An Ode to Somerset

I moved to Somerset back in 2018. It took a while to get used to living in a small town after being in Cardiff for a good while, but I’ve grown to love the slower life. Over the years we’ve explored many places around Somerset, so I wanted to compile a little blog post of some of my favourites.

Shepton Mallet is a market town with a decent selection of vintage, antique and charity shops down its high street. Whilst some parts are a little bit run down, I still find it charming. My favourite thing to do is going to a coffee in The Cheeky Bean (they also serve some lovely cakes and food) and then wander around the shops (some places of note are Lethal Postmen for wonderful vintage clothing, Anna’s Attic for vintage home wear and a 10 minute walk away from the high street there is also the Toast outlet at Kilver Court).

Shepton Mallet (sadly the Babycham statue no longer lives outside its factory)

Bruton

Bruton is definitely the poshest of all the towns on my list, its definitely a very pretty town to stroll round. There’s plenty of lovely independent shops and cafes, including The Stripy Duck cafe & bookshop, Swan vintage and At the Chapel. The most charming thing about Bruton is its pretty architecture and how its been built around the river Brue. There aren’t many places where you have to step across stones to get to the other side. It’s expensive place to live, probably not helped with the influx of well known faces moving to it.

My favourite thing to do in Bruton however, isn’t technically in Bruton at all.

Just a 4 minute drive away from Bruton is gallery Hauser & Wirth. Exhibitions are free and usually rotate every few months to showcase contemporary and modern art. I always try to visit whenever there’s something new on and I always find something to enjoy.

The gardens are also worth a visit as they’ve been planted with the intention of adapting to the seasons. Right at the very end is the Radić Pavilion, designed by Chilean architect Smiljan Radić, which you can walk inside of.

Frome I would describe as quite an arty town with plenty of things to keep you busy for the day. Larger than both Shepton Mallet and Bruton but in a lot of ways shares similar qualities to both places.

It’s my favourite place to go shopping for the sheer number of independent businesses. I enjoy going for a walk along the river near to The Cheese & Grain followed by a trip to The Rye Bakery for a cardamom bun (vegan!) and then to admire the handmade pottery and glassware in Ground. Other favourites include Poot Emporium, The Haunts Curiosity Shoppe, Kobi & Teal and Postscript, although there’s so many more great places to visit.

Frome is definitely worth a visit during the first Sunday of each month between March - December when it has its Frome Independent Market. Get there early though, as it often gets super busy.

The Three Swans & The Frome Bookshop, Frome

Windows around Somerset

Eight Stony Street and Catherine Hill, Frome

Wells is often called the smallest city in the UK (although technically the smallest in the UK is the City of London, we’ll just ignore that). It boasts a large gothic cathedral, beautiful gardens at Bishops Palace gardens and is the place where Hot Fuzz was mostly filmed.

It’s a nice city purely to have a walk around, we often go just to walk past the Palace Moat and onto the Palace Fields. Just a 12 minute drive away there is also Stockhill Wood which is a great place to take your dog for a walk with a free carpark at the entrance.

On occasion we might get lucky and find free tickets to the National Trust either online or through the newspaper. When this opportunity presents itself we like to visit local properties of either Montacute House or Dunster Castle.

Montacute House is a beautiful 16th century house with sprawling gardens and a decent collection of Elizabethan paintings including oils of Mary Queen of Scots and Jane Seymour.

I love how airy it feels inside in comparison to a lot of old restored houses, especially with its long corridors outfitted with hessian carpeting which smells divine.

Dunster Castle has a stunning subtropical garden that climbs up the side of its wooded hill to meet the castle at the top. The castle itself is from Norman times but was renovated during the 19th century into a lavish home for Lutteral family who lived there for 600 years. It’s a great place to get some stunning views across Somerset. The town of Dunster itself is also worth a visit with its medieval history and quaint little teashops.

I always know I’m not far from home once I see the Tor peeking up over the horizon. In the past I’ve said it looks a little as if a giant has left his coke can on top of the hill. Given Glastonbury’s mythology around its links to Arthurian legend it doesn’t sound such a farfetched idea.

The Tor & view from the Tor, Glastonbury

It’s definitely worth a walk up to the Tor, although be prepared for your legs to burn and potentially be serenaded by someone on a didgeridoo once you reach the top. During Glastonbury Festival, you can sit up the top and make out festival beyond and even hear the music (the truth is that Glastonbury festival doesn’t even happen in Glastonbury, but in the nearby village of Pilton).

Walking down Glastonbury high street is a unique experience, where you’re likely to bump into at least one person in a cloak.

Glastonbury is full of crystal shops, magic shops and places dedicated to aiding you on your spiritual journey. In fact, Glastonbury is a popular destination for those on a pilgrimage from Christians to those coming for the annual Glastonbury Goddess Conference.

The ZigZag Building, Glastonbury

Our Little Home

Simplifying my wardrobe with Project 333