Somerset & Exmoor

     Gardens, Coastline

                    &

    The UK Countryside

Day 1  Train down to Taunton from London
On your arrival at Taunton in the afternoon, we meet you and transfer you to our hotel in Dunster, a small and delightful market town. Before dinner we meet for a drink in the lounge so everyone can get to know each other.

Day 2    A relaxing first part of the morning to explore Dunster: the castle, packhorse bridge, the mill and Prioryfields garden and then we depart on our first days` tour. We start by visiting Cleeve Abbey at Washford and then move on to the quaint maritime village of Watchet for lunch. In the afternoon we explore the Quantock Hills, real off the beaten path country as we make our way back to Dunster.

Day 3  Our destination today is the Royal Horticultural Society`s Garden at Rosemoor. These are outstanding gardens and we spend a relaxing time here

Day 4  Today we journey along the north Somerset coast and our first visit is to a National Trust village, Selworthy, clinging to the edge of Exmoor with its lovely gardens and thatched cottages. From here we drive to Porlock and Porlock Weir for a stop and then into Lorna Doone country and the medieval landscape of Bagworthy. Our lunchstop will be Lynton and Lynmouth. In the afternoon we drive to The Valley of the Rocks and explore this remote part of the coast. We drive back to Dunster crossing Exmoor.

Day 5  No holiday in Somerset is complete without a visit to Glastonbury and Wells, the former for its Arthurian connections and the latter for its beautiful cathedral. So these are our destinations today.

Day 6  Today we are going to criss cross Exmoor on our way to the chocolate box village of Coombe Martin. On the way we will stop and you may like to walk to Exmoors highest point, Dunkery Beacon. We are also going to explore some more of the north coast and visit The Great Hangman, an 800ft cliff with incredible sea views.

Day 7 Our final days touring is to Dulverton, gateway to southern Exmoor, a very hospitable riverside town with Saxon connections by way of the Exe valley. After a stop here we make our way to Cothay Manor Gardens near Wellington. Unruffled by time, this medieval house with gate tower and oratory chapel, looks over the beautiful gardens which have been restored to their former glory. We don`t  think you will want to leave here! We now journey on to Bishops Lydeard to catch the steam train to Dunster where the you  will met and taken to  your   hotel.

Day 8 Train back to London or continue for another week elsewhere... there are just too many to suggest.