Local attractions, pubs, restaurants and activities,
Local Area
We have provided below (please scroll down) just a flavour of the many local attractions and activities in the area. We keep a large number of leaflets for you to browse for ideas.
Tourist Information Centre:
Podimore Roundabout, A303 west of Blackford. 10m BA22 8JG. 01935 841302
Ideas & money off vouchers at:
http://www.dayvisits.co.uk
www.daysout.co.uk
http://www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/
http://www.cheaper-days-out.co.uk/southwest.html
We collect discount/money off vouchers and free passes for local attractions and leave them for our guests to use (free of charge). At different times these included: Longleat, Brean, Wookey Hole, Cheddar Caves, Haynes Motor Museum, Yeovilton Air Museum, Eden Project, Sea Life, Puxton, SeaAquarium, Bowlplex, Glastonbury Abbey, Animal farm and many more throughout Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and Devon. Let us know if you have particular requests!
Click these links to take you direct to a place in the long page below:
Weather Forecast
Authors/books/stories
Films/TV series
Local Towns
National Trust & English Heritage
Walks & Cycle Routes
Good food pubs
Restaurants
Seaside
within half an hour
within an hour
Ideas further away
Activities & sports
Markets/Farmers Markets
Local events and things to do
Some of our most famous authors based their stories on the area of Dorset, Somerset & Wessex and drew inspiration from people and places.
Enid Blyton. From the Ginger Beer Shop in Corfe Castle to Brownsea Island and the Isle of Purbeck.
Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy and Tracy Chevalier have all set novels in the area.
Many films and TV series have been filmed in the area ....
Visit Somerset website with some locations including:
The Imitation Game (Sherborne) starring Benedict Cumberbatch & Keira Knightley
Wolf Hall (Montacute House, Barrington Court, Sherborne) starring Damian Lewis, Mark Rylance, Claire Foy
Far from the Madding Crowd (Dorset) starring Carey Mulligan, Michael Sheen & Tom Sturridge
Goodbye Mr Chips (Sherborne) starring Peter O'Toole & Petula Clarke
Warhorse (Castle Combe, Dartmoor) stars include Benedict Cumberbatch, Emily Watson
Harbour Lights (West Bay) starring Nick Berry & Tina Hobley
Broadchurch (West Bay, Lyme Regis, Clevedon) starring David Tennant & Olivia Colman
River Cottage (Bridport, Axminster) with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Sense and Sensibility (Montacute) with Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet & Hugh Grant
The Libertine (Montacute) with Johnny Depp, John Malkovich, Samantha Morton and Rosamund Pike
Hot Fuzz (Wells) with Simon Pegg
Elizabeth the Golden Age (Wells) with Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush
Chocolat (Bruton) with Juliette Binoche, Johnny Depp and Lena Olin
Far from the Madding Crowd (Dorset) starring Julie Christie, Alan Bates, Peter Finch
Restoration & Grand Designs - various west country locations
Various other Thomas Hardy feature film and TV dramatisations in Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire
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Local Towns
Sherborne with its historic Abbey
Dorchester
Other local towns of interest include:
Castle Cary
Cerne Abbas
Glastonbury (Tor and Abbey ruins)
Bath (Roman city)
Wells (Cathedral town)
Local villages and pubs within walking distance include:
North Cadbury (pub)
South Cadbury (Camelot hill fort and see good food pubs below)
Holton (see good food pubs below)
Maperton (no pub)
Yarlington (see good food pubs below)
Corton Denham (see good food pubs below)
National Trust and English Heritage properties nearby include:
Montacute
Stourhead
Tintinhull
Lytes Cary
Barrington Court.
Glastonbury Abbey
Glastonbury Tor
Sherborne New Castle
Sherborne Old Castle
Corfe Castle
Capability Brown – 2016 marked 300 years of Capability Brown’s gardens there were various events and celebrations throughout the year. http://www.capabilitybrown.org/map
We are fortunate that we have several that are open to the public within easy distance. There are other private gardens as well. Check for opening days and times.
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Cycle Hire, Routes & Walks
Alfreds Tower (folly, wooded, superb views)
Camelot (Ancient grassy Hill Fort at South Cadbury, great views
- reputed home of King Arthur)
Ham Hill
Leland Trail (and cycle route)
Somerset Levels
Somerset website (various walks/cycle routes)
Cycle Hire
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Local good food pubs. Please check their websites or ask us if you want advice! Some may be better for food, some for families etc
|
Camelot |
01963 441685 |
2m |
South Cadbury |
|
Kings Arms
|
01963 220281 |
2m |
Charlton Horethorne |
|
Mitre Inn
|
01963 220271 |
6m |
Sandford Orcas |
|
Montague Inn
|
01749 813213 |
4m |
Shepton Montague |
|
The Old Inn
|
01963 32002 |
2m |
Holton |
|
Queens Arms
|
01963 220317 |
3m |
Corton Denham |
|
Red Lion
|
01458 223230 |
8m |
Babcary
|
|
Stapleton Arms
|
01963 370396 |
7m |
Buckhorn Weston |
|
Stags Head
|
01963 440393 |
3m |
Yarlington |
| Beckford Arms |
www.beckfordarms.com 01747 870385 |
22m | Fonthill Gifford, Tisbury |
| The Kingsdon Inn |
www.kingsdoninn.co.uk 01935 840543 |
10m | Kingsdon Nr Somerton |
|
White Hart |
www.whitehartsherborne.co.uk01935 817668 |
7m |
Sherborne |
|
Digby Tap |
01935 813148 |
7m |
Sherborne |
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Tea Rooms/Coffee Shop: Chapel Cross Tea Rooms,
South Cadbury, BA22 7ET. 01963 440501 (2m)
Open Wed to Sat 11.00am - 5.00pm. Scrummy cakes & light meals in an ancient Chapel!
Local Restaurants - check the websites for menu, prices etc.
|
At The Chapel
|
01749 814070 |
7m |
Bruton |
|
Capozzolis
|
www.capozzolis-restaurant.co.uk 01935 840033 |
10m |
Ilchester |
|
The Green
|
01935 813821 |
7m |
Sherborne
|
|
Little Barwick House |
01935 423902 |
9m |
Barwick |
|
Paprika Indian Restaurant |
01935 816429 |
7m |
Sherborne |
|
Plumber Manor |
01258 472507 |
15m |
Sturminster Newton |
|
Rajpoot Tandoori
|
01935 817606 |
7m |
Sherborne
|
| The Grange |
www.thegrangeatoborne.co.uk 01935 813463 |
6m | Oborne |
| Tamburino |
http://www.tamburino.co.uk/ 01935 700400 |
11m | Yeovil |
| Tamburino |
http://www.tamburino.co.uk 01935 389053 |
7m | Sherborne |
| Seafood at the Seaside! | |||
| The Riverside Restaurant |
http://thefishrestaurant-westbay.co.uk/ 01308 422011 |
35m | West Bay, Bridport |
| The Watch House Cafe |
http://watchhousecafe.co.uk 01308 459330 |
35m | West Bay, Bridport |
| Hix Oyster and Fish House |
www.hixoysterandfishhouse.co.uk/ |
37m | Lyme Regis |
| Hive Beach Café |
www.hivebeachcafe.co.uk 01308 897 070 |
36m | Burton Bradstock |
|
Crab House Cafe |
http://www.crabhousecafe.co.uk |
35m |
Wyke Regis, Weymouth |
Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall’s River Cottage Canteen is in Axminster. 32m www.rivercottage.net/
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Sea with a variety of sandy to pebble beaches, seaside towns to quiet coves etc
South to the Jurassic Coast including:
Weymouth (site of Olympics 2012 Sailing), Portland, Lulworth Cove, Lyme Regis, Studland, West Bay, Charmouth, Burton Bradstock, Ringstead and many more. Dorset beaches. Devon Beaches. Devon Beaches Somerset Beaches
North to North Somerset & Devon coasts including Weston-Super-Mare, Brean, Lynton, Lynmouth, Braunton and many more. Devon Beaches. Devon Beaches Somerset Beaches
Along the Jurassic coast you can look for fossils, go rock pooling, paddling and swimming. Places for Fossil hunting along the world famous Jurassic Coast include Charmouth, Lyme Regis, Seatown, Burton Bradstock etc
The Dorset Coastal Path is part of the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site which is England's first natural World Heritage Site - it is known as The Jurassic Coast. It covers 95 miles of truly stunning coastline from East Devon to Dorset, with rocks recording 185 million years of the Earth's history. www.jurassiccoast.com The heritage Centre in Charmouth organises regular walks. www.charmouth.org
Some of the local seaside places offer boat trips and you can even spend a day in the Channel Islands (Guernsey or Jersey) – Condor Seacat runs from Weymouth.
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Within half an hour:
Beautiful Somerset villages and churches.
The Bath and West Show/Showground
The Fleet Air Arm Museum
Haynes’ Motor Museum.
Hauser and Wirth gallery and arts centre
The Newt in Somerset - gardens, spa, hotel, restaurant etc
Jungle Jungle, Yeovil (under 12's)
Longleat
Wincanton Racecourse.
The historic towns of Sherborne, Shaftesbury, Somerton and Wells.
Sherborne Abbey and Wells Cathedral.
Glastonbury and Glastonbury Tor
Clark’s Village, Street.
Ham Hill Country Park
explore Thomas Hardy country of Wessex
Within an hour:
Bath and Bristol
Salisbury and the Cranborne Chase
Stonehenge
Wookey Hole
Cheddar Gorge
Cheddar Caves
Dorchester
The Tank Museum, Nr Dorchester.
Abbotsbury Swannery
Monkey World.
Chesil Beach and Weymouth
Brean Leisure Park (with Sooty!)
Splashdown, Tower Park
Ideas further away include: Dartmoor, Exmoor, Eden Project etc
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Activities & Sports
Somerset:
http://www.southsomerset.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/sport-and-health/leisure-facilities/
http://www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/things-to-do/yeovil all sorts of ideas across the area
Wincanton:
http://www.wincantonsports.co.uk/ inc swimming, badminton
http://www.wincantonsportsground.co.uk/ inc tennis
Yeovil:
http://www.mfabowl.com/yeovil ten pin bowling
http://www.goldenstones-leisure.co.uk/ inc swimming
Bruton:
http://www.millonthebrue.co.uk/ activity centre
Barnstaple:
http://www.letsgobarnstaple.co.uk/ inc ice skating, ten pin bowling
Poole:
http://www.thearkpoolepark.co.uk/ inc ice skating
Cinemas: Yeovil & Strode (Street)
Swimming Pools: Wincanton, Yeovil, Street (indoor & outdoor), Poole (Splashdown, Tower Park - waterslides)
Horse Riding: www.wessex.me.uk
Pevlings Farm.Cabbage La, Templecombe BA8 0DA 01963 370990
Brimsmore Equestrian Centre, Yeovil Tel: (01935) 410854
Naydon Equestrian nr Somerton www.naydonequestrian.co.uk
Golf: Sherborne, Yeovil, Folke, Wincanton, Long Sutton, Wheathill
Ice Rink: Barnstaple: http://www.letsgobarnstaple.co.uk/ inc ice skating, ten pin bowling
Poole: http://www.thearkpoolepark.co.uk/
Ten pin bowling: Yeovil:
http://www.mfabowl.com/yeovil
Theatres: Yeovil, Bristol, Bath etc
Farmers Market:
Middle, Street, Yeovil: 4th Saturday each month (9am to 1pm)
Cheap Steet, Sherborne: 3rd Friday each month (9am to 1pm)
Wincanton Country Market: Balsam Centre, every Friday (9.30 – 11.30am)
Sherborne Country Market: Digby Church Hall, every Thursday (9.15 – 11.15am)
Market Day:
Yeovil, Lower Middle street - Tuesday & Friday every week
Sherborne, Cheap Street - Thursday & Saturday weekly
There are many others - including Dorchester, Bridport etc
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A selection of local events & things to do:
Dorset: http://www.visit-dorset.com/things-to-do
Somerset: http://www.visitsomerset.co.uk/things-to-do/
Devon: http://www.visitdevon.co.uk/things-to-do
Wiltshire: http://www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/site/things-to-do/
This is a calendar of a few of the many annual events:
May
Sherborne Castle Country Fair
June
Glastonbury Festival
July
Galhampton Party in the Park
RNAS Yeovilton International Air Day
August
Glastonbury Abbey Extravaganza
Great Dorset Steam Show & Music Festival
September
Somerset Arts Weeks
October
Sherborne Pack Monday Fair
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Towns in the area include: Bournemouth, Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Weymouth, Portland, Studland, Lyme Regis, Lyme Bay, Lulworth Cove near smaller towns and villages include: Templecombe, Charlton Horethorne, Maperton, Holton, Sparkford, North Cadbury, South Cadbury, Compton Pauncefoot, Woolston, Yarlington, Yeovil, Wincanton, Castle Cary, Sherborne (Dorset), Mere (Wiltshire)
Kingfisher Cottage is a detached house in the style of a converted barn (barn conversion), holiday let, letting, farm, farmhouse, apartment, rent, premier rural holiday, vacation rental, walk, walking, dog, short break, self catering, selfcatering, Short breaks & weekends available
Our local area is known as the Camelot are of Wessex and in the area you will also find Olympics sailing (Weymouth), Hauser & Wirth (Bruton), Montacute, Glastonbury, Stonehenge, Stourhead, Longleat, Barrington House, Gardens, CenterParcs, (Centreparcs, centerparks, centreparks, centre parcs), the jurassic coast, explore Thomas Hardy country of Wessex, Clarks Village, Shepton Mallet, Bath & West Showground and much more.