We are fortunate to live in a wonderful location that has so many wonderful places to discover. Over the next few months, we are going to share with you some of the most popular attractions here in Somerset so help you plan a visit and discover how much there is to see and do in our lovely part of the country.
We’ve got everything from caves to animal parks, coasts and views as well as stunning gardens and historic buildings. Here are some of our favourite places in Somerset.
Wookey Hole
Located near Wells, Wookey Hole is officially the largest cave system in the UK and offers a magical day out where you can navigate an underground adventure that began millions of years ago.
For 50,000 years, humans and animals have lived in and around Wookey Hole caves. Over the years, archaeologists have discovered flint tools as well as the bones of ice age animals which can be viewed in the Museum in the Mill.
The caves are also one of the spookiest places to visit in Somerset thanks to the resident ‘Witch of Wookey’ who can be seen frozen for all time in the caves. Navigate the caves through the tunnels and walkways that connect the eight accessible chambers and for the really brave, go deeper still with the Wild Wookey experience. We guarantee everyone will enjoy spotting stalactites and stalagmites and marvelling at this amazing natural wonder.
Cheddar Gorge
Another natural landmark not to be missed is the spectacular Cheddar Gorge - an international centre for caving and rock climbing boasting awe-inspiring cliffs and extraordinary subterranean caves.
We highly recommend the clifftop walk to take full advantage of the spectacular views. It’s a 3 mile route that rewards you with views for miles across the Mendip Hills from over 900 ft above sea level. You may be rewarded with sights of some of the species that make their home at the gorge such as greater horseshoe bats, dormice and great crested newts. The Gorge is also home to primitive goats and the UK’s largest flock of Soay sheep who roam free.
And of course, no visit to Cheddar would be complete without a visit to the High Street shops to purchase your Cheddar cheese to take home.
Glastonbury Tor
As well as the famous festival, Glastonbury is equally well known for the Tor - one of the most iconic sites to visit in Somerset thanks to the mystical folklore that surrounds this memorable location.
A ruined 14th century church tower is the focal point at the top of the Tor (Celtic for hill) and is all that remains of the church of St Michael that once stood here. Now one of England’s most spiritual sites, it is the meeting point for many during the summer solstice.
Over time, myth has mingled with historical facts linking King Arthur, Jesus Christ and the Holy Grail to this sacred Somerset landscape. Natural geomagnetic lines in the earth called ley lines have been traced including the ‘Michael line’ that flows down from the Tor then passes through the other major Glastonbury sites including the Chalice Well, Glastonbury Abbey and Wearyall Hill.
Now owned by the National Trust, the Tor is completely free to access and is just a ten minute walk from Glastonbury High Street.