curlews Holly Astle

Holly Astle

Somerset is a large county situated in southwest England. This is a county of contrasts, from the popular seaside resorts like Minehead and Weston-super-Mare to the inland ‘Tess country’ and home to many brands of cider ‘scrumpy’).

One of England’s Natural Wonders

Cheddar Gorge is one of England’s natural wonders, formed by floods during the Ice Age, and home to around 100 endangered cave-dwelling lesser Horseshoe Bats.

One of England’s Largest Wetland Reserves

the shepherd's hut Caroline Smith

Caroline Smith

Avalan Marshes are one of our largest wetland reserves (to help protect endangered water voles, which also buffer homes and businesses from rising sea levels, due to climate change.

This is home to many birds including lapwings and curlews. It’s a birdwatcher’s paradise, where you can spend hours observing these avian wonders, in their natural habitats. Bring your binoculars!

The Beautiful Mendip Hills

the end of summer Caroline Smith

Caroline Smith

Situated in the Chew Valley, these limestone hills and gorges offer important habitats for wildlife, and have been designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This area is buzzing with life from soaring skylarks overhead to the quirky black oil beetle (its protruding tummy being described as looking like ‘someone whose waistcoat won’t button up!’

Walking is popular, admiring over 400km of dry-stone walls. Views can be seen across the Somerset Levels to Glastonbory Tor, the coast and even across the Severn Estuary to Wales.

Always follow the Countryside Code, to keep dogs and livestock safe.

Home to England’s Highest Tidal Range

The seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare is very popular with tourists, and also home to one of the world’s highest tidal ranges. Be careful when walking nearby (due to an old military testing site, sometimes unexploded bombs are found).

Weston-Super-Mare is known for its sinking mud. Follow all the information signs, keep all the family (including dogs) away from risky areas, and read more on how to avoid getting stuck in quicksand (and what to do, if you do get stuck). 

Wells: A Guide to England’s Smallest City

church and bird Matt Johnson

Matt Johnson

Wells is England’s smallest city, nestled in the heart of Somerset. This quaint place is historically rich with lots of natural beauty and landmarks, medieval architecture and a stunning cathedral. Walk the cobblestone streets to discover a city rich in religion and tales of old. The city is named after three wells dedicated to St Andrew, and years ago, was the focal point in Somerset.

Wells Cathedral is the spiritual heart of the city, and is one of England’s most beautiful buildings. Built in the 12th century, its Gothic style and stunning ‘scissor arches’ are majestic, and the Wells clock is known as a medieval marvel.

A short stroll away is Vicars’ Close, the oldest residential street in Europe. The stone houses are just like they were in the 14th century, when vicars from the cathedral choir would live in them.

Twice a week, the heart of Wells is transformed into a bustling market, where fresh produce and crafts are sold to local people and visitors. And if shopping’s not your thing, explore the lovely surroundings of the Mendip Hills, where you can enjoy panoramic walks and cycling trails. Not far away is Glastonbury Tor (which bears remnants of an ancient church).

Surprisingly for a city, Wells does not have a train station (there used to be three). For now, the closest station is Castle Cary (a small town 24 miles south of Bath, which lies between the Mendip Hills and Blackmore Vale).

Home to the Oldest-Ever Human Skeleton

There is where ‘Cheddar Man’ (the oldest-ever human skeleton from 10,000 years ago) was found. Interestingly, he was found to have dark skin and blue eyes, proving that racists have no idea what they were talking about!

Two other local boys with blue eyes (this time with blonde hair) from the local village of Cheddar were Matt & Luke Goss (from popular 90s pop band Bros).

Home to England’s Biggest Music Festival

Around 1 hour away is Glastonbury, famed for its hippy origins. When a Mcdonald’s opened in the area, locals staged a protest on stilts, picking up all the local litter within 100m, and handing it over to the store manager.

The music festival is actually held near the nearby village of Pilton, whose population swells from 1000 to 200,000 each summer. The locals don’t mind that much, as the festival-goers are a pretty peaceful lot, and obviously bring in income for the pubs!

The festival does generate huge amounts of litter. But it has things in order, with chosen litter pickers (who get their own campsite with flushing toilets and meal vouchers) go into action when the festival ends, leaving the place pristine within a few days. Unusual items found include:

  • A grandfather clock
  • A bra with poo in it
  • A wig that someone had vomited in
  • People sleeping under piles of clothes!

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