Tag: somerset

The beauty of Glastonbury Abbey in pictures

Glastonbury Abbey by The Wandering Darlings

Glastonbury Abbey has long been one of my favourite places in the UK. As soon as you walk into the abbey grounds you just get the feeling you are in very serene and special place. Maybe its the connections to King Arthur and the legend that he’s buried here, maybe it’s the many stories the ruins hold or maybe it’s just that its a place of worship.

Located in the town of Glastonbury, Somerset (more popularly known for its ties with Glastonbury Festival) the Abbey is a popular visitor attraction. The Abbey buildings date back to 688 and whilst they are now ruins, they are still just as beautiful as what you would imagine they were back in their heyday.

The buildings are Grade 1 Listed and set in within 36 acres of parkland which is all immaculately preserved so that history lives on and that visitors can learn about the history and myths of this tranquil area. Whilst visiting you can see what is believed to be King Arthur and Queen Guinevere’s final resting place, Lady Chapel, St Patrick’s Chapel, the Holy Thorn, Cider Orchard and Abbot’s Kitchen. The museum helps answer any questions that you may have about the area and in the summer months, there are even costumed guides walking around sharing information about the ruins.

There are so many stories both historic, legendary and mythical within these ruins and parklands. Including that it is considered the earliest Christian Foundation in England and linked to Joseph of Arimathea and the Holy Thorn, ties to the Saxons, Romans and Normans, it’s been raged by fire and rebuilt and has considerable connections to the legend of King Arthur.

To visit the Abbey the admission price is £7.34 per adult if bought online (slightly higher if paying at the gate) and there are student, over 60 and family tickets also available. For less than a tenner it is well worth the entry price and with so much to see and do its a great (and educational) day out for all the family.

You can also visit the Abbey for plays, gigs, workshops and other events so do check out the events page of their website here for what is coming up.

It’s a mystical and mythical place that I have visited several times and is one place that I could visit a thousand times more. Take in the beauty for yourself with these serene pictures of the majestic Glastonbury Abbey.

Glastonbury Abbey in pictures from The Wandering Darlings

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Glastonbury Abbey in pictures pin for blog post from The Wandering Darlings

Photo Diary – Cheddar in the Snow

The Beast from the East and Storm Emma took the UK back to a cold and chilly winter last week. Almost the whole country braced freezing winds, temperatures that barely broke zero degrees and a thick and lovely blanket of snow.

I’ve experienced a few snow storms whilst living here but this was one of the worst and…. prettiest. Schools and office closed their doors, panic buying ensued, sledging became a local sport, communities banded together to help one another, people were stuck in trains, cars and buses, everyone checked the weather apps over 100 times a day and the country ground to a halt. It was an interesting week and not one we were all expecting as the daffodils had started waking up and spring was supposedly just around the corner.

For some, the snow was a cause for chaos and for others, it was an excuse to not put away the bobble hats and winter coats and have one last wintery hurrah before the temperatures start rising.

The snowy scenes were just too picturesque to miss so I took my trusty camera and headed out and tried to capture the village of Cheddar in all its winter glory.

Cheddar, Somerset is in the South West of the UK and known for its cheese, Gorge and caves. It’s pretty little place even without the snow and is well frequented by adventurers hiking, cycling, climbing and cavers as well as those in search of a country retreat of cute accommodations and welcoming pubs. It’s a beautiful place to visit any time of year.

Welcome to our first photo diary of Cheddar in the snow

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Do you want to drink in a Gingerbread Pub?

This Christmas it snowed and I got to drink in a gingerbread house and no I didn’t dream it or fall into a children’s book. It actually happened!

Growing up in Australia my Christmases were always a sunny affair spent on the beach. Since moving to the UK I’ve now spent almost 5 Christmases in the UK or Europe and they are just not the same but that’s a post for another day. The main difference is generally the weather so when we woke to snow on the 27th any feelings of jealousy about my family being on the beach quickly washed away. WE HAD SNOW!!

Now, what better way to celebrate the snowy Christmas than to venture to a couple of villages over where the local pub had transformed itself into a gingerbread house for the festive season.

The pub is The Queen Victoria and it’s in the small village of Priddy in deepest darkest Somerset. It’s a lovely pub and a big hit with the walkers and cavers (as well as the locals) due to its relaxed atmosphere, good food, great service and that there is no carpet so muddy boots and dogs are allowed and in most cases encouraged! We usually would visit in the summer but with the snow and the change of look we just had to head up for a cheeky pint.

The landlord raises a lot of money for local charities throughout the year but Christmas is a time when they pull out the big guns and this year was no different.

It became a freaking Ginger Bread house!!

The whole outside was transformed with sweets, gingerbread men, candy canes and they even renamed the pub- The Gingerbread Inn. Apparently, all the decorations were made by a couple of people in the village and had been stored in their living room for the last couple of months ready for when it was all to be revealed. The decorations went on first and then the lights that adorn the pub light it up nice and bright. I would certainly recommend visiting late afternoon you can see it both in the natural light and then with all the lights on against the wintery night sky.

There is also a Christmas tree made completely of old wine bottles like you needed, even more, reasons to visit. It’s a truly magical and extremely clever idea that has gathered lots of attention in the local areas, as well as being, picked up by the Metro and ITV. I’m sure its help raised a lot of money for the Children’s Hospice South West which is the main reason behind all the effort that it takes to put this together. To have the idea itself is amazing but then to actually pull it off and raise alot of money for charity I couldnt applaude the pub landlord any more if I tried.

I don’t how much longer it is staying for so if you want to to keep your holiday festivities going and can get to Somerset then make sure you plan in a little trip to visit the Gingerbread Inn. There won’t be many times in your life that you can say you drank in a Gingerbread house and I promise you won’t end up like Hansel and Gretal unlesss maybe you drink a bit too much scrumpy.

The Queen Victorias facebook page has a lot more pictures and videos if you need further inspiration to come and visit https://www.facebook.com/queenvicpriddy/

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Trust Me England isn’t always grey and miserable.

So England gets a bit of a bad rep at times. Grey, dreary, wet, cold and just a bit gloomy. These are mostly things I hear or even say myself when speaking to friends and family back in the motherland.  I mean it is true there is no denying that. Winter albeit cosy indoors is long and grey and god forbid if we have a wet summer- everyone’s  off to the continent for some much-needed vitamin D. Luckily I didn’t move to England for the weather.

But and that’s a very big but – spring in the U.K. is gorgeous.

Wells, Somerset

Where I live in the South West the first signs of spring are the daffodils that seem to pop up everywhere. Little rays of sunshine right there on the side of the road.

Tulips at Montacute House, Somerset

Tulips dominate the garden flower beds in houses, parks and stately home.  Reds, yellows, mixtures of two. Sure it doesn’t compare to the Netherlands but it’s still so beautiful.

Then come the bluebells. We have some in the garden but they are nothing compared to the forests of them that spring up in parts of the UK. I saw my first bluebell forest this weekend and it was magical. Mother Nature is one sassy lady for creating a carpet of bluebells. The bluey /purple colour is so vibrant and against the green tree leaves it’s just like you are in a fairy den.

My friends beautiful little girl playing in the bluebells
Wrington Blue Bells , Somerset

As the bluebells start to fade the fields here start to turn bright yellow. Like the sun rays dropped out over the crops. Rapeseed fields dominate the landscape. I can’t stop smiling when I see these patches of golden yellow. I drive past many on my daily commute and they always, without fail put me in a good mood.

Rapeseed Field Somerton, Somerset

The spring colours are one of many surprising things I’ve discovered living in the UK. To be honest it may be the same back in Aus but I’ve just never really stopped to appreciate it. Which I guess most people do when they are caught up in day to day life and the familiar surroundings.

So if you find yourself in the south-west of the UK this time of year look out for the colours, marvel in the beautiful landscapes, stop the car and walk amongst the flowers and above all else remember England’s not always grey and dreary.

Appreciating the spring glory was inspired by reading Suzanne’s post here take a look at her beautiful photographs and wonderful words.

Weekend Adventures- The Elizabethan Gem, Montacute House

I’m just going to put this out there- I love National Trust properties.  Yes, I am well aware this is probably going to ruin my street cred (ha as if I have street cred)  but I really do love nothing more on a weekend than going and exploring a stately home, manicured garden and some pretty quintessentially English landscapes. In Australia, we don’t have many of these historic buildings. We have a completely different history.  So maybe this is where my fascination with these properties comes from I’m just not used to them.  We read about mansions and castles in books but never got to actually see any or walk around them.

I love the history, the stories, the artwork, the secret gardens if all just makes you feel like stepping back in time (or often for me like I am a royal queen) and seeing how different life was in the past. I think the national trust has done a tremendous job restoring and maintaining these properties. To think they are still standing and still intact after 100s of years is amazing.

We’ve been to see quite a few places over the years and some of which has been blogged about previously (and many still to be blogged about) but over the Easter weekend this year we ventured to the Elizabethan Gem Montacute House.

Located just outside of Yeovil in Somerset this commanding house was built by Sir Edward Phelips in 1598. He was obviously a wealthy and powerful in those days and he was most commonly known for his role in the prosecution in the trial against Guy Fawkes. He was also on very good terms with King James who donated a portrait of himself which is still on display in the house to this very day.


The building is made from the local Ham Stone which gives the building a lovely honey tint. Walking up to the gate you get a lovely view of the house and can see why it’s been used in so many films and Tv programs. The gardens are well manicured and full of colour, especially with the brightly coloured tulips. My personal favourite was the wibbly wobbly hedge that looks like a big green cloud. My other half loved the orangery so much he is now planning to try and build one for us.

After strolling around the gardens we then headed into the house and found signs of the past in all rooms. We even saw a historic version of an ensuite. The most impressive inside the house was the Long Gallery. This is apparently the longest of its kind in the country and houses over 60 portraits. They are spectacular and yes you can feel all theirs eyes watching you. The portraits are on loan from the National Portrait Gallery and well worth seeing. Seeing all the faces, the fashion and different techniques just add more insight into the past. I liked seeing the lesser known portraits just as much as seeing ones of Queen Elizabeth the First and Henry VIII.

When we finished exploring through the house and gardens we then also went to out to explore the village that shares its name with the house. The ham stone is present throughout the village and it couldn’t have been more British if it tried. Two sweet pubs and a very creepy looking museum. It was a lovely little village.


To visit the property is £12.60 per adult from March to October. Outside of these times, you can only visit the garden and there is a discounted rate for those months.  We actually opted to sign up for a year membership to the NT on our visit. I’ve never felt so middle aged in my whole life. But you know what I don’t care I’m just going to keep looking through my book to see where we can have our next weekend adventure.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/montacute-house

A few more photos to show you this beautiful place

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6 Places to visit in Somerset  

Somerset is a lovely county in the South West of the UK. If you go by the common misconception you would think everyone is country bumpkins, who speak funny and drink too much cider. Actually that is kinda right but it just adds to the charm of this stunning area. 

I’ve lived in this beautiful area of the UK for almost a third of my life and still haven’t even been everywhere yet.

However I have chosen 6 of my favourite places that if you should definitely visit if you find yourself down this way. All within less than an hour drive of each other so you could do all of these in one weekend. 
Glastonbury Abbey
I have been to this place so many times as I just love it. Anyone in the south west knows there is much more to Glastonbury than the festival. It’s a very spiritual town and the abbey is said to be the final resting place of King Arthur. It’s a serene place clocked in history, from the Saxons to the Normans. It truly is beautiful even in its ruined state I can only imagine how beautiful it was in the past. 


Cheddar 
Cheddar cheese, cheddar village and Cheddar Gorge. All great and all need to be enjoyed on your visit. The gorge has lots of walks for all levels of fitness with spectacular views of the mendips. There is caves to be explored and lots of lovely tea shops to stop at and refuel.You can also rock climb if you want something more adventurous than hiking. 


Clevedon Pier
This Victorian Pier is stunning both in looks and that it’s still standing after so many years. It was opened in 1869. Pier’s are a key part of the Great British Seaside and the museum that is attached to the pier shows just how much this pier shaped the history of Clevedon and Somerset. Also if you’re a 1D fan they filmed one of their video clips here a couple of years ago. 



Middle Hope and Sand Point- Kewstoke
Another recent find. This is a National Trust area and perfect for a picnic or walk along the coast line. This area is in British history as weapons were tested here in the Second World War. There is stunning views out over the Estuary and is just as lovely in winter as it is in summer.  


Burnham on Sea Lighthouse

I discovered this gem only last year and you can find some more pictures here. I went in Autumn so the beach wasn’t as busy as it would be in the height of summer and it was beautiful even then. Bit of an odd one but I do love a beach walk in Autumn and winter. This lighthouse is super photogenic and also really interesting to see as it sits low on the beach. 


Wells 
Wells is the UK’s smallest city and has a stunning Cathedral that has to be seen. Closely located to the Cathedral is The Bishop’s Palace and the extremely photogenic Vicars Close. The Cathedral is in Gothic Style and is open to all to explore. The Bishop’ Palace has been the home of the Bishop for over 800 years. The Garden and Moat are beautiful and although there is always others walking it’s always quiet and peaceful. The Vicars Close is thought to be the only complete medieval street left in the UK. Whenever I am there I always feel like I’m in a scene from Harry Potter!

So these are 6 of my favourite places in Somerset. To be honest I could have done a list of 20 but this is more of a taster for you to get you down to our gorgeous county. 

Have you been to Somerset? Where was your favourite place? I’d love to hear them so please do share below in the comments

Inspiration 

I wanted to go out and see something in my local area today but as per most people I’ve seen a lot of the key places. What’s a girl to do next- well if your me you go onto Instagram and look for inspiration.

I live in Somerset in the UK so went onto @loveforsomerset feed and saw a pic of this fab light house in Burnham on Sea .

Nice little walk along the beach and 100 or so photos later and now I’m here sharing with you. Goes to show you gotta keep uploading your travel pics you never know who’ll come across them and set off in your footsteps 👣👣👣🌏