When you stay in this part of Somerset you are in an area described in the 17th century as the ‘Paradise of England’ and again in Victorian Times as the ‘Golden Vale’. The Vale of Taunton is an area of outstanding beauty, fringed by the Qauntock Hills, the Brendon Hills and the Blackdown Hills. The Deane takes in the towns of Taunton and Wellington and countless delightful rural villages. The river Tone flows out of Taunton through the vale. Not only are you surrounded by some of the best countryside and most spectacular landscapes in the land you are also within easy reach of many other attractions, making this place an ideal starting point for a self-catering break where you can discover Somerset and Devon.
What Vale Of Taunton Deane, Somerset offers for Self-Catering Holidays
Taunton is the county town of Somerset where historic buildings sit side by side with 21st century retailing and an array of restaurants and cafes. It is a great place to visit on a cottage break. The town has its own castle, now a museum where entrance is free. At this museum you can glean lots of useful information about the history of Somerset. Also in Taunton is a county cricket ground, a theatre, an antique market and farmers’ market. Built on the river Tone, Taunton was an important settlement in the bronze ages and Roman and Saxon times.
The smaller town of Wellington is to the south west of Taunton and is very close to the M5 motorway, junction 26. Perhaps the town’s best known attraction well worth discovering on a self-catering break is the Wellington Monument which was built in honour of the first Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley who fought in the battle of Waterloo and eventually became Prime Minister. This monument takes pride of place on the Blackdown Hills. This remarkable landmark is a great place to visit on account of the excellent views afforded from here of the Vale of Taunton Deane and over towards Exmoor National Park.
There are a number of country houses and gardens in and just beyond the Vale of Taunton Deane and Taunton Racecourse is only 6 miles away. The surrounding hills and Exmoor are ideally suited for walkers, bike and horse riders and the north Somerset coast is just a short drive from the vale. Across the Devon border on the Grand Western Canal a great day out is provided by the Tiverton Canal Company. Here you can take a trip on a horse drawn canal boat or hire a motor boat, rowing boat or canoe.
With so many options and so much to offer in this part of Somerset just when will you book a special self-catering cottage break in the West Country?
Whether you choose to book a holiday cottage in Vale Of Taunton Deane, an apartment, a lodge or another type of self-catering holiday accommodation, we hope you have your best holiday yet in Somerset.