Indoor Pools

Taunton Pool, Station Road

Open 7 days a week, the main pool is an impressive 33.3 metres long giving you plenty of opportunity to get those laps in! There are family-friendly changing facilities as well as a health suite where you’ll find a sauna and steam room to enjoy after your swim. Best of all, it’s less than 5 minutes walk from the Town House!

Blackbrook Leisure Centre, Blackbrook Way

Open 7 days a week, the leisure centre boasts a wide range of facilities including first-class tennis facilities, a state-of-the-art gym and fitness studio, main and teaching pools and a large sports hall.

Holly Farm Swimming Pool, Stoke St Gregory

The 12m indoor pool at Holly Farm is housed in a purpose-built modern facility on the outskirts of Taunton. Available for private hire, the pool is also used for classes such as aqua zumba, a low impact workout in the water that’s suitable for all levels of fitness.

Outdoor Pools

Wivey Pool, Wiveliscombe

Located in the heart of Wiveliscombe, a short drive from Taunton, Wivey pool is a 27 metre outdoor heated pool that is open to all. Offering family swims, lane swimming, aqua aerobics and aqua circuits, there’s something for everyone.

Wild Swimming

For many, the thrill of wild swimming can’t be beaten. Here are a few spots in Somerset where you can get back to nature and enjoy swimming in a river, lake or even a waterfall.

Cow Castle, Barle

Here you’ll find a deepish, small pool of around 10m x 20m x 1.5m deep in the babbling river Barley. Discover the beautiful wild scenery around you beneath the ancient hill fort of ‘Cow Castle’.

Sherdon and Landacre

Discover a small junction pool just upstream from the popular paddling location at Landacre Bridge. The pool area is open and sunny with plenty of grass but be prepared for some small areas of boggy ground.

Long Pool, Watersmeet

Watersmeet is a famous National Trust area of wooded river walks. Close to the teashop there is a waterfall or gorge with some small plunge pools, but walk around 1.5km along the banks and you’ll find the Long Pool. Set under a waterfall is an eerie long ravine and pool overgrown with ferns and oaks. Very deep water and some 50 metres long, this is a stunning location to wild swim.

River Parrett, Muchelney/Cocklemoor

This is a beautiful spot for wild swimming. Set amongst the backdrop of the Somerset Levels, this stretch of the River Parrett is deep and long enough to enjoy a proper swim. It’s also refreshing to see a Town Council encouraging water sports. There are steps and a pontoon down into the water at Cocklemoor to start your swim and at Muchelney there’s a pontoon with steps. Muchelney and Cocklemoor are connected via the River Parrett Trail which has plenty of picnic spots for you to enjoy after your swim.

Forde Abbey & Gardens, Chard

With over 30 acres of gardens to explore, the 12th century Forde Abbey is a wonderful location to visit during autumn. Developed in the 1800s, the gardens are divided into distinct areas such as the Kitchen Garden, the Woodland Garden, the Swirl and the Mount. At this time of year we love walking through the Arboretum – a collection of fine trees and shrubs that was created in 1937 from a section of the Park garden. Enjoy views across the lake and the beautiful borders as you walk along the banks of the canal.

Barrington Court, Ilminster

The gardens at Barrington Court truly come into their own at this time of the year. The walled kitchen garden is bursting with seasonal produce including colourful pumpkins and squash. The extensive grounds include a Lily Garden, White Garden as well as a Rose and Iris garden but it is the flower borders and trees that truly capture the seasonal colours. This tranquil space is a wonderful place for a peaceful walk amongst nature’s finest autumn colours.

Dunster Castle, Minehead

Known for its spectacular views over the Bristol Channel and Somerset countryside, the views from the South Terrace at Dunster Castle change from glorious greens to vibrant reds, golds and oranges as autumn arrives. As the leaves start to fall, visitors can enjoy the yellow of the Lombardy poplar trees on Mill Walk, the liquid Amber trees in the River Garden and the spectacular Red Oak in the Keep Garden. You may also spot some of the migratory bird species arriving for their winter holidays as well as the redwings who will nest here over winter.

If you’d like any more recommendations for local autumn attractions, just ask at reception when you check in and one of our team will be happy to help.

Bath Christmas Market

28th November – 15th December
This free to visit open air market is an annual draw for visitors to the historic city of Bath. With over 150 wooden chalets festooned with fairy lights, it’s a wonderful opportunity to explore the cobbled streets and iconic landmarks.

Hestercombe Christmas Market

16th & 17th November
This Christmas Market near Taunton features festive stalls bursting with beautiful locally-sourced gifts, delicious treats and unique hand-crafted items. Visitors to the market also receive free admission to the gardens, house and contemporary art gallery.

Frome Christmas Market

22nd November
This evening event features a market with a lantern procession, live music, foodie treats, and a lights switch-on event. Father Christmas will be in his grotto to meet anyone hoping to be on his list this year!

Weston Super Mare Christmas Market

30th November & 1st December
Taking place at Weston Museum will be two days of festive fun with lots of stalls to discover, a children’s festive trail and of course, a visit from Father Christmas.

Wells Christmas Market

14th December
‘Christmas in Wells’ will take place in Wells Market Place and on the Bishop’s Palace Green. Soak up the merry music and festivities at ‘the market which will feature over 100 stalls featuring local artisans and plenty of tempting festive fare.

Spring Break

Make sure you take advantage of our blooming offer this Spring. When you book directly with us online, you can now enjoy 15% on all stays from now until 31st March.*

* Ts & Cs apply. Not available on single room bookings.

Guest Discounts

Tutors & Exams UK

Receive a 10% discount when booking direct.

Southwest Rail

Receive 10% off when booking direct.

Discounts Available To All Guests

The Ale House

Receive 10% off your food bill when dining at The Ale House, Taunton.

Boston Tea Party

Receive 10% off your food bill when dining at Boston Tea Party, Taunton.

Yummy Mummies

Receive 10% off your bill at Yummy Mummies Hair & Beauty.

Do get in touch to book your stay and take advantage of all our great offers this Spring.

Here are a few places where you can find spring flowers on display near here.

Dunster Castle

The castle is known for its medieval gatehouse and panoramic views and is a beautiful site to visit at this time of year to take advantage of the swathes of snowdrops on display. As a National Trust property, there is plenty to do on site including a bookshop, gift shop, cafe and tearoom. There is plenty of bike and car parking available.

The Bishop’s Palace

In the picturesque city of Wells lies the Bishop’s Palace, known for its RHS partner gardens and a breathtaking display of snowdrops each year. Walk around the moat, there’s even a working drawbridge and you’ll be able to get a stunning view of the flowers as well as the resident swans.

Elworthy Cottage Gardens & Nursery

Open only on selected dates to coincide with the NGS scheme, it’s definitely worth planning a visit to see the array of colour from the spring hellebores, primroses, narcissi and dwarf bulbs, all of which can be purchased from the adjoining nursery shop.

Hestercombe Gardens

Daffodils springing up signal the arrival of spring and have been the muse for many artists and poets including the famous poem by William Wordsworth, who had a home in Somerset. You can find many beautiful variations of the flower by wandering around the grounds at Hestercombe where they bloom from February to May.

A Tribute to Sting & The Police

The Rozzers have been entertaining audiences as the No. 1 tribute to Sting and The Police for over a decade. From Roxanne and Every Breath You Take to Fields of Gold and Englishman in New York, all the hits are reproduced with stunning authenticity and vocal accuracy.

The Police were arguably the biggest band on the planet between 1977 and 1983, achieving 5 number one hits on both sides of the Atlantic. Sting then went on to be one of most acclaimed solo songwriters of his generation.

Catch them live at the Taunton Brewhouse on 17th May.

Taunton Fake Festival

Musical mayhem in the Meadow is back! After last year’s spectacular sell-out, the Fake Fest magic is returning to Longrun Meadow. Six sensational Fake Bands are booked to entertain you and this year’s line up looks fabulous.

Get ready to sing along and dance to the roaring anthems of The Killers, the electrifying energy of Muse, the timeless classics of Fleetwood Mac, the gritty grunge of Nirvana, the indie edge of Kasabian and the fiery punk of Green Day.

We think Taunton 2025 will create another legendary chapter in Fake Festival history. Grab your tickets quickly as every year so far has been a sell out!

Test Fest 2025

Test Fest is a music festival with a message – the only one of its kind in the UK and maybe the world. This is a truly family-friendly music festival showcasing local grassroots music in Taunton, Somerset.

For just £30 the festival is showcasing over 21 bands and artists. The Hoosiers and Woody Cook (yes, son of Norman Cook and Zoe Ball) are the headline acts for Test Fest 2025.

Test Fest music festival has been organised by ‘It’s in the Bag Cancer Support’ who are the only Testicular Cancer charity in the South West of England.

Camping is from Friday 20th – Sunday 22nd June for tents, campervans and motorhomes (sorry, no caravans).
If you don’t fancy camping, remember to check out our current availability to see the best rates and rooms that we have available here at the Royal Ashton Town House.

We love experiencing all the wonderful crafts, gifts and of course the seasonal food and drink on offer at this time of year. We’ve rounded up a few of the festive markets that are happening locally in the run up to Christmas.

TAUNTON CHRISTMAS FAYRE

From teeny tots to grandparents, all generations will have a lovely time exploring the seasonal offerings on show at Taunton Christmas Craft Fayre in the run up to Christmas this year.

From 2nd to 17th December, the event beckons with all kinds of unique gifts handmade in Somerset by local exhibitors. Don the layers and peruse the stalls, taking in the selection of driftwood art pieces, personalised pottery, Christmas wreaths, jewellery inspired by the wilds of Exmoor and much, much more.

HESTERCOMBE GARDENS CHRISTMAS MARKET

Explore the bustling annual Hestercombe Gardens’ Christmas Market near Taunton. Featuring festive stalls bursting with locally-sourced gifts, delicious treats and unique handmade items.

Warm up with festive food and drink, including crumbly mince pies, luxury hot chocolate, and mulled wine. Visitors to the market will also receive free admission to the gardens, house and contemporary art gallery.

THE RURAL LIVING SHOW TAUNTON

A firm favourite in the Somerset festive calendar, The Rural Living Show’s annual Christmas market will return to Kings Hall School, to raise vital funds for The Children’s Hospice South West.

Hosting a huge selection of local designers, makers, producers and crafts people, as well as a popular food and drink section, the show showcases the best the region has to offer in unique artisan craft and local produce.

With so much to see and do in and around Taunton why not indulge yourself in a pre Christmas shopping trip with a stay at our comfortable town house. We’d love to welcome you this festive season.

With a fairly blustery and wet start to 2024, we thought we’d take a look at some of the key events that are scheduled for this year, and what we can look forward to in the coming months.

Olympic Games

In 2024, Paris will host the biggest event in its history. 100 years after they were last held there, the Olympic and Paralympic Games will take place this coming summer.

The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be four months of celebrations, with a summer that will see communities across France share in the outstanding atmosphere created by the Games.

This incredible summer will begin on 8th May with the Flame’s arrival in Marseille, before continuing for the whole summer through to the Paralympic Games closing ceremony, on 8 September 2024.

EURO 2024

It’s going to be a full summer of sporting excitement as before the Olympics get underway in France, three-time winners Germany are set to host EURO 2024.

Taking place from 14th June to 14th July, the tournament will play out in ten venues across Germany that have been specially chosen to host games, including nine of the stadiums used at the 2006 World Cup plus the Dusseldorf Arena.

All qualifying nations will be hoping to make it to Berlin’s Olympiastadion for the final on Sunday 14th July 2024.

UK General Election

With the last general election held on 19th December 2019, this year we are due to go to the polls once more and whilst a date has not yet been announced by the government, political commentators are heavily speculating that it will take place in October of this year.

An opportunity for all registered voters to have a say in selecting their local MP, the election also dictates the governing party for the next 5 years and, our next Prime Minister. Whilst it may not be quite as exciting as some of the sporting events taking place in 2024, you can rest assured you’ll be hearing about not much else in the run up to election day.

United States Election

Another political spectacle taking place this year is the election to decide the next president of the United States which happens every four years in early November. This year’s election is set to take place on 5th November after almost two years of build up.

Currently running for the top job are a number of candidates but it looks as though the American people will end up with the same choice they faced back in 2020 – current Democratic President, Joe Biden versus former Republican President, Donald Trump fighting it out on bonfire night to become the 47th President of the United States.

Annual Events

As well as the less frequent events mentioned above, we have a year of fantastic sporting and cultural events to look forward to throughout the year.

Our favourites include:

• Royal Ascot 18th-22nd June
• Wimbledon 1st-14th July
• Henley Royal Regatta 2nd – 7th July
• British Grand Prix 5th-7th July

Whatever you’re looking forward to in 2024, we hope we can welcome you back soon to our town house where you can discover all the very best events and attractions locally.

Here are some of our favourite things to do in Somerset this springtime.

Search for Bluebells

There is nothing more synonymous with spring than a carpet of gorgeous bluebells and here are some of the best places to spot them.

• Thurlbear Wood, Taunton
• RSPB Swell Wood, between Taunton and Langport
• Brockholes, South West Coast Path, Exmoor

Wild Swimming

Get back to nature with a spot of wild swimming this spring. Known for its health benefits and a chance to appreciate the local surroundings, some popular spots are.

• French Weir Park, Taunton
• River Parrett, Langport
• National Trust, Sand Point, Kewstoke

Easter Chicks?

They may not be able to guarantee any Easter chicks but at Swell Wood RSPB Nature Reserve you can discover nesting grey herons and little egrets, nuthatches and woodpeckers among this ancient woodland and abandoned oak plantation.

Three wildlife trails take you through woodland and through a wildflower meadow. The Woodland Trail takes you past the lofty grey heron nests, giving an intimate view into the treetop canopy. Swell Wood is home to the largest colony of breeding grey herons in south-west England, with more than 100 pairs nesting in the trees between March and June.

A shrub layer of hazel provides habitat for the nocturnal and elusive hazel dormouse and the old trees provide homes in cracks and crevices for many species of bat.

There is so much to explore and discover, it’s a wonderful place to enjoy a day out with the whole family.

County Cricket Season

Prepare yourself for a spectacular season of top flight cricket at the Cooper Associates County Ground.

With the 2024 Fixtures now announced, don’t forget to pre book your tickets and hospitality and get ready to enjoy all the action.

Space Adventurers, Taunton

Located here in Taunton, Space Adventurers in an interactive and immersive environment where children up to the age of 12 can allow their imaginations to run free.

There are three dedicated areas based on age so that all children can play safely within an environment that has been designed specifically for their needs. The areas cater for 0-2 yr olds, 2-4 year olds and 5-12 year olds.

The baby sensory area will delight young children with interstellar lighting displays, colourful ball pits, bubbles tubes, mirrors, lights and lots more to discover.

The toddler soft play area lets your mini space cadets explore in tunnels and tubes on a rocket ship. Featuring music learning pads, slides, ball pits, blocks and climbing frames there is plenty to explore.

For the 5-12 year olds there’s a whole intergalactic world to discover with gravity-defying flooring, portals to other galaxies and intergalactic space canons. There’s also an interactive Strike Arena where you can compete to get onto the leaderboard as well as 4 lane astro-slides to race your fellow space cadets.

You can order food and drink to be delivered to your area so when it’s time to refuel, you’ll have everything you need!

Flip Out, Somerset

Just a short drive from Taunton, kids will go wild for Flip Out, that is so much more than just a trampoline park.

With 15 attractions to choose from, there are plenty of options to keep everyone entertained when the weather outside means you need to find some indoor fun.

For your youngest children, a toddler soft play area is perfect for safe play. There are two huge trampoline areas for younger and older children to enjoy as well as the long, narrow tumble tracks where you can practice your flips.

If bouncing isn’t your thing, there’s a Ninja Obstacle Course to tackle as well as a Stunt Zone. Channel your inner Gladiator on the Balance Beams where you can try to knock your opponent into the foam pit below.

There are also indoor football and slam ball courts where you can work up an appetite before heading to the cafe of ice cream parlour for a much needed pit stop.

Vivary Golf & Adventure Centre, Taunton

On a dry day, the Vivary Golf and Adventure Centre is the perfect place to enjoy a wide range of activities suitable for the whole family.

There’s an 18 hole golf course that will challenge players of all ages and abilities with its fabulous greens and plenty of bunkers and water hazards to avoid. Just book a tee time and turn up – we can help provide all the kit you need.

For those who take their golf a little less seriously, then why not try the 18 hole crazy golf course? It’s great fun for the whole family and a brilliant way to try your hand at golf if you’ve never played before. You don’t need to pre book – just turn up and play.

The high ropes centre offers a fantastic range of activities suitable for everyone. There are lower, less intense ropes to start off with as you find your feet (and balance!) Then you can try your hand at the climbing wall, high ropes, totem pole and the power fan descender.

When you’ve fully worn yourself out, there’s a cafe for meals, snacks and drinks where you can catch your breath after an active session outside.