Around Wedmore
Wedmore can be traced as a settlement back to Iron Age and Roman periods. In Saxon times it lay at the heart of a large and important Royal estate.
It has a strong trading history and has been a centre for shops and markets since 1500. This tradition continues today and the village has an excellent range of clothing and food shops.
The architecture is lovely too. The village combines cottages and grand houses from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries and many excellent examples of Georgian and Victorian styles. There is a lovely fifteenth century church at the centre of the village called St Marys.
Wedmore is about 20 miles south of Bristol and 30 miles south west of Bath. Wells (with its famous cathedral) is 8 miles away to the east. The Cheddar Gorge is only 3 miles to the north and the Somerset Levels lie just outside the village providing a fantastic range of wildlife and bird watching opportunities – as well as miles of peaceful roads and tracks for bicycling or walking.
The Mendip Hills, just a few miles to the north are also an excellent place to walk or ride and officially designated as an area of outstanding beauty.
There are a number of golf clubs very close by including The Isle of Wedmore in the village and Wells, to the east.
Local Attractions
Nearby Wells is the smallest cathedral city in England. You can hear evensong in the cathedral daily. For times visit
www.wellscathedral.org.uk/worship/general-services-calendar/
There are also regular concerts held in the cathedral.
Other places of interest in Wells include The Bishop’s Palace, the Museum and the historic market place (with a fresh produce and craft market held there every Wednesday and Saturday).
Glastonbury (often associated with the famous music festival, which is actually held a few miles down the road in Pilton) is well worth a visit. Dominated by The Tor (a National Trust monument which affords wonderful views across the county to the Bristol Channel on a clear day), it has been a place of pilgrimage for over a thousand years. Visit the ruined abbey and also the many shops and cafes which line the main street. For further information see.
The National Trust has a number of properties in the county of Somerset. Lytes Cary Manor, Barrington Court and Montacute House are the nearest, but there is also the magnificent Stourhead a little further away.
Visit https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/somerset
In Shepton Mallet there is KilverCourt, with beautiful gardens and café.
Golf
There are four courses to choose from, all of which welcome non-members (subject to availability)
| www.wedmoregolfclub.com | 0.9 miles | 01934712452 |
| www.wellsgolfclub.co.uk | 9.6 miles | 01749 675005 |
| www.burnhamandberrowgolfclub.co.uk | 10.5 miles | 01278 785760 |
| www.mendipgolfclub.com | 13.5 miles | 01749 840793 |
Equestrian
There are several stables nearby where you can have a lesson or a hack.
| www.burcottridingcentre.co.uk | 7.5 miles | 01749 673145 |
| www.urchinwoodmanor.co.uk | 11.3 miles | 01934 833248 |
Paul Nicholls’ racing stables in Ditcheat – tours available on Fridays. Advance booking required , email tour@paulnichollsracing.com.
Fishing
Chew and Blagdon Lakes are regarded as two of the best reservoir fisheries in the country.
| www.bristolwater.co.uk/fishing/lakes/chew.asp | 15.2 miles | 01275 332339 |
Walking and Bird Watching
We hold a number of walking guide books, leaflets and OS maps behind the bar for guests to consult or borrow.
We can offer residents an exclusive birdwatching and wildlife experience. Stephen Moss (local naturalist, author and TV producer, of Springwatch fame), will take small groups (of 2 or more) on a variety of personally guided walks. Please see the click here for details. Booking required.
If you wish to join a guided walk, contact the Mendip Ramblers, either on 07768 556735 or visit their website
Follow the following link to see a walk described recently in The Times (we hold a printed copy of it behind the bar)
www.christophersomerville.co.uk/?p=417
For guests with an interest in ornithology, we would like to draw attention to the Shapwick Heath Nature Reserve. It is here that the natural phenomenon of the starling murmuration (see Youtube clip below) takes place, all through the winter months.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh-QHGkeaUQ&feature=related
See this website below for details of how to find out when and where the birds are roosting.
www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/designatedareas/nnr/1006131.aspx
Art and Crafts
Somerset has a thriving artistic community. This is celebrated annually during Somerset Arts Week in September
You can even learn to weave with willow on a day course held locally in the Somerset Levels
Pampering
Spa and beauty treatments are available in Street (approx. 11 miles away)
And also at Badgworth (4.5 miles)
Shopping
Wedmore has a number of delightful independent shops which you will discover on a stroll through the village.
Further afield you might want to try:
The quarterly antiques markets held at The Bath & West Showground near Shepton Mallet
The Mulberry Factory Shop, Shepton Mallet
Clarks Village – a retail outlet park.
And a weekly car boot sale held on Sunday mornings in Cheddar.
For larger, high street shopping and city attractions, Bath and Bristol are approximately 30-40 minutes drive away.
Music
Wedmore holds an annual opera event.
Wells Cathedral School is one of only four music specialist schools in the country. Pupils and staff perform frequently. For a programme of events see the link below.
https://cedarshallwells.co.uk/
The Cheese & Grain in Frome is an exciting music venue, with a varied programme of concerts.
For Children
Try the Cheddar Gorge
There are public swimming pools at Wells and Street.
For a really fantastic day out visit @Bristol, a museum with over 300 hands-on exhibits.
Brean Leisure Park is another popular destination with a variety of rides to suit all ages