Explore Somerset

From country walks to family days out, adventure activities to beaches, museums to historic cities, Somerset has something to offer everyone.

Walking and Cycling

There are many walks starting directly from the cottage, whether you fancy a short stroll or a longer ramble through the countryside. The Avalon Marshes, known for its rich cultural heritage and diversity of wildlife, comprises four National Nature Reserves and has a visitor centre only a 10 minute drive from the cottage.

The Catcott Complex Nature Reserve is a 2.5 mile walk or 8 minute drive away and accepts dogs on leads. The RSPB Greylake Nature Reserve and Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserves are each less than a 15 minute drive away from the cottage. At Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve, you can walk along the line of the Sweet Track wooden trackway which was built in the Spring of 3806 BC to cross the wet landscapes and reed-swamps, and which is still preserved in the wet peat below.

The Somerset Levels are perfect for cycling and one of the National Cycle Network routes runs right through Chilton Polden and the Avalon Marshes, connecting Wells, Glastonbury, Bridgwater and Taunton.

Bird Watching

The Somerset Levels are one of the largest remaining wetlands in England. A haven for wildlife and home to many different breeds of birds including rare species such as Redstarts, Bittern and the Great White Egret. The starling roost site at the Avalon Marshes and RSPB Ham Wall attracts thousands of visitors each year to witness the spectacular starling murmurations. For more information on the RSPB reserves and the fantastic bird watching opportunities this area has to offer, please click on Find out More below to visit the RSPB website.

National Trust and English Heritage

There are many National Trust properties in Somerset, including the famous Tyntesfield Estate, Dunster Castle and Montecute House. There are also beautiful gardens to visit and the dramatic gorges and ancient woodland of the Mendip Hills to explore.

Somerset has a number of historic sites which are looked after by English Heritage, including Meare Fish House which is the only surviving monastic fishery building in England, the clifftop Daws Castle which was founded by King Alfred, the Glastonbury Tribunal – home to the Glastonbury Lake Village Museum and Mulchelney Abbey near Langport which was once a landmark in the Somerset Levels.

Historic Towns & Cities

Glastonbury is a vibrant town which is steeped in ancient history. There are many places to explore including Glastonbury Tor, one of the most spiritual sites in the country with spectacular views over the Somerset Levels, Dorset, Wiltshire and Wales. At the foot of the Tor, The Chalice Well is a Grade I listed site of beautiful gardens of peace and tranquillity with an ancient spring flowing from the ground in the valley. Glastonbury Abbey is one of England’s oldest and most important abbeys, and is the site of the Glastonbury Thorn and the burial place of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere.

The City of Wells has many places to explore including the spectacular Wells Cathedral, the beautiful Bishops Palace and Gardens. Don’t miss Vicars Close – the oldest inhabited street in Europe with all its original buildings still in tact.

Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is named after its Roman-built baths. There is so much to see and do in Bath, from exploring the Roman Baths, discovering Bath Abbey, visiting museums and galleries or admiring the world-class Georgian architecture. Bath has a wide variety of museums including No1 Royal Crescent, the Fashion Museum, The Jane Austen Centre and the Herschel Museum of Astronomy.

Bristol has a rich maritime history and also has an important place in aviation history. It’s the largest city in the South West of England, with an abundance of things to see and do from visiting art galleries and museums, to seeing famous landmarks such as Brunel’s SS Great Britain, the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Georgian Queens Square, or even taking a boat trip to see the Floating Harbour.

Action and Adventure

Somerset offers many excellent locations for climbing, caving and abseiling. Cheddar Gorge is Britain’s biggest gorge and offers a range of routes, whether you are a beginner or an experienced climber. The limestone cliffs, crags and quarries of the Mendip Hills are fantastic for climbing. There are a number of caves to explore including Gough’s Cave with its incredible display of stalagmites and stalactites, and River Axe flowing through the limestone caverns at Wookey Hole.

Wall Eden Adventure in Highbridge has a wide range of activities available from archery and axe throwing to fishing or watersports on the lake.

Weston Woods near Weston-Super-Mare is a 320 acre area of protected woodland to explore with an adventure play area and the remains of an iron age hillfort to discover.

Family Attractions

Somerset is a popular holiday destination for families and has a wide range of attractions suited to children of all ages and interests, including the famous Wookey Hole Caves with over 20 attractions including a 4D cinema, a play castle, adventure golf and a 16^th century paper mill.

In Bristol, Brunel’s SS Great Britain, the world’s first great ocean liner, is an immersive experience for visitors of all ages with interactive exhibits and museums. Aerospace Bristol will take you on a journey through 100 years of aviation history with the chance to step aboard the last Concorde ever to fly. There are children’s trails, interactive exhibits and a children’s play area.

Museums…

There are many specialist museums to visit in Somerset including:

Haynes International Motor Museum (Yeovil)
Helicopter Museum (Weston-Super-Mare)
Fleet Air Arm Museum (Ilchester)
Somerset Brick and Tile Museum (Bridgwater)
The Museum of Somerset (Taunton)
Coates English Willow Visitor Centre (Taunton)
Sheppy’s House of Cider Visitor Centre (Taunton)
Somerset Rural Life Museum (Glastonbury)
Glastonbury Lake Village Museum (Glastonbury)
Wells and Mendip Museum (Wells)

For animal lovers…

Puxton Park is a working animal farm with a miniature railway, adventure areas (including a high ropes course), animal encounters and a boating lake.

Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm is an award winning, family owned zoo set in 100 acres of beautiful Somerset countryside. With a collection of over 100 different species, Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm works with animal parks and zoos across Europe to breed and protect endangered species. The Elephant Eden enclosure is the largest elephant enclosure in the UK.

Longleat Safari Park is the UK’s original Safari Park and offers many attractions including an adventure castle, hedge maze, railway and jungle cruise. The drive through safari takes you on a tour through areas such as Lion Country, Tiger Territory and Monkey Mayhem to name a few.

Somerset Alpaca Trekking and Rare Breed Animals is based in Chilton Polden and provides an amazing opportunity to learn all about alpacas before being paired up with an alpaca for an ‘alpaca walk’. There are also some rare breed sheep to meet and chickens to feed. Booking in advance is essential.

Animal Farm Adventure Park offers hands on animal encounters as well as adventure activities including an indoor play barn, adventure castle, trampolines and crazy golf.

For water lovers…

With 40 miles of coast, 95 water courses as well as reservoirs and lakes, Somerset has many watersports on offer from windsurfing and paddleboarding, to sailing and canoeing.

The Wave in Bristol is the first of its kind – an inland surfing centre providing consistent surf waves all year round with waves suitable for beginners through to expert surfers.

Brean Splash Park has a 25m pool and indoor splash park with rainbow rings and disco slides. During the warmer months, the Outdoor Splash has an additional water play area and three big water slides.

Originally opened in 1937, Greenbank Pool is a heated outdoor pool located near the Clarks Shopping Village in Street. It is open from May to September and has a 30m outdoor pool which is heated to 30C and a children’s pool which is heated to 32C.

Beaches

Weston-Super-Mare is easily accessible for a day out at a traditional Victorian English seaside resort, with long sandy beaches, a promenade and pier, donkey rides, fish and chips, watersports and amusements. Also within easy reach is Burnham-on-Sea with its award winning sandy beaches and Britain’s shortest pier.

Clevedon overlooks the Severn Estuary and is a Victorian seaside town with plenty of things to see and do. Clevedon Pier is England’s only Grade I listed pier and has an award winning restaurant. Clevedon Marine Lake is open to all, all year round and is the world’s largest sea water infinity pool. The Curzon Cinema in Clevedon is the oldest purpose-built cinema in the world still in working order. There is also a variety of independent shops, cafes and restaurants, a miniature railway and mini golf centre.

Less than an hour away, Minehead beach has rockpools to explore, a beautiful stretch of sand when the tide goes out, and is perfect for watersports including swimming, surfing, kayaking and paddleboarding.

There are many dog friendly beaches in Somerset where dogs are allowed all year round including Berrow and Brean.

The beautiful coastal resorts of Lyme Regis and West Bay in Dorset, and Paignton in Devon are also accessible by car in just over an hour from the cottage.

Shopping

There are regular street and specialist food markets held in many of Somerset’s towns and villages including Wells, Glastonbury, Castle Cary and Axbridge where local produce, crafts, plants and gifts can be found.

Rosary Cottage is only 8 miles away from the Clarks Village Outlet Shopping Centre in Street, with over 90 designer and high street brands offering discounts of up to 60% off RRP. There is also a children’s adventure play area and a range of cafes and restaurants.

Pubs and Restaurants

Whether you fancy a traditional country pub, a gastropub or something a bit different, there is lots of choice within a short distance of Rosary Cottage. The newly refurbished Leather and Lace Bar & Grill is a short walk from the cottage and boasts a brand new menu and beautiful outdoor seating area. In the neighbouring village of Catcott, there is the choice of The Crown Inn and the King William Inn, both offering a selection of real ales and home made food. At Cossington, there is The Red Tile Inn, a family run pub with a skittle alley and home cooked food. The Duck at Burtle is an award winning gastropub with a fantastic reputation for excellent food and service.

Also local to Rosary Cottage are Annie’s Tea Room in Westhay – a small quaint old fashioned tearoom serving sandwiches toasties and traditional cream teas; and Rich’s Cider Farm restaurant which serves excellent breakfasts, lunchtime specials, homemade cakes & desserts, cream teas & carvery every day.

The nearby towns of Street, Glastonbury and Bridgwater offer an abundance of choice of cafes, pubs and restaurants, some of which deliver if you would like a night in with a takeaway.