Location

Bath

Bath and the surrounding area is packed with things to do. A UNESCO world heritage site, Bath is bursting with fantastic architecture and culture. 

It’s something of a shopping mecca for the South West with everything from all the big brands to quirky, exclusive boutiques.

Bath’s Spa is located in the heart of Bath and is the finest religious spa in Northern Europe, built 2000 years ago around the country’s only hot springs. Thermae Bath Spa has an open-air rooftop pool which is an experience in itself! Other facilities include the Minerva pool where you can idly float around on currents & eddys, as well as an amazing rain forest shower, steam rooms and foot spas. A full range of treatments are also available.

There is a great choice of restaurants and nightlife. We particularly like Komedia, the cool comedy club serving up a great combination of excellent local food, fun & laughter and on a Saturday, a Motown club night after the comedy club. This is a great night out for a mixed group of any kind.

Bristol

Great nightlife, lots of culture and history make Bristol a fantastic destination.

Bristol plays host to a huge range of events, festivals, fairs, displays and exhibitions throughout the year such as the Bristol Harbour Festival or The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.

From the boutique stores and arcades in elegant Clifton Village to the funky, retro shops on Park Street, Bristol has an incredible variety to choose from when it comes to shopping.

Bristol’s latest development, Cabot Circus, provides over 120 shops, 25 new restaurants and a 13-screen Cinema de Lux, with a Harvey Nichols as well, bringing Bristol right up into the list of top 10 UK shopping destinations.

Well known for its friendly and buzzing nightlife, Bristol has lively bars and clubs but for a more sophisticated evening, why not take in a show at the Bristol Hippodrome or enjoy a live performance at Colston Hall?

Mendip Hills

The Mendip Hills is where we call home. It is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, acknowledged as one of Britain’s finest landscapes, and specially protected and managed.

From ‘top of the world’, huge panoramic views across the Bristol Channel and Somerset levels, to stunning vistas through deep, forested combes, The Mendip Hills has something for everyone, and awaits your discovery…

We have a fantastic local food culture with many leading organic and ethical food businesses. For example Yeo Valley Organic, The Ethicurean Restaurant, Wild Food foraging, and many super country pubs using local, seasonal and beautifully prepared food.

This unique landscape contains some of the oldest hills in Britain, formed at the same time as the Alps in Europe. It is one of Britain’s richest and most fascinating sites of pre-history and archaeology. The Mendip Hills contain signs of some of the earliest human occupation in Britain, and are home to Neolithic henge monuments, Bronze-age barrows, Iron Age hill forts & evidence of extensive Roman occupation.

There are many sites of special scientific interest (SSSI’s), designated for their rare and important flora as well as the unique geology of the area, Cheddar Gorge and Caves being of particular note. The highest point on the Mendips, Beacon Batch on the top of Blackdown, can give a feeling of true wilderness and isolation without ever being too far from civilisation. Wildlife abounds, watch as Kestrels dive into the heather to catch their prey and Buzzards circle high overhead on thermal air currents.

From our HQ, Blackdown provides an ever-present back-drop, swathed in purple heather in the spring, and sometimes snow-capped in winter. Deer and wild ponies are silhouetted against wonderful summer sunsets. Blackdown is worth the climb, with incredible 360 degree views across the Severn Estuary, and both Severn Bridges to Wales, across the Somerset Levels and Moors to the Quantock Hills, Blackdown Hills, Chew Valley & Blagdon lakes and Cheddar Gorge. 

Could we be more enthusiastic about this location? No way, it’s perfect, and just around 30 minutes to Bristol or Bath.

Wells

Our favourite City, Wells is just 15 minutes from our properties and is not to be missed! It is England’s smallest city and is home to one of the loveliest English Cathedrals, featuring the finest medieval statuary in the country (603 figures of kings, princes and nobles). We love the mechanical clock inside the cathedral. The Cathedral hosts many concerts and events.

There are numerous other historical buildings, including the Bishop’s Palace, which is still home to the Bishop of Bath & Wells. If you’ve seen the movie ‘Hot Fuzz’, you’ll recognize much of Wells, as it was filmed here!

Wells also has a bustling open air continental style market, in the market square, normally held every Wednesday and Saturday morning, and numerous lovely shops. 

Our favourite place to eat is The Good Earth, a brilliant wholefood cafe serving fantastic value lunches, tea & cake, etc.

Glastonbury

Glastonbury Tor rises dramatically from the flat landscape of the Somerset Levels, close to the town of Glastonbury, to a height of 158 metres (525 feet). The Tor is topped by the tower of a ruined 15th-century church (St Michael’s).

The hill and its approaches are owned by the National Trust, and offer free public access, but visitors are advised to walk there from the town centre, or to take the ‘Tor Bus’, due to parking restrictions around the site. Views from the summit are stunning in all directions.

History, myth and legend surround the Tor. Dark Age and Saxon remains excavated here suggested that it was once a Saxon fortress, or perhaps an early Christian hermitage.

Close to the foot of the Tor are the Chalice Well Gardens, a lovely place to stop and relax, have a wander around, contemplate life the universe, etc! There is also a font with water from the ‘Holy Well’, the spring, where you can collect water to drink. We also like the Rainbow’s End café, it serves good value and very tasty vegetarian food.

Cheltenham

The elegant Regency spa town of Cheltenham is the cultural heart of the Cotswolds. It’s easy to reach from all over the country, and just 2 hours from London. 

Recent developments include the buzzing district of the Brewery Quarter where old meets new with bars, gigs and entertainment.

Most famously home to racing of the Cheltenham Festival, culminating in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, a glamorous and stylish affair. 

We love Cheltenham for the shopping, cool wine bars, lovely architecture and style!