The best way to spend a week in Somerset
We spent the first week of the year down in Somerset - The birthplace of Glastonbury festival. A county that neither of us have been to before yet one that is vast with national parks, quaint little villages and even wild horses roaming.
Working with VW Commercial Vehicles once again, the team very kindly lent us the VW Multivan to try out for the duration of our trip. Having previously worked with the guys at VW during our 2 week Camper-van road trip around the NC500 we knew we were in good hands with their New Hybrid Multivan. It was the ideal van to have for our adventure, with ample space inside for our bags. The interior delivers the perfect combination of practicality, comfort and safety. With chairs that swivel and fold away tables, ideal for those rainy January in-car picnics. One thing we found super handy was just how flexible the inside was. Within minutes you can re-arrange from the large family car needs of 7 seats to more of a van with less chairs and more space. Whether you’re planning on adventuring lots or simply need more space for school runs and daily life this Hybrid Multivan really does have everything covered.
Our first 3 nights were spent with family friends who made the move from London to Somerset 5 years ago and haven’t looked back.
We really love spending time with locals or people who are familiar with the area because we find you get a totally different insight into areas you perhaps might have missed or weren’t even aware of.
Our stays around the county ranged from a luxury pub to a treehouse cabin to a 5* spa hotel. Trust us when we say, Somerset has everything you’re looking for.
Unfortunately, January isn’t the best time of year to explore the UK. Usually rainy, cold, damp and windy and yes we had all of the above. Nonetheless the county itself is stunning, endless green fields line the long, winding roads through picturesque villages and quaint chocolate box houses.
Here’s a brief itinerary of our week in Somerset ( with a quick trip over to Dorset)
Frome - pronounced Froom, it is a quintessentially British village with charming historic buildings and a thriving contemporary and performing arts scene.
Wells - Perhaps most well (no pun intended) known for the incredible Wells Cathedral and unique moated Bishop’s Palace.
Shepton Mallet - A much larger market town and home to the iconic Glastonbury Festival.
The Quantocks - England’s first designated ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ with forests, grasslands and wild horses roaming around, it is a national park not to miss whatever the weather.
Watchet - A small but historic harbour town looking out across the Bristol Channel.
Dorset - Only 1.5 hours drive from Somerset is Dorset, a neighbouring costal country. We spent the day visitng the unmissable Old Harry Rocks and the iconic Durdle door. Well worth adding to your road trip if you have the time.
Bath - A place we have been recommended to visit on numerous occasions by numerous people all with the same delightful smile across their face. Bath is just charming. It is a must visit in Somerset and during a visit to England. Filled with character and oozing elegant Georgian architecture. So named after the historic Roman-built baths which you can still visit to this day. So much to see in too little time, we’ll no doubt be back and in the meantime we’ll be telling numerous people to go visit with the same happy, nostalgic smile across our faces.
Must See, Do and Eat’s
Fox and Kit Cafe - perfect for kids to play and eat.
Cheddar Gauge (Sadly we didn’t get chance but wish we had).
Nordic Cafe - Opposite the Roman Baths
Roman Baths
Bath Abbey
Pulteney Bridge
Sally Lunn’s Historic Eating House
Themae Bath Spa
Union Street & Union Passage
Places to Stay
The Bath Arms - A historic pub with 15 beautiful rooms to stay in on the edges of Longlet. Our room came with a roll top bath, uber luxurious bed and homemade brownies to boot. We spent the day enjoying neighbouring towns before retreating to the roaring fire restaurant for fine-dining standard pub grub. Definitely the best pub food we’ve ever eaten, it’s no wonder this place is clearly a must stop for many.
The Hide, Pennard Hill Farm - Suspended in the trees overlooking the Glastonbury fields this treehouse / come hideaway cabin is a perfect place to escape. There is an outdoor kitchen, pizza oven, wood burner fire and wood-heated outdoor bath - meaning it’s a get-stuck-in remote retreat but one that is so wonderfully thought out and caters to all your needs.
The Gainsborough Bath Spa - Luxury hotel in the heart of Bath. This Spa Hotel is located right in the centre of a UNESCO world heritage site and uniquely has exclusive access to Bath’s natural thermal, mineral-rich waters. The location is ideal for exploring Bath and is a stones throw away from Bath Abbey and the Roman baths. Their restaurant ‘Socialize’ is the place for breakfast in the city, even if you aren’t staying at the hotel. The rooms are decadent yet familiar, and they pay special attention to little ones with cots and cuddly toys on hand. Famed for its spa both underground and on the rooftop, you can’t stay at The Gainsborough without a trip down to the spa, with in-house guests gaining exclusive out of hours access.
No.15 by Guesthouse Bath - What can we say - this place is just beautiful. A boutique hotel located on one of Bath’s grandest streets. A place echoing Bath itself, vibrant and full of character. Comprising of a ground level spa, a la carte restaurant serving delicious somewhat different yet decidedly British cuisine and 36 bedrooms across the main house and adjacent coach house. What’s even more charming is no two rooms are the same, each have their own playful British qualities. Ours came with a record player and most unique dolls-house-come-coffee-maker. Not to mention their Pantry - a hit with Mila and us alike filled daily with sweets and treats for you to help yourself to.
We had the most wonderful stay overlooking Bath’s rooftops and wouldn’t hesitate to come back on our inevitable next trip to Bath.
The Bird - A unique, quirky and fun boutique hotel minutes from Bath City Centre. A vivacious and vibrant hotel with views of the stunning Bath Abbey and set across from the renowned Bath Rugby stadium. Each room offers something unique as does their terrace with the hugely popular dining domes and alpine lodge for alfresco dining with a twist. It really is a hotel that is fun for all ages, not to mention their sweet treat corner filled with treats to take on your trip into town.
