Top 10 things to do in Somerset
Glastonbury Abbey
The mythical burial place of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, Glastonbury Abbey is steeped in history and folklore – there is even a slightly fanciful story that Jesus visited here.
It was once the wealthiest and most ornate abbey in England, but Henry VIII put paid to that in the 1530s, when he set about destroying the monasteries. What’s left is a set of romantic ruins.
From March to October, jolly costumed guides bring the Abbey’s history to life, with interactive shows in the 14th-century Abbot’s Kitchen.
Surrounding the Abbey are 36 acres of resplendent parkland complete with ponds, orchards and a picnic area.
More info:
Stay in a local holiday park
www.glastonburyabbey.com
Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company
Though there once were many cheesemakers in Cheddar producing authentic slabs of Britain’s favourite cheese, today this is the only company left in the village.
Witness the various stages in the making of the famous hard cheese, as the Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company’s master cheesemakers transform creamy local milk into authentic Cheddar.
After watching the cheese being made, you can mosey along to the taster bar to nibble the perfectly matured products. In the shop you can buy a slice or a whole truckle to take home, along with those all-important local pickles to go with it.
More info:
Stay in a local holiday park
www.cheddargorgecheeseco.co.uk
The Fun Farm, Taunton
There’s a wholesome air to the activities on offer at this friendly, well-run farm at Priorswood.
At the right time of year, your kids can feed the lambs and piglets, and if they’re feeling a little adventurous they can try handling reptiles and feeding the farm’s red deer. There’s apple-pressing, too.
The barrel train, made of old oil barrels, will delight toddlers, and those aged six and over can ride the quad bike course (with supervision, of course…).
Get here in the morning and the kids might be able to do some egg-collecting, too, provided the hens are playing ball.
More info:
Stay in a local holiday park
www.thefunfarm.org
East Somerset Railway
The countryside of Somerset’s rolling Mendip Hills is some of England’s loveliest, and you can experience it from the carriage of a charming old steam train on this lovingly maintained railway.
It’s a five-mile round trip from Cranmore Railway Station near Shepton Mallet, but perhaps the nicest option on a fine day is to buy a single ticket and walk back along the track, alongside flowering meadows.
Explore the railway’s 150-year history in the museum, step into the signal box and see how they maintain the locomotives in the engine shed. Naturally these are Thomas the Tank Engine outings, and in summer you can take a Wine and Dine ride with strawberries and cream served on board.
More info:
Stay in a local holiday park
www.eastsomersetrailway.com
Wookey Hole Caves
A major attraction for many years, these famous caves made the national news in the summer of 2009, when they advertised for a witch. She (or indeed he) should be in place soon, but in the meantime there are plenty of attractions to grab your kids’ attention.
The caves, which have been occupied by humans for 50,000 years, are said to be haunted by various ghosts, and have some truly bizzare rock formations.
There are also circus shows, a hall of mirrors and a crazy golf course. The Valley of the Dinosaurs has a collection of huge life-size models, and in Monster Mill there’s a penny arcade.
More info:
Stay in a local holiday park
www.wookey.co.uk
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Run by the flying arm of the Royal Navy, this top-class museum at Ilchester is the kind of place that gets small boys (not to mention grown men) very excited.
The big event this summer is the Fly Navy 100 exhibition, celebrating 100 years of Royal Navy flying, from its first airship to today’s super-fast helicopters and jump-jets.
Other museum highlights include a chance to step inside the first British-built Concorde, and the award-winning aircraft carrier experience, in which you ‘fly’ in a Wessex helicopter to the ‘flight deck’ of the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. Stirring stuff.
More info:
Stay in a local holiday park
www.fleetairarm.com
Richs Farmhouse Cider
Cider-making, and the apple-growing that fuels it, is one of the great traditions of Somerset, and at this venerable old farm they’ve been making it for many generations.
See the old apple presses and other antiquated machinery in the small museum, have a walk in the cider-apple orchards, and let the little ones have fun in the outdoor play area.
Try the farm’s traditional, additive-free ciders, and buy them in the farm shop, together with cider vinegar, perry and much more. You can also enjoy a fine lunch of local produce in the Cider Press restaurant.
More info:
Stay in a local holiday park
www.richscider.co.uk
Cheddar Caves and Gorge
The UK’s biggest gorge is cleaved between the hills northeast of the village of Cheddar, with Cheddar Caves at the bottom.
Tour Gough’s Cave and Cox’s Cave, the latter of which has a soundtrack of choral music and a ‘search for the crystal’ narrative to enliven the journey.
You can take the three-mile clifftop gorge walk or just take the 274 steps up the lookout tower. If you’re feeling really lazy, take the open-top bus tour.
In the Museum of Prehistory, discover how our ancestors lived, while the kids try their hand at a spot of cave-painting.
More info:
Stay in a local holiday park
www.cheddarcaves.co.uk
Burnham-on-Sea beaches
There are no fewer than seven beautiful beaches at Burnham-on-Sea, which lies just beyond the estuary of the River Axe.
The main beach is an excellent family option: a big, sandy expanse that’s patrolled by lifeguards in summer, at which time there are also donkey rides and kids’ entertainment.
South Beach is a great place for spotting seabirds, while North Beach has a natural, seawater boating pool.
For a wilder experience, head for the dunes of Berrow and the beautiful scenery of Brean Down. Just be careful at any of these beaches at low tide, when it can be dangerous to approach the sea.
More info:
Stay in a local holiday park
www.burnham-on-sea.com/beach-safety-tips.shtml
SeaQuarium, Weston-Super-Mare
Built on a new pier, right over the beach, in the mid-Nineties, the dinky SeaQuarium has great views of Wales across the Severn Estuary – and there’s plenty more to see inside.
The underwater tunnel gives you a close look at sharks and other creatures as they glide gracefully past you, and there are 24 other displays, giving you a glimpse of the beauties and terrors of the world’s seas and waterways.
There are regular feeding demonstrations throughout the day, and new for 2009 is Rainforest River, with its display of freshwater stingrays – always a kid-pleaser.
More info:
Stay in a local holiday park
www.seaquarium.co.uk/weston.php
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