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This is the real West Country, where the local accent burrs in the same way it did back in Thomas Hardy’s day, and you’re just as likely to be held up on the road by a herd of cows as you are a tractor. Its gateway city, Bath, has been popular since Celtic times, and people still come from all over the world to relax in its mineral-rich waters and take tea in its elegant Georgian crescents. Further afield, the Cheddar Gorge and the Mendips provide see-for-miles viewpoints and rewarding walks. Rushing seems to be frowned upon here. It’s as though the whole county is working to a different, slower clock – come and stay in Somerset for a few days of hard-earned downtime, and you can, too.
As befits a land of druids, leylines and Arthurian myths, there’s a mystical, alternative and, at times, downright beardy-weirdiness to Somerset. Little wonder, then, that one of its most beloved creations is the Glastonbury Festival, which brings top bands, a hippie love vibe and enough muddy revellers to create a Sunderland-sized tented city to Worthy Farm in Pilton every summer.
...a tanker-size flagon of scrumpy to bring out at your next party – or leave to gather dust at the back of your drinks cupboard until your children discover the evils of apple-based alcohol in their early teens. Hecks Farmhouse in Street sells its single-varietal brews straight from the oak barrel (www.hecksfarmhousecider.co.uk).
Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and romantic boutique hotels in Northeast Somerset
The opening of Babington House in 1998 famously kick-started the march of metropolitan cool into the countryside, and it still sets the standard. This impressive Somerset manor is the benchmark of cool that other country-house hotels never quite seem to match.
A stylishly serene boutique hotel within an ivy-clad country inn, the Bath Arms hides at the end of a twisting lane on the Marquess of Bath's Longleat Estate.
Born from the combination of four 18th-century houses built in inimitable Bath Stone, the comfortable and contemporary Queensberry Hotels perfectly placed to explore the historic spa city.
With perfect neo-classical proportions, cobblestone streets, a fantastic spa and views of the hills, Royal Crescent Hotel is the epitome of English elegance.
The really big draw at boutique gastropub the Wheatsheaf is the phenomenal cooking; you'll lurch from meal to meal in a delirium of pastoral astonishment. When you're not eating (the times will be few), Bath and Somerset are on your doorstep
Charlton House in Somerset occupies that ideal boutique hotel ground, somewhere between grand old-style country retreat and an in-vogue homely chic.
Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.
February/March The Bath Literature Festival brings a glittering roll call of novelists to the city, emptying the coffee shops of Hampstead (www.bathlitfest.org.uk). June Mudlarks and music fans gather for the glorious Glastonbury Festival (www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk). August Put together by Glastonbury supremo Michael Eavis, the Glastonbury Abbey Musical Extravaganza is an annual series of classical-to-classic-rock concerts (www.glastonburyextravaganza.com). Get the insider lowdown on Glastonbury and other UK events online at Smith 52: The Game Plan, our European events guide, or click here to buy the book.October The Mendip Food and Drink Festival attracts county-wide producers (www.mendipfoodfestival.co.uk). November The touring West Country Carnival features parades of floats that even Liberace would find ostentatious; it’s Somerset’s way of marking Bonfire Night (www.westcountrynow.com). December Bath Christmas Market sees more than 100 stalls set up between Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths. Mulled wine is compulsory (www.bathchristmasmarket.co.uk).
This friendly café specialises in vegetarian and vegan food, and serves up some of the best quiches, mezze and cakes in the West Country. Portions are notoriously huge.
17a High Street, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 9DP
A lovely spot for a lazy Sunday breakfast, this delightful Frome institution specialises in natural and organic food, and serves it all up in a light and airy environment – you can even sit outside and eat if the weather’s good. Its cakes may be made with organic flour and free-range eggs, but they’re still rib-stickingly good (www.gardencafefrome.co.uk).
16 Stony Street, Frome, Somerset BA11 1BU
Young chef Elisha Carter has chosen this acclaimed hotel restaurant to whip up his stylish, traditional-European-meets-West-Indian dishes – think lasagne of prawn and mussels or ‘head to tail’ West Country pork. All produce comes from the Charlton House estate, and its organically reared rare-breed meats feature heavily on the menu.
Charlton House, Charlton Road, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 4PR
Situated on the edge of the Exmoor hills, this lovely family-run restaurant, overlooking boats bobbing up and down on Porlock Bay, specialises in classic English cuisine made from fresh West Country ingredients, ham hock and Exmoor pigeon among them. There’s a good selection for vegetarians, too (www.andrewsontheweir.co.uk).
Porlock Weir, near Minehead, Somerset TA24 8PB
This intimate restaurant near Cheddar Gorge offers formal dining and an unpretentious menu of classic dishes – Gressingham duck, rack of lamb, sticky toffee pudding, and so on – in a cosy setting (www.franksrestaurant.co.uk).
The Bays, Cheddar, Somerset BS27 3QL
A friendly establishment in old farm buildings at South Petherton, just off the A303, the New Farm Restaurant has a relatively small selection of seasonal dishes, but concentrates on preparing them well. Its produce all comes from local suppliers, its desserts are all home-made (www.newfarmrestaurant.co.uk).
Over Stratton, near South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5LQ
Homely and informal, the Old Spot has become one of Somerset’s most lauded restaurants – a favourite of London’s most savage food critics. Its formula is simple: provide delicious food – braised shoulder of lamb, ceviche of organic salmon with red chilli – at budget prices, and throw in a superb wine list, too. Spot on.
12 Sadler Street, Wells, Somerset BA5 2SE
Originally located in Bath, this Michelin-starred restaurant moved to nearby Midsomer Norton when its owners fell in love with the mediaeval priory that has become its new home. Its tranquil setting complements the understated and elegant décor, and makes for the ideal place to indulge in Stephen Shore’s wonderful modern English cuisine (www.moodygoose.co.uk).
The Old Priory Hotel, 17–19 Church Square, Midsomer Norton, near Bath, Somerset BA3 2HX
Situated in an idyllic 16th-century country cottage, with dovecotes built into its walls, the Wheatsheaf is one of the West Country’s most enticing gastropubs. Even the smart, spoilt-for-choice residents of Bath make the 15-minute drive out of town to sample the excellent menu and wine list.
Combe Hay, near Bath, Somerset BA2 7EG
An atmospheric 15th-century pub in the heart of Glastonbury that’s steeped in history – in its former incarnation as a coaching inn, it played host to King Henry VIII. Oak-panelled, supposedly haunted, and with hidden tunnels, it’s the oldest purpose-built public house in the southwest.
1 High Street, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 9DP
You might not end up behind the bars of this lovely Wells pub, set inside the old city jail, but you’ll be happy to serve your time here. Stocks and shackles are still displayed on the walls (www.thecityarmsatwells.co.uk).
69 High Street, Wells, Somerset BA5 2AG
A charming 15th-century coaching inn. Park up at a bench in the beer garden and soak up the sun and the views with a pint of cider (and we don’t mean that over-iced luminous orange stuff).
Southstoke, Bath, Somerset BA2 7DU
A 15th-century coaching inn, the Talbot has a hearty menu of British game and seafood. Plump for Cornish mussels, a Somerset ploughman's, or pitch up on a Sunday afternoon for a classic roast. The Tythe Barn bar has casks of real ale and 600-year-old oak beams.
Mells, near Frome, Somerset BA11 3PN
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