Things to see in Somerset

One of the most likely things anyone will say to you if you mention Somerset is “cider.” It’s true that the southern county is the traditional home of brewing this alcoholic apple beverage (or, these days, any other kind of fruit) – but the region has plenty more to offer too! With an abundance of national trust locations and bucolic beauty spots, rolling hills and expanses of flatlands, Somerset is one of the UK’s true gems.

In this edition of our blog we’ll be looking at some great sites you can visit, things you can do, and some interesting facts about this wonderful part of our country.

Somerset borders Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Devon and Dorset so is perfectly set in this crown of counties. There is evidence of human life from Palaeolithic times (so, roughly speaking, around a million years ago) and then of substantial settlement by Celts, Romans and Anglo-Saxons in the centuries following. It played a significant part in the story of Alfred The Great, and his defence of the Wessex area from the Vikings. If investigating our country’s history is ‘your thing’, you could start at the Weston Museum in the coastal town of Weston-super-Mare, which is around twenty miles south of Bristol.

The south-western counties were collectively known as Wessex back in those days, and thanks to Alfred The Great and some serious locals, Viking invasion was kept more or less at bay for a long time. The Vikings, in the end, did control Britain by 1016 but were defeated by the Anglo Saxons thirty years later, who then fell to the Normans in 1066. The age of the Vikings is long since over, but the small though perfectly formed Weston Museum tells the story of this charming seaside town’s involvement in those Wessex defences.

The Museum also contains original artwork by Banksy, native of this area. You may recall that the town was the location of his critically acclaimed Dismaland piece – a working “bemusement” park, the artist’s “twisted version of Disneyland”. Other famous residents of the town include musician and author Simon Mason (a close friend of Banksy, as it happens), whose book Too High, Too Far, Too Soon has become a modern recovery classic and whose band Hightown Pirates have released several critically-acclaimed albums. Monty Python and Fawlty Towers comedian John Cleese was born in the town, as was TV presenter Jill Dando. She is buried here, too.

Weston-super-Mare has a two-mile long sandy beach which is beautiful for a sun-soaking stroll, complete with traditional favourites such as donkey rides and amusements plus a Grand Pier which stretches out to sea. But the town has enjoyed something of a renaissance in recent years and there are plenty of bars and restaurants to enjoy if your idea of fun is a little more chilled out. There’s plenty of other stuff to do – including the world’s largest helicopter museum, which houses more than a hundred exhibits in an undercover hangar.

This area is most well known in modern times for being the site of the world’s most respected annual music festival, but the town is thought to be the burial place of the legendary King Arthur and also said to be the cradle of Christianity in England. The Glastonbury legend is that a young Jesus and his uncle Joseph of Arimathea built the first church here. Joseph is said to have returned to Glastonbury decades later with the Holy Grail, a cup containing the blood of Christ gathered at his crucifixion, and buried it beneath the Tor. These days Glastonbury Abbey is a tranquil visitor attraction, and you can explore the 36 acres of grounds ad enjoy a range of events and activities.

Glastonbury Festival was founded in 1970 and, with a couple of exceptions, has taken place every year since. It has grown from an audience of 1,500 watching headline band T-Rex during its first year, to this year’s event at which almost quarter of a million people will see Elton John, Guns ‘n’ Roses and Arctic Monkeys do their thing. In the years between there have been literally thousands of music acts gracing the various parts of the festival, including its famous ‘Pyramid Stage’, though the festival also has a strong counter-culture tradition. Glastonbury is a great barometer for the social and political zeitgeist amongst the younger generations. As well as music, theatre and dance, speakers are traditional – and the then Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn gave a rousing main stage speech to more than 100,000 supporters in 2017. Activist songwriter Billy Bragg curates the Left field Stage each year.

This wonderful North-Somerset city was named after its famous Roman Baths, and they are still there so it is possible to visit them and explore where the Romans relaxed. The Roman Baths are a fascinating insight into a part of our country’s history, and they have been carefully preserved over the centuries. There’s something truly magical about the time you will spend in this particular town-centre attraction, it’s like stepping back in time. There are over six million visitors to Bath each year, and once you have been here you will easily understand why it is enduringly popular. Plenty of park spaces and buildings of historical interest will keep you occupied for days.

If you are interested in walking in the footsteps of famous people, some of those associated with the city include author Jane Austen, who lived in Bath in the early 19th-century.  Comedian Bill Bailey was born here, as were Tracy Beaker author Jacqueline Wilson, comedian Russell Howard and former Tory MP Anne Widdicombe. The dark-pop of Tears For Fears originated in this town, and living close by are legendary musicians Peter Gabriel (formerly of Genesis), Midge Ure (Ultravox and Band Aid) and synth pioneer Howard Jones. It’s not unusual to see them around the town! Bath has a rich cultural heritage and an artistic ‘vibe’ as well as its historic ambience, and it would be difficult not to claim it as one of England’s finest places.

At Chelston, we’re truly proud to be based in Somerset – but we’re more proud to consistently offer our customers great choice, great value and great service. Whether you are looking for a Swift motorhome or an Auto-Trail Imala so that you can go off exploring Somerset and beyond with your family, or any other kind of quality motorhome or campervan, we will be able to help. You can browse our website to pick out the vehicle that is just right for you or, if you prefer, you can contact us and we will be more than happy to advise you.