Things to see and do

Welcome to Somerset

Somerset “Land of the Summer People” in the heart of South West England, offers a wealth of countryside, coast, four Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and also a National Park!

Steeped in history and legend, this is the ancient home to King Alfred and King Arthur and was an inspiration to the romantic poet, Coleridge.

Chocolate-box villages, quaint market towns and thriving tourist attractions – all nestle among our five famous hill ranges and the Levels and moors. Beautiful countryside gives way to stunning coastline offering a variety of sandy family beach resorts and breath-taking, rugged high cliffs.

Sample the vast array of food and drink such as Cheddar cheese and cider, which is complemented by a wealth of rural crafts.

Countryside

Somerset’s sweeping landscape is dotted with cider orchards nestling among some of the UK’s most dramatic natural features including Cheddar Gorge. Somerset is home to Exmoor National park and four Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty including the Quantock Hills, the Blackdown Hills and the Mendip Hills. Glastonbury Tor stands sentinel over the Levels and Moors, the flatlands of Somerset, which are ideal for the cyclist or nature-watcher.

Coast and resorts

Experience a wild, untamed freedom

Visit Exmoor and you will discover a world of contrasts from its breathtakingly beautiful coastline of plunging cliffs, sheltered bays and traditional resorts to the sheer space and undisturbed tranquillity of its wooded valleys and open moors.

The National Park is home to the unique Exmoor pony and boasts the largest number of wild Red Deer in England. Exmoor ‘safaris’ provide an excellent way of catching a glimpse of them whilst someone else does the driving.

For active breaks, Exmoor is ideal for walkers, cyclists and horse riders with 1100km of rights of way and bridleways to explore. For walkers, there are also five long distance trails including the South West Coast Path and Coleridge Way, as well as a range of way marked shorter routes and guided walks throughout the year.

Exmoor is also a perfect venue for watersports too, whether you’re into adrenaline-fuelled activities such as sailing, canoeing or windsurfing or prefer to relax with a spot of fly-fishing on one of Exmoor’s crystal clear rivers.

With an endless choice of historic sites, colourful family attractions, steam railway rides and wildlife parks, there’s something to keep everyone entertained on Exmoor.

Family holidays

You might be amazed at the sheer number and diversity of attractions in Somerset; there really is something to entertain everyone!

You’ll find the world-famous caves and unspoiled countryside to explore. There are some fascinating motor, aviation and rural life museums to enjoy, magnificent steam railways and relaxing waterways to venture upon. We have superb sandy beaches and a range of lovely seaside towns. There are also many National Trust and English Heritage properties in Somerset, as well as some important natural attractions such as Cheddar Gorge, Glastonbury Tor and Exmoor National Park. With so much fun-packed family entertainment at your disposal, Somerset truly is a place where happy memories are made.

Food and drink

World-renowned as the home of cider making, you’ll find Somerset has so much more to offer in the way of food and drink than just rustic champagne and mouth-watering cheeses!

Somerset has been famous for centuries for its fruits of the land. Somerset apple orchards grow in abundance. Here, producers make all manner of lovely apple-based drinks. You can still see Cheddar Cheese being made today at Cheddar Gorge in the Mendip Hills. Farmers’ markets are an ideal place to sample locally produced foodstuffs. Take home a taste of Somerset from our many specialist food shops.

You’ll find endless restaurants, pubs and cafes serving up local produce to satisfy your taste buds.

History and heritage

From some of the nation’s oldest and most beautiful architecture, to ancient traditions and customs – Somerset provides a real taste of Olde England.

Wells Cathedral is one of the finest national examples of Early English architecture. The very presence of a cathedral qualifies Wells as being a city, in fact, the smallest in England!

The county also has an abundance of charming villages and market towns – each with a special story to tell. Many hold traditional village fetes during summer months. What can be more quintessentially English than to enjoy a country house or garden? Somerset is blessed with a great number, some dating back to Elizabethan times. Many of the properties are now owned by the National Trust or English Heritage, enabling us all to explore and enjoy.

The English Civil War left its mark on the castles at the county town of Taunton and at Dunster. The magnificent ruined castle at Nunney (near Frome) is also a sombre monument to violent and bloody times.

The Battle of Sedgemoor (1685) was the last pitched battle on English soil and is often re-enacted.

Somerset is also rich in crafts. Willow is a very important part of the county’s heritage – visit the Willow and Wetlands Centre to find out more. Potters and all kinds of artists have made Somerset their home.

Festivals and events

When it comes to music, crafts and cultural events, you won’t need to look too far in Somerset for quality entertainment, at any time of year!

Our illuminated carnivals have attracted international acclaim. Taking place between the end of September and mid November, the streets of many Somerset towns become an exciting blaze of colour as the Carnivals take place.

Other forms of entertainment include food festivals, farmers’ markets, cider-making weekends, country fairs, international air shows and the Tour of Britain cycle race. There are also two racecourses in Somerset, at Taunton and Wincanton. The Somerset Rebels speedway team race at Highbridge, where regular meetings are held.

As well as these events, regular theatre listings can be provided by any of the theatres in Somerset, or visit www.visitsomerset.co.uk

Myths and legends

You would expect such an ancient and historic county to have many stories to tell – and indeed Somerset does!

The sense of myths, legends and folklore is all around you. Monks at Glastonbury Abbey claimed to have found the bones of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere and nearby, there is a legend that Joseph of Arimathea planted a holy thorn tree. Cuttings from the holy thorn at Glastonbury Abbey are still sent each year to the Queen to adorn the Christmas lunch table.

Still on the subject of king Arthur, the massive earthwork known as Cadbury castle is believed by some to be the site of the legendary Camelot. The caves at Wookey Hole are said to have been home to a witch who was turned to stone and her petrified profile can still be seen today!

Ghost hunters may wish to visit Taunton Castle, said to be haunted by the sound of soldiers’ boots.

Legend also has it that king Alfred ‘burnt the cakes’ whilst hiding from the Danes at Athelney, in the house of a local peasant woman.

Relax in Somerset

With our vast open spaces and unique mixture of coast and countryside Somerset offers the opportunity for a wide and varied holiday experience.

The Somerset ‘great outdoors’ beckons those who really appreciate getting away from it all. With an unparalleled choice of coast and countryside settings, offering everything from moorland , hill ranges, coastal paths, caves and gorges – you’ll find Somerset is the greatest escape of all when enjoying the great outdoors.
For those who enjoy more sporty forms of relaxation, we can provide some of the finest riding, golf and water sports. Or enjoy trout fishing at Blagdon Reservoir.

You don’t actually have to do anything if you don’t want to. Just simply lose yourself in the unspoiled countryside or breath-taking coast. Or, you may just want to pamper yourself with a luxury spa break. Go on, let yourself go!

Active Somerset

Somerset is a rural playground with so many ways to enjoy the superb coast and countryside – from golf to caving, jet-skiing to horse riding.

If you get your thrills mountain biking, caving, rock climbing, hiking and exploring – you’ll probably think you’re in heaven.

Brean and Weston-super-Mare are ideal for land wind sports like sand yachting.

Cheddar Gorge is a perfect location for caving, climbing and abseiling. You might even see a paraglider or balloonist overhead too.

Cyclists of all abilities can explore the county and enjoy the contrasting landscape. Some of the best mountain bike trails in the country can be found on the Mendip Hills, or the flatlands of the Somerset Levels and Moors offer a more tranquil ride.

For those who are looking for inspiration, why not try sailing at Wimbleball Lake on Exmoor, or even jet skiing at Burnham-on-Sea or Weston-super-Mare?

Horse riding is a popular pastime in Somerset and a great way to explore some of the more challenging terrain, or you can take a leisurely ride along one of our glorious sandy beaches.

Somerset is most definitely a county full of surprises, With so much to do, one visit just might not be enough!


Content reproduced courtesy of www.visitsomerset.co.uk