Blogs from Somerset, England, United Kingdom, Europe - page 2

For this trip I left the bike at home and was exercising different muscles. I'd heard and read that the South West Coast Path, 620 miles from Minehead to Poole, is quite hilly from the start. As I was setting out with new boots and other new gear I wanted a couple of gentle days to break myself and the gear in. I quickly discovered that there was a West Somerset Coast Path which ended at Minehead where the SWCP started. (It's important not to mix up your SWCP and your WSCP!). Perfect for a warm up. Due to logistical problems, mainly that I didn't check the bus timetable properly, I had to start walking from Bridgwater which added the last section of the Parrett Trail to my itinery. So I set off on a fine ... read more

After 2-1/2 days in Salisbury I thought we should take a day in Bath before heading off to the castle for our anniversary. Really, I love Jane Austen; her books, the movies, anything Jane Austen. We visited her home in Chawton a couple of years ago, ate lunch in the kitchen of her brother’s home across the way, walked the streets that she would have walked. So really, a trip to Bath would be all about Jane Austen. We took the train to Bath and walked the ½ mile to our Bed and Breakfast. Uphill and over cobbled streets, like all of the streets we have been on. But it was good exercise. After dropping our bags off we went off to find Jane Austen. The first stop was the Jane Austen Center where, who else ... read more

We had made the long journey to Devon (with a stop half way) yesterday. Well I say "Devon" and we had touted our staycation this year being to Devon, but we had spent the night in Taunton, which we discovered was actually in Somerset. Not that it mattered. I got up early, which is my usual routine for some sunrise photography, and I headed to Glastonbury, which is not too far from Taunton, especially on the empty roads this early in the morning. Even the M5 motorway was empty, which was in stark contrast to our journey yesterday, when it was completely jammed in both directions (the Friday change-over apparently). I had planned to go to Glastonbury Tor, which was well sign-posted, but in the dark, it was difficult to work out where best to park ... read more

My social life was zero because of the pandemic restrictions. Being fed up, I decided to visit familiar Swindon. In a flash, I realised a school friend lived another 30-40 mins train ride from Swindon. A tight trip to capture three locations at one go. I had booked the fastest train so I spent minimum time in the train itself to a max 45 mins. The trains and stations were pretty empty. With train tickets and bike reservation, a small overnight bag and some gifts of Indian sweets for my friends as it was the festive time of Durga pooja, I ventured out like a lone warrior. As soon as the connecting train arrived at the platform, I panicked when I spotted the only cycle symbol in the first class compartment. Thankfully, the train guard approached ... read more

"It doesn't taste anything like American cheese!" exclaimed Madam. We were heading to Wells in Somerset for a couple of days and stopped off at Cheddar on the way and, after a brief look at the end of the gorge, had gone in to the only cheese shop to actually make Cheddar cheese in Cheddar. They had a wide range of samples and we worked our way around them from mild to mature. The first cheese sample was the mild, matured for only a few months. Madam savoured it slowly and said "Mmmm... nice." The second was more mature with a stronger taste. Madam's breath quickened and said "This is NOTHING like American cheese." When the cave aged Cheddar touched her tongue her breath became heavy and she let out a long soft moan. Several women ... read more