you can buy local produce and St Cuthbert's Church.
GLASTONBURY
Glastonbury is approximately 12 miles away and is home to the world famous Glastonbury Tor. There is quite a walk to get to the top and see the old ruins but it is certainly worth it and provides a unique view of Somerset. There is plenty of mystery surrounding the Tor and it has plenty of myths and legends attached to it - from fairies, laylines to it being the home of the King of the Underworld! For more strange tales about the Tor visit
www.glastonburytor.org.uk The town itself has many shops and many specialise in the NEw Age culture or myths and legends. Plus theres the Abbey and the Chalice Well and once a year in June it becomes the centre of attention in Britain for music lovers as the Glastonbury Festival is held nearby when over 100,000 people visit the area over just a few days.
WOOKEY HOLE
Mix a history lesson with fun! Wookey Hole is a place of mystery and legend. You can go on a guided tour and find out all about the people who lived in this cave - such as the Wookey Witch! There is amazing scenery including the River Axe which passes through the caves. The site is open all year round with special ghost tours at nightime between the 1st of July and the start of September. See their website for further details -
www.wookey.co.uk
AXBRIDGE
Axbridge is the smallest town in England and is steeped in history. It is home to King John's Hunting Lodge (a late Medieval merchant's house) which is a National Trust Property. This is now a museum of local history. Axbridge is a very pretty town with tudor style houses and lovely little shops - perfect for that holiday souvenir!
CHEDDAR
Cheddar is home to Britain's largest gorge. There is so much to see here, you can go inside the caves and find out all about the caves structures and see unbelievable rock formations, mirror-like pools untouched for thousands of years, the biggest underground river in Britain - The Cheddar Yeo & find out about Britain's oldest skeleton - Cheddar Man believed to be over 9,000 years old! For further information on Cheddar visit
www.cheddarsomerset.co.uk
ACTIVITIES
There are plenty of walks such as Ebbor Gorge (near Cheddar) and cycle routes. The Somerset Levels (untouched marshland) is amazingly flat and so making cycling a breeze plus you get to take in plenty of country air and sites.
SHOPPING
There are many towns within easy driving distance to ease your shopping desires. From Wells with its local market twice a week and pretty shops to Bath with its major shopping streets, theres Taunton a short distance down the M5 or Bristol to the North. The famous Clarks' outlet village is approx 13 miles away and this has a vast amount of your standard high street shops selling items at very discoutned prices - from clothing, electronics, toys to pottery and of course shoes! You are sure to find something for everyone and see plenty of sites and beautiful countryside along the way.
NATIONAL TRUST
Shire Cottage is ideally situated for visiting many of the most beautiful and famous gardens in the South West including Hestercombe, Forde Abbey and East Lambrook. There's also Monacute Gardens, Stourhead, Barrington Court and Killerton not to be missed. For further information on National Trust properties click onto
www.nationaltrust.co.uk
SEASIDE
There are many beaches in the Somerset area, the closest to us being famous Weston-super-Mare. Weston-super-Mare has a traditional resort beach, which is sandy and has excellent facilities. It is an ideal location for families, there is a wide, level promenade, a land train and other attractions including a pier, sea-life centre and the famous Weston Donkeys. There are plenty of seafront events held throughout the year. Along from Weston you will find Burnham-on-Sea. The beach here has officially been named one of the UK's top beaches for safety, cleanliness, water quality, facilities and access.It was awarded fifth place in a survey of 170 beaches across the UK carried out by the Keep Britain Tidy Group. Burnham Beach was awarded 100% for cleanliness, 100% for water safety, 80% for control of dogs, 90% for amenities and facilities, 100% for maintenance and 94% for information. Burnham beach is part of a seven-mile stretch of sand which runs from Burnham-on-Sea to Brean Down.