Wessex walks and Bristol buzz
Walk the Wessex hills from the door. Experience buzzing Bristol and beguiling Bath. Tour Wells Cathedral, negotiate the hazards of Wheathill Golf Club, get a facial at Elements. Kids can meet over 150 animals at Pennywell Farm, ride West Somerset Railway, race their mates at AJ Karting and brave the high ropes at Puxton Park.
Country kids
Enjoy the perfect animal-lover’s experience down on the farm at Somerset Alpaca Trekking and Rare Breed Animals. Sign up for indoor and (heated) outdoor splashing at Brean Splash Waterpark. Or discover lovely beaches at Burnham, Berrow, Uphill Slipway, Brean and Weston-Super-Mare.
What was the first drive-through safari park outside of Africa? Longleat. Check out the giraffes and lions, then check in to Longleat House, a masterpiece of Elizabethan architecture with Capability Brown gardens. Or meet over 150 animals at Pennywell Farm, home of pond-dipping and pony-pampering.
See anything from piranhas to puffer fish on the pier at Seaquarium in Weston-Super-Mare. Explore Britain’s largest gorge at Cheddar, with stalactite caverns and 450-foot cliffs. Enjoy more such stuff at Wookey Hole, plus pirate golf, dinosaurs and woodland walks. Or ride the West Somerset Railway through 20 miles of rolling hill country.
Head into Bristol for comedy, panto and Shakespeare at the Old Vic and musicals at the Hippodrome. Discover the world’s largest dedicated rotorcraft exhibition at the Helicopter Museum. Race your mates at AJ’s Karting. Or row the lake, meet the meerkats and brave the high ropes at Puxton Park.
For the grown ups
Walks from the door over the Wessex countryside contrast with the lights and sights of buzzy Bristol and the ageless charm of Bath. Head into the spa city to discover the rooftop springs, the Roman Baths, plus several cobbled streets’ worth of quirky shopping. From here, it’s just a short hop to the sarsen standing stones of Stonehenge.
Keep your abs toned at Lifestyle Fitness in Langport and climbing the rocks at Frome Boulder Rooms. See the scenery on four legs with Burcott Riding Centre or on two with Parrett Bike Hire. Blast pretend birds from the sky at the Mendip Shooting Ground. Fire arrows with Avalon Archery. Or negotiate the unique hazards of Wheathill Golf Club.
Fish in the Cary Valley at Viaduct Fishing. Take to the water on a canoe, kayak, self-drive motorboat or chartered narrowboat with Somerset Boat Centre. Test your sense of balance on the river with Parrett Paddleboard Rentals. Or climb Glastonbury Tor or the gorgeous gorges and rocky outcrops of the Mendips.
Or take things easier. Try a tour of Wells Cathedral or catch a concert or exhibition in the nave. Enjoy facials, aromatherapy, gel peels and deep cleanses at Elements Boutique Spa. Or say RIP to RRP on Barbour, Boss, Calvin Klein and more at Clark’s Outlet Village.
