The secret to the perfect holiday in Somerset

Somerset’s landscapes are steeped in legend, from the lush fields of ‘Avalon’ to Cheddar Gorge and the wilds of Exmoor. The winding, country lanes hold secrets: a spectacular gathering of birds at sunset; a cave filled with fertility symbols; a farm taken over by huge sculptures. 

The local food scene is flourishing, involving everyone from Michelin-star chefs to foragers on the Mendip Hills and farmers selling cheddar and cider from the barn door. 

Glastonbury Festival shines as the centre of the musical universe in June – but the region is becoming known for much more than this. Quiet, agrarian villages are now fashionable places in which to eat brunch, buy designer ceramics and paddleboard down river. Bruton has an internationally-renowned art gallery and the county’s hip, country house hotels, from Soho House and Babylonstoren, are some of the UK’s most desirable. 

What makes Somerset so exciting is that it preserves a bucolic way of life while keeping its finger firmly on the pulse.

For further Somerset inspiration,  see our guides to the region's best hotels, things to do, restaurants and pubs.

• How to spend your holiday

• Insider tips

• When should I visit Somerset?

• Where to stay in Somerset

• What to bring home

• Essential information: what to know before you go

Bruton is an earthy yet stylish little town and a good base for a weekend of food, art and gardens. For an indulgent stay, check into The Newt, a country estate, hotel and spa. Or, with the feel of a well-travelled friend’s home, try Number One Bruton. 

The converted barns at Durslade Farm are an outpost of international gallery Hauser & Wirth, and sculptures are often dotted about the site. Contemplate artists’ ideas in the dreamy Piet Oudolf garden afterwards or stay for a buzzy lunch at Roth Bar & Grill. Emerging artists exhibit at the Bo Lee and Workman gallery, in Bruton’s former Methodist church.

The compact city of Wells, a 25-minute drive away, has a gothic cathedral with a mechanical clock and an awe-inspiring West Front. Wander to Vicar’s Close, the only complete medieval street in England and explore 13th-century Bishop’s Palace, which has fortified walls, a great hall and a moat.

Experience Somerset's creativity on the first Sunday of the month in Frome (a 20-minute drive), when artisans and antiques dealers descend for The Frome Independent market. Alternatively, dainty Mells makes for a picturesque stroll, stopping at the bloom-filled Walled Garden, or at the Talbot Inn. 

Prefer engines to gardens? In South Somerset, the Haynes Motor Museum houses classic cars, while the Fleet Air Arm Museum has bombers, helicopters and Concorde. Pull up a chair afterwards at the long table in Horrell & Horrell’s barn, where set-menu feasts are served Thursday - Sunday. There are also country piles to admire at the Elizabethan Montacute House or Tudor Barrington Court. Both are close to caramel-stone South Petherton, where restaurant Holm serves confident, seasonal food.

Back in Bruton, Merlin Labron-Johnson’s Michelin-starred cooking has grown too big for his tiny restaurant on the High Street. Osip’s new home, Maison Osip, lies in a converted farm outside town. At the Chapel’s terrace, beside rambling roses, is a balmy lunch spot or try The Three Horseshoes, where London chef Margot Henderson is shaking up tiny Batcombe with punchy dishes of local produce. Find more of the best restaurants in Somerset in our guide.

An extra four nights gives you time to explore Cheddar Gorge, Glastonbury and a variety of landscapes, from the Mendip Hills to the Somerset Levels and Exmoor. Base your first two nights in Wedmore, at the foot of the Mendips, staying at The Swan, an old coaching inn that offers River Cottage-style cooking. 

At Cheddar Gorge, 15-minutes’ drive away, limestone cliffs bear down upon a road which is forced to wiggle around them. Impressive views reward those who climb the footpaths at either end, or walk a circular four-mile route (free; wear appropriate footwear). While here, sample cave-aged cheddar and watch the cheese being made in the village of its origin. Alternatively, try rock climbing, abseiling or caving. Find more of the best things to do in Somerset in our guide.

Walk nearby Ebbor Gorge for a view across the Levels to Glastonbury Tor, or families might prefer the caverns at Wookey Hole (wookey.co.uk), where there is a dinosaur-themed park too.

To uncover some of England’s most famous legends, head to Glastonbury, a 20-minute drive across the Somerset Levels. Seek out the cloaked trustees of the Chalice Well and enter the garden and candlelit cavern that contain the sacred red and white springs. Climb the steps to Glastonbury Tor afterwards, which is topped by 14th-century St Michael’s Tower and looks over fields crisscrossed by cattle droves and old drainage channels. Glastonbury’s ruined abbey, back in town, contains the alleged resting place of King Arthur.

Between November and February, starling murmurations can be seen nearby above the RSPB reserve at Ham Wall. Stop for supper and a riverside pint at the eclectic Sheppey Inn, before witnessing the spectacle.

End the week in Exmoor, staying at the Exmoor Forest Inn, where the restaurant has been awarded a green Michelin star. Most of Exmoor lies in Somerset, so spend a couple of days walking through ancient combes and hills bristling with gorse; shucking fresh oysters; visiting Coleridge's Cottage, riding the heritage West Somerset railway, scouting for fossils at Kilve beach, or exploring the castle at medieval Dunster .

If you have more than 48 hours to spend in Somerset, consider basing yourself in Exmoor for the remainder of your trip. It takes an hour-and-a-half to drive from Bruton to the national park, which crosses into Devon. The extra time means you can explore both ends of the county and follow 48 hours of sightseeing with some memorable walking.

If you visit the Somerset Levels during winter and want to watch the starling murmurations, a starling telephone hotline gives daily updates on the whereabouts of their roosting sites. Roads around the birds’ selected spot can get busy with cars and people, so find a footpath, cycle or arrive early to see them.

If crafts, vintage clothes and independent design appeal then Catherine Hill in Frome deserves your time. Among the brightly painted traditional shop fronts, browsing highlights include Seed, Ground and Kobi & Teal. Have coffee afterwards at the excellent, family-friendly Rye Bakery), in a former church.

Art-lovers should note that the farmhouse next to the Hauser & Wirth gallery is available for hire by groups seeking an extraordinary base in Bruton. A riot of colour inside, rooms feature contemporary artworks and are installations in their own right. Eighteenth-century Durslade Farmhouse has six bedrooms and the options of having meals catered for. Hire from £500 a night.

Somerset has a wet but mild climate, so a visit at any time is feasible. There is something special about springtime though, when orchards disappear under clouds of pink blossom. Visiting a cider press while the air is sweet with the scent of crushed apples is also a treat, as are the wooded combes of Exmoor in autumn. Purple heather makes a pretty sight on the Quantocks in late summer, while on the Levels, you can catch starling murmurations in winter. Avoid Pilton and Glastonbury during the last week of June (unless you have tickets to Glastonbury Festival).

The Newt (rooms from £385 per night) is a spoiling country house hotel with spa treatments and picnics in the gardens. Or couples will love the marble-clad bathrooms At the Chapel (rooms from £125 per night), with their minimalist freestanding baths.

Find more of the most romantic hotels in Somerset in our guide.

With afternoon tea, a creche and a games loft, Babington House (rooms from £360 per night) keeps children busy while parents swim or dine. In the Mendips, The Litton (rooms from £140 per night) has child-friendly menus, interlinking rooms and outdoor games.

Find more of the best hotels in Somerset in our guide.

Behind a yellow door, Number One Bruton (rooms from £160 per night) has detailed interiors and Michelin-starred, farm-to-table restaurant Osip. Or Margot Henderson’s pub The Three Horseshoes (rooms from £195 per night), offers hip country living and outdoor seating beside a church.

Along with heritage cheddar and cider, pick up some smoked fish or meat from Brown and Forrest, a local smokery that sells its fish to Fortnum & Mason.

Cider brandy is also a good buy. The Somerset Cider Brandy Company distills cider and ages its brandy in Somerset oak barrels. Its Ice Cider and a digestif, Pomona, are ideal dessert tipples to accompany cheese.

• Getting around: driving is recommended to make the most of your time
  
• Trains: Great Western Railway services run between London Paddington, Bruton and Frome but there is a dearth of stations in the south Mendips and Levels, with Taunton the best option for Exmoor and the Quantock Hills. Yeovil and Crewkerne, in south Somerset, are reached from London Waterloo.
• Buses run fairly efficiently, just not frequently, see firstbus.co.uk
• From London, Berrys Coaches runs affordable services to Somerset towns and villages, such as South Petherton, from Hammersmith.
  
• Avoid other tourists by swapping Langport and Somerton for Bruton, Ebbor Gorge for Cheddar Gorge, Barrington for Mells, East Quay in Watchet for Frome and the Quantock Hills for Exmoor.
  
• Save money (and have fun) by buying cheese and cider direct from the barn door.

Natalie lives on Somerset’s border and enjoys browsing its artisan markets, messing about on rivers, cheese tasting and picnicking in orchards with a flagon of cider. She loves Somerset for its independent spirit.