A fabled bucolic setting is found in Somerset - a land of rolling, patchwork hills and vales, ancient woodlands, and dramatic gorges, dotted with historic market towns and villages as you drive through the county's meandering lanes.
This idyllic beauty is complemented by its rich history, with Somerset having a long record of settlement, dating back to the Paleolithic period. The county's oldest complete human skeleton was discovered in the coves of Cheddar Gorge, and in Bath, remnants of Roman life and the city's storied Georgian architecture has led it to become the only city in the UK designated a UNSECO World Heritage Site.
The city of Bath. Tradition seeps out of the grand, honey-hued stone facades of this World Heritage spa town, and it's easy to picture what the city must have looked like back in its 18th century, Regency heyday. The Palladian terraced houses, sweeping crescents, and stately squares bestow Bath with an air of classic elegance.
Reaching further back in time, the views from the heights of Glastonbury Tor show a Somerset that is steeped in Arthurian legend and medieval history. Punctuated with St Michael's Tower, this prominent hill overlooks the counties of Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire; they look mythical covered in a haze of light rain. As the clouds begin to disperse, a stream of light breaks through and bathes a patch of the Somerset Levels in amber sunshine, placing it centre stage. Warmth emanates from the glowing fields, and the countryside no longer seems like an escape from city life, this is the main attraction.
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