Somerset and Western Super Mare

By: Jenny Andrew
Submitted: 2009-06-17 14:22:48
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For countryside lovers visiting Somerset there are miles of beautiful countryside for walking, cycling and adventure outdoor activities. You've got the Mendip Hills in north Somerset that also stretch down to the central Somerset area and the Polden Hills, the Blackdown hills and the Quantocks around the south with the Somerset Levels lying on the lowlands all around. Then of course there's the moorland and woodlands of Exmoor National Park over in West Somerset. Somerset is a "green" county with lots of good public transport links but above all local markets and shops where you can purchase foods and drink that are made just around the corner.

Frome is traditionally regarded as an ancient market town with a medieval centre and this is certainly true. However, these days Frome is the hub in North East Somerset for a lively arts and crafts scene where the social calendar is dotted with festivals and events.

Central Somerset contains the Mendip Hills which are great for walking, caving and outdoor activities. The world famous showcaves attractions, Cheddar Gorge and Caves and Wookey Hole, also lie in the Mendips. The flatter land around the Mendips are the Somerset Levels which contain the largest areas of wetland habitats in Britain.

The towns and villages of Central Somerset are steeped in history from Glastonbury's links with King Arthur and the Isle of Avalon, Glastonbury Abbey and the Tor to the smaller medieval market towns like Shepton Mallet. There is also England's smallest city Wells with its beautiful cathedral. This area mixes ancient history with more modern pastimes like the Glastonbury Music Festival and events at The Royal Bath and West Showground.

The Somerset Coast has something for everyone. There is miles of sandy beaches for family seaside fun from Weston-super-Mare to Burnham-on-Sea. As well as a choice of Western Super Mare hotels, there are also family holiday park, Pontins and Brean Sands at Brean and Butlins on the Exmoor coast at Minehead. For quieter seaside holidays there are genteel Victorian resorts like Clevedon, Brean Down and Berrow Sand Dunes. Traditional seafaring towns are dotted along the coast like Watchet at the north of the Quantock Hills.
All the Somerset Coast looks out onto Bridgwater Bay - excellent for bird watching with waders and waterfowl coming here to feed over winter or breed in the Spring.

South Somerset is full of old, historic villages where the locally quarried golden Ham stone makes up the large proportion of the buildings. These were once important market towns, some of which carry on today. The centres often have a good range of independent shops selling local produce. Holiday accommodation in South Somerset can often be found in bed and breakfasts in traditional cottages.

The River Parrett Trail runs right through this part of Somerset and down into Dorset. It's an excellent way of exploring the South Somerset towns and villages and the beautiful countryside that lies around them. Ham Hill Country Park is one of the major countryside attractions. This is topped by the largest Iron Age hill fort found in Europe. A network of paths leads you around Ham Hill where you can see the remnants of the hill fort and the wide range of wildlife including the grassland containing a wide range of wild flowers and butterflies.

West Somerset has some of the county's most spectacular scenery within it. The Quantock Hills rise up from the Somerset Levels and head west to the coast at Watchet. The Quantocks have long been an inspirational place with beautiful wooded combes and views out across Somerset as far as Glastonbury and over Bridgwater Bay to the Welsh coast. Heading further west takes you into Exmoor National Park famous for its heather moor, red deer and Exmoor ponies and some spectacular cottages Somerset accommodation rentals. These landscapes offer fantastic walking opportunities with a network of footpaths and walking routes.

Bridgwater and Taunton are two of Somerset's main towns with excellent shopping, cafes, restaurants, pubs, museums and historic buildings and town trails. They also put on fantastic illuminated carnivals in the Autumn months to celebrate Guy Fawkes' Gunpowder Plot that was masterminded by a Somerset born man!

Article source: Expert Articles