Somerset begins at the Devon border where the expanse of Exmoor harbours such places as Stogumber, Lyndale, Roadwater and Timberscombe. This is the area immortalised by Blackmore’s novel “Lorna Doone”, a place where natural beauty allows the imagination to roam at will.
The Somerset coast has much to offer the visitor. Burnham-on-Sea has been a popular resort since Edwardian times. A little inland is Lympsham, close to the larger resort of Weston-super-Mare. An ideal centre further from the coast is Chapel Allerton near the Cheddar Gorge, famous for its caves, such as Wookey Hole, and of course for the cheese.
Claverton, with its American museum and Pumping Station on the River Avon, is worth a visit. It is close to the beautiful Georgian spa city of Bath. The Somerset Levels are yet another beautiful area of the county, where one finds Glastonbury famous for the tor, with its ancient ruins, and for the annual music festival.
Shepton Mallet, the historic market town set in the Mendips Hills, is home to one of the major agricultural shows. Also below the Mendips is the historic city of Wells, an attractive market town boasting a large cathedral and Bishop’s Palace. Taunton has more to offer in the way of shopping but also has an attractive old town centre.
Wiltshire has its own attractions, the most important of which is probably Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain. The ancient village of Avebury, near Marlborough, is also a World Heritage Site with one of Europe’s largest stone circles and an interesting museum.
Salisbury, once known as Old Sarum, is home to one of the world’s greatest medieval cathedrals. The city is surrounded by countryside ideal for walking, cycling and many other outdoor activities. Among other sights to see are the eight white horses carved into the hillsides. Most of the county has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural beauty and it is easy to see why.