Creative Commons licensePhoto by flickr user alh1

There is more to Somerset than famous music festivals and cider. From the long sweeping beaches of its coast to the rolling hills of its interior, Somerset is dotted with pretty and interesting places. The coastal resorts at Minehead, Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon make for a great bucket and spade holiday whilst the historic towns of Taunton and Yeovil and the many rural villages provide quality, comfort, interest and value. Its interior hosts a National Park and three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Levels and Moors are a rural idyll, where traditional crafts and local ciders still epitomize West Country Life. Its patchwork of historic towns and unadulterated villages provide a diverse selection of hotels in beautiful settings: from the Traditional Castle at Taunton to two outstanding inns, The Lord Poulett Arms and Queens Arms, there is something for everybody in Somerset. It is more than just a gateway to the South West. It is the beginning of the South West.

Written by Fiona Duncan