Discover the southwest

Somerset and the southwest is one of Britain’s best-loved areas for family holidays, and it’s still welcoming visitors, despite the bleak television images earlier in the year highlighting the devastation caused by the storms and … ooding.

Lady Cobham, chairman of the VisitEngland tourism organisation, recently visited the region with Prince Charles, and subsequently told me, ‘Somerset is a beautiful part of the country, steeped in heritage, and I was fortunate enough to be there at the beginning of July as part of a visit by His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales.

‘VisitEngland brought together tourism industry  gures from across the southwest for a reception at Glastonbury Abbey. These representatives were able to speak to the Prince of Wales about new developments in the area and highlight that in spite of the … oods, which a” ected parts of the southwest at the beginning of the year, the area is very much open for business.

‘The ruins of Glastonbury Abbey were a picture-perfect setting for the Royal visit, and the legendary burial place of King Arthur is just one of a whole host of attractions in Somerset and the southwest.

‘From the National Trust’s iconic Glastonbury Tor, which provides magnicent views across the region, to the newly opened collection of contemporary art at Hauser & Wirth in Bruton, this area of England provides a fantastic fusion of experiences for visitors…’ 

1 SALISBURY CATHEDRAL

Next year is the 800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta, and Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire is home to arguably the finest preserved copy of the four original 1215 Great Charters. A major exhibition planned for 2015 will place Magna Carta in its historic context, with reference to the role of the church in brokering the charter.

2 SEATON TRAMWAY

The coastal resort of Seaton is now a gateway town to the Jurassic Coast, a Unesco World Heritage Site, and the Seaton Tramway operates narrow-gauge heritage trams between Seaton, Colyford and Colyton in East Devon’s beautiful Axe Valley, through an area that was damaged by the floods but has now fully recovered.

3 CARY ARMS, BABBACOMBE BAY

Also called The Inn on the Beach, this chic, dog-friendly hotel in South Devon has a renowned restaurant serving delicious local food such as Devon beef and River Exe mussels, and also offers guests treatments from leading Parisian spa and skincare brand Yon-Ka.
01803-327110, www.caryarms.co.uk

4 NUNNEY CASTLE

Believed to be based on the Bastille in Paris, this small French-style castle near the village of Nunney in Somerset was built in the 1370s by Sir John de la Mere. It was abandoned following the English Civil War, though the towers, walls and moat are still intact. The castle is now run by English Heritage as a tourist attraction.

5 HAUSER & WIRTH

Hauser & Wirth Somerset, a pioneering gallery and arts centre on Durslade Farm in Bruton, is the venue for exhibitions and events, has an on-site restaurant, the Roth Bar & Grill, and sells a range of local produce. The project has not only created a centre for the arts, it has also helped conserve the collection of historic farm buildings in which it is housed.

6 GLASTONBURY ABBEY

A hidden jewel in the heart of Somerset, Glastonbury Abbey, set in 36 acres of parkland, is traditionally associated with the earliest days of Christianity in Britain, when the Saxons conquered Somerset in the 7th century. It is also the resting place for three Saxon kings and the legendary King Arthur.

For more on the southwest: www.visitengland.com

Contact Wendy at wendy.gomersall@lady.co.uk

Prices are correct at the time of going to press.