Travel Information

British Empire and Commonwealth Museum offers a wide selection of artifacts from the Imperial British Empire and commonwealth countries.

It covers the Salivary, the Rise of the Victorian Empire, the decline of the Victorian Empire and the birth of the commonwealth sates.

If you are from a commonwealth country or immigrate to the United Kingdom you can learn how others have adapted to life in the United Kingdom at the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum.

Dulverton is the gateway town to Exmoor National Park and if you are in the locality with your Southern England Motorhome Hire during Whitsun Bank Holiday you are in for a treat. During 27th to 30th May 2011 Dulverton hosts the Dulverton Folk Festival. Along with local musicians there will be ceilidh bands from Somerset and Derbyshire, plus Rag Morris Dancers and much more. The local school will have limited space for motorhomes to camp overnight. There are no electric hook ups and sites must be booked in advance from the festival website. Try to avoid driving through the centre of Dulverton if you can as the road north into the park is very narrow and bendy. Local information can also be obtained from Dulverton National Park Centre.
Dulverton National Park Centre
7-9 Fore Street
Somerset
TA22 9EX
Tel: 01398 323 841

Whilst touring Somerset in a motorhome why not take a break from the road and enjoy the rails at East Somerset Railway, a traditional steam railway dating back to 1858.

There’s plenty to do at the railway, the most popular attraction being rides on an authentic steam train. Visitors can also explore the engine sheds and signal box to find out more about how they work. There is even a museum on site with information and history on steam trains spanning 150 years.

If you fancy venturing into the great outdoors you can purchase a single ticket and enjoy a wildlife walk along the track through beautiful countryside.

As well as all that there is a children’s playground and picnic area, a well stocked shop and the quaint Whilstlestop Cafe to provide everything needed for visitors of all ages to experience a great day out.

Cranmore Railway Station
Cranmore
Shepton Mallet
Somerset
BA4 4QP

Telephone: +44 (0)1749 880417
Email: info@eastsomersetrailway.com

The festival runs from 1st to 9th October 2011 across the Exmoor National Park with all sorts of food events taking place. There will be a whole range of events to eat your way through! From  traditional cream teas , foodie farm visits, tasting platters, and game suppers to a pleasant stroll around the Minehead Farmers Market which will be selling all that glorious local food, there is a great deal to tempt the food lover.  For tasty treats The Porlock Food Fayre and the Lynmouth Producers Market, are also well worth a visit. An autumn break in a Motorhome in Exmoor gives you the opportunity to call in at these interesting food venues, not to mention being able to try out and cook local ingredients. A visit to this area should also include Minehead which will be the centre of the festival activity.  From Taunton and the M5, take Junction 25 off the M5 towards Taunton, then follow the A38 towards the town. Turn right on to the Obridge Viaduct and at the roundabout turn left on to the A358. Follow this road north until you reach Williton, then turn left on to the A39. This road will take you on to Minehead and the Exmoor National Park. If you are approaching from London, in your London Motorhome Hire, from the M25, take the M4 towards Bristol. Just past Bristol, take the M5 South towards Weston Super Mare, and then follow the directions from Taunton and the M5. For what events are taking place and information about dates and times go to the Exmoor Food Festival website by clicking the blue text. Also, try Lynton Farmers’ Market held the first Saturday(10am-4pm) of every month for fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs, bread and cakes, fruit juices and dairy products. It is always fun to eat local when you travel in your London Motorhome Hire.

Lynton Farmers Market
Town Hall
Lynton
EX35 6BT
T: 01271 850861

The history of this castle includes wives being imprisoned, hanged or beheaded or charged with adultery and attempted poisoning. An interesting place!

Farleigh Hungerford Castle
Somerset
England

On Sunday 10th April 2011(11a.m.-2p.m.) the National Trust is organizing an event called, ‘Lets go Fly a Kite’ on Glastonbury Tor in Somerset. The venue is owned by the National Trust and details of the event are available on their website. Glasonbury Tor is not to be missed at any time of the year if you are in the area with your Somerset Motorhome Hire. The Tor is regarded by some as a holy hill. If you believe in fairies it is also thought by some, to be the home of Gwyn ap Nudd, King of the Fairies. It is best to park up your Somerset Motorhome hire, take a walk up the hill, and make up your own mind whether or not the site is magical. It certainly gives spectacular views from the top of the 15th Century Tower on top of the Tor. From the top of the tower you should be able to see three counties on a clear day.

Glastonbury Tor
Near Glastonbury
Somerset
Tel:01934 844518

Said to be one of the earliest Christian churches, and legend has it that King Arthur is buried here. Check out their website for opening times, ticket prices and more information about this sacred site.

Glastonbury Abbey
Somerset
England

Parking off Magdalene Street, Gladstonbury.

22nd, 23rd, 24th, June 2007

The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, Known commonly as Glastonbury Festival or Glasto, famous for for its contemporary music, but also features dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and many other arts. Glasto is billed as the largest greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world.

There has been a year without ‘Glasto’. Now its back for 2007, and if you are young at heart and love contemporary music you may have been successful in buying a weekend ticket and a ticket for the campervan/motorhome camp site. You cannot buy a campervan/motorhome site ticket without having a weekend ticket and tickets must have been purchased from the festival agent. We understand that all tickets are now sold out, so unless you have the tickets required you will not be allowed on site.

If you are lucky enough to have both tickets you can still hire a motor home from The Motorhome Group. The group have motor homes based all over the UK available for hire for music festivals. Those lucky people who hired motor homes for the Glastonbury Festival in 2005, slept dry and warm during the rainy weather. Glastonbury luxury. The minimum hire period in June, is a week.

The motorhome and campervan fields will be on the East of the site and will be surrounded by steel shield fencing.The festival organisers intent to provide water, waste-water containers, toilets and a food trader open 24 hours a day. Read the festival website carefully, all the information about access etc is provided.
There is no electricity provided for field users, so no ‘hook up’. Generators are not allowed. If you use your12volt battery sparingly you may last the three days without running the vehicle to charge the battery up. The main thing is to have the battery to run the water pump and lights, your fridge and hob will operate from the gas.

Never let your water tank run completely dry, always check you have plenty on board. An open tap without water flowing through will quickly burn out your water pump! If you have 6 people on board, having a shower and using water for other uses then you need to fill your tank every other day………………….and of course empty your waste water. It is illegal to pour waste water onto the ground so seek out the waste water disposal points on the site and empty your water in the containers provided.

Before you leave the site ensure you empty the toilet cassette. (There is a 50 pound fine for returning a Motorhome Group hire vehicle with a dirty cassette.) Leaving the campsite after the event is a slow process and can take a great deal longer than you anticipate. Plan to return the motorhome a day after your return from Glastonbury. This gives you time to clean out the floor etc of any dirt or grass and hand it back to the owner in excellent condition.

In the unlikely event that you breakdown on the campsite field the organizers will not allow other vehicles onto the fields under any circumstances – not even late replacement vehicles in the case of a breakdown. Contact the Motorhome group as soon as you are aware there is a problem and we will arrange support for you as soon as access to the site becomes available.

Take care driving too and from the festival, some of the local roads are very narrow. People have been known to sleep in their sleeping bags on the grass verges as they journey to and from the festival…………hard to spot in poor light.

Make sure that you lock all lockers and doors when you leave the motorhome. Ensure that all windows and roof lights are closed and secure. Leave the glove compartment open and conspicuously empty. The festival does have security guards patrolling the camp-site, but its always best to be safe. The festival website gives excellent advice on safety and security at the festival and we recommend that you read it.

Open all year round, with over four hundred acres to explore, this is a country park well worth a visit. If you love open space with panoramic views then this is the place for you. Keen walkers will have plenty of space to wander and the views across the Somerset Levels, Exmoor and the Mendip Hills, are spectacular. In the summer you will find the wild flower meadows at there best. If you are interested in history you will enjoy exploring the steeply sloping Iron-Age rampart, and the site of the deserted medieval village. There are woodlands too, which have been managed historically. There is also a ranger service and free guidebooks are available on site or from local tourism outlets. This is a good place to stop for a picnic on a sunny day or alternatively the local pub provides meals at its café /restaurant at Prince of Wales Inn.( Telelphone: 01935822848).  To drive to the park in your Somerset Motorhome hire from the A303, take the exit to Stoke Sub Hamdon. Follow signs to the village itself and once in the village of Stoke Sub Hamdon follow brown tourist signs to Ham Hill Country Park. For more information, including a location map, click the blue text below.

The Rangers Office
Ham Hill Country Park
Stoke sub Hamdon
Somerset
TA14 6RW

Tel: 01935 823617

Hestercombe Gardens is not very far from Taunton, located as it is just four miles from junction 25 off the M5. The gardens are a real pleasure with scents and flowers in abundance during the spring and summer months. There are three amazing gardens to stroll through, each with its unique design and each representing a time in history when the garden was conceived. At every turn of the path there are new views and vistas to enjoy in these exquisite locations. The whole is surrounded by over forty acres of woodland, making this a treasured gem set in such a great treed area. For the keen gardener at home you are bound to be inspired by what you see around you. There is a Plant Centre on site in which you can purchase specimens to take home with you. You will get a chance to recreate a little bit of Hestercombe Gardens in a corner of your own plot. Walking and viewing plants can be thirsty work and a visit to the Courtyard Café can be recommended for delicious home made cake as well as that all important cup of tea or coffee. They also have a Gift Shop. If you are traveling in your Somerset Motorhome Hire there is free parking and there is an admission charge into the gardens. For more details click the blue text on the link below.

Hestercombe Gardens
Hestercombe
Cheddon Fitzpaine
Nr Taunton
Somerset
TA2 8LG

Tel: 01823 413923

This is not the easiest of sites to find or get to, and is not suitable for caravans. It takes motorhomes of less than twenty six feet in length and is currently limited to only nine hook ups. The owners have plans to increase this in 2012 or 2013 and you will need chocks to level up as this is a sloping site. To get there, turn off your Sat Navigation, as it takes you along extremely narrow single track roads with overhanging buildings that are almost certain to cause damage to your Motorhome. I am reliably informed that following the instructions as follows will ensure you take the best route into the site. In the centre of Minehead look for Blenheim Road which is opposite W.H. Smith. Once on Blenheim Road, take the first left onto Martlet Road. Martlet Road takes you up and around, past the war memorial into St Michael Road. Go past St Michaels church and keep right, traveling uphill. Pass the cattle grid, and the site is just five hundred  yards on the right hand side. It is a winding and twisting uphill drive to get to the camp site.  (If you had followed your Sat.Nav. it would take up roads that are far too narrow for a Motorhome to pass!) Once at the site you are rewarded with wonderful sea views. Minehead town is a mile-and-a-half down the hill and is Somerset’s largest seaside resort, with a long sandy beach. If you want to leave your Somerset Motorhome Hire in Minehead and try other transport then you can catch the West Somerset Steam train at the Railway station in the town. The line takes you through stunning coastal and countryside scenery. There are many attractions in and around Minehead and Exmoor National Park is not far away. For more details and booking click the blue text below.

Minehead Camping and Caravanning Club Site
Hill Road
North Hill
Minehead
Somerset
TA24 5LB
England

Telephone: 01643 704138 (No calls after 8pm please.)

While exploring Somerset in a motorhome, why not visit Montacute House, an Elizabethan house which incorporates a National Portrait Gallery exhibition.

At Montacute there are many Elizabethan exhibits on display including textile samplers and Artwork at the National Portrait Gallery.

Montacute House has been used as a filming location for many high budget film such as Elizabeth (1998), Sense and Sensibility (1995), and The Libertine (2004).

The house was even used as a model for Tottington Hall in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005).

Montacute House
Montacute
Somerset
TA15 6XP
Tel: +44 (0)1935 823289
Fax: +44 (0)1935 826921
Email: montacute@nationaltrust.org.uk

The National trust has launched a suite of two-day walks in National Parks, in countryside cared for by the National Trust as part of their Walking Festival. They have chosen five National Parks to explore on foot, Exmoor, the Lake District, Snowdonia, the Peak District and the South Downs. This blog focuses on the exmoor walk, but if you are interested in the others then go to the National Trust website for further information. All the walks intend to take you through some of the best landscapes that Britain has to offer. All five walking routes have been walked personally, and written by environment and travel journalist Mark Rowe. Local knowledge has been supplied by the National Trust Rangers along the way.  These walks are for the fit and active and the Exmoor walk is a  24-mile figure of eight hike on the Holnicote Estate, within Exmoor National Park. It begins with an 8 mile walk north of Allerford, then to Selworthy Beacon with views right across the Bristol Channel to South Wales. On the second day, you are taking a longer walk of 16 miles,  from Allerford. Walking south, through one of the UK’s largest ancient oak woodlands, Horner Wood, before walking  to Dunkery Beacon. Eventually you head to Selworthy Beacon before dropping steeply down to Bossington’s pepple beach. All the walks are described in detail on the National Trust website. This is an ecellent activity to plan into your autumn Somerset Motorhome Hire holiday. For more information click the blue text below.

Holnicote Estate
Selworthy
Minehead
Somerset
TA24 8TJ

Telephone: 01643 862452

Set on a large farm, the Sheppy family continues to make excellent cider. Traditionally made cider from Somerset, always tastes best when you buy it direct from the producer, and this cider is no exception.  No visit to Somerset should take place without a purchase of Somerset Cider made down on a farm!  The Sheppys produce from their home grown apple orchards, and this is a quality local product. You get the chance to see how the cider is made in this lovely location. It is worth having a look around the museum of rural life that is also on site. Here you can gain a better understanding of how cider making fitted into the farming seasonal year. The museum houses quite a good selection of old farming implements as well as cider making displays. There is also a small tea shop and a rather splendid shop selling their cider, fruit juice as well as their own home reared Old English Longhorn Beef. You can also buy in cheeses, biscuits, home reared ham jam, pickles etc. It is a tempting place so its worth doing a little food shopping here for your Somerset Motorhome Hire holiday as well as buying gifts of local cider to take home. For more information and directions how to get to the farm, click the link below.

Sheppys Farm and Cider Centre
Three Bridges
Taunton
Somerset
TA4 1ER
England

Telephone: 01823 461 233

If you have an interest in bricks, tiles or pottery of any kind then a visit to the Somerset Brick and Tile Museum ought to be on your list of things to include on your holiday. Located in Bridgewater the museum has the last surviving pinnacle kiln in the town. It is now a designated Ancient Monument and grade two listed building. This kiln stopped work in 1965 and has not been fired since. Expect to find tools, and a variety of examples of bricks, tiles and plaques inside the museum. Entry is currently free but in today’s climate this could change. Once you have visited the museum you may well recognize the homes of Bridgewater, Burnham and Glastonbury that have been built using bricks fired at this local kiln works. The Museum is only open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays between 10am and 4pm so time your journey accordingly. There are also demonstrations held in the museum which are quite interesting. Owned previously by the former Barham Brothers the museum is now owned and managed in partnership with Somerset Heritage Service, the Somerset Work Preparation Service and the local District Council. If you are in Bridgewater on the three days the museum is open, in your Somerset Motorhome Hire it may be worth a visit. Check the website link below, prior to visiting the museum to ensure you have up to date information on admission details.

Somerset Brick and Tile Museum
East Quay
Somerset
Bridgwater
TA6 4AE

Telephone: 01278 426 088

The organisers describe the show as featuring show gardens, competitive classes, a magnificent floral marquee, craft traders, a wide range of garden-orientated traders as well as a central events arena. If you are traveling in your motorhome or campervan to the flower show it is important to take a look at the parking information on the Taunton Flower Show website. Visit their website for more information on ticket prices and the show itself.

Taunton Flower Show
For general show inquiries contact the show secretary:
Mrs Caroline Seymour
PO Box 796
Taunton
TA4 3WU
Somerset
England

Telephone (mobile): 07794 407 758

If like most women you love shoes, or if you are a long suffering man with a shoe addict in your life; a trip to the Shoe Museum in Street, may or may not be ‘ right up your street’.  This cute little attraction is located in the High Street of the town and is perfect for a quick browse to see shoe styles down the ages, furthermore it is also free. Unbelievably, the collection holds examples from Roman times up to the present day, as well as some machinery which has been used by cobblers down the years. In Georgian times shoes became very decorative for those who could afford them and were festooned with beautiful buckles often encrusted with precious stones. There are some lovely examples of shoe buckles on display as well as fashion plates which show how shoes were worn with the clothing style of the day. These fashion plates were illustrations used from the 1700s to show the latest styles and were popular with the middle and upper class style conscious ladies. The advent of photography spelled the end for the fashion plate, but they still give a valuable glimpse of the fashion and the lifestyle in the eighteenth century. There is a large section on the advent and development of Clarks shoes telling the story of the Clarks family and their influence on the shoe industry. You can see old television adverts from the company itself as well as films on the art of shoe making. When you have had enough of just looking at shoes, you can hop in your Somerset motorhome rental and drive to the Clarks village which is close by where you can actually try on and buy some shoes. There are also many other top brands on sale at this outlet centre so it’s not just the shoe fanatic that will be happy here. Click the link below for more information.

The Shoe Museum
40 High Street
Street
Somerset
BA16 0EQ
United Kingdom

Tel: 01458 842169

Visit this museum for the social history and heritage of this little harbour town.

Watchet Market House Museum
Market Street
Watchet
TA23 0AN
Somerset
England

Telephone: 01984 631345

Wells and Mendip museum run changing exhibitions throughout the year.

Wells and Mendip Museum
8 Cathedral Green
Wells
Somerset
BA5 2UE
Telephone: 01749 673477

Britain’s longest Heritage Railway, run and maintained by volunteers. Travel in your motor home and then try a steam train trip, or take a steam engine course. There is lots to see and do at this interesting venue, including a visit to their shop.

West Somerset Railway.
The Railway Station
Minehead
Somerset, TA24 5BG
Telephone:01643 704996

This site is for members only. Ensure that you have been a member at least twenty four hours prior to booking your pitch. Once booked,  you will be staying on a site close to the Mendip Hills and only a few miles from the Victorian resort of Weston-super-Mare. It’s a great area for walking on the coastline or in the hills. Take your chocks in your motorhome as some pitches on the campsite are sloping and you will need to level up. Weston-Super-Mare has plenty of shops and miles of sandy beaches. There is also a monthly Farmers’ Market. Then there is the award winning Grand Pier which is still open despite a devastating fire in 2008 .The children will also love a trip to the SeaQuarium aquarium. Take a trip out to the Helicopter Museum, which has the world’s largest collection of helicopters. If you want some retail therapy whilst on holiday, try Clarks Factory Village. The Village has many factory outlets for you to grab a bargain and several children’s play areas will keep the younsters happy. Manor Farm in Kewstoke sells local milk and cream. Be aware that there is a height restriction barrier in operation at various times on the campsite. Enjoy the local area in your Somerset Campervan Hire. For more details of the campsite facilities click the blue text below.

Weston-super-Mare Camping and Caravanning Club Site
West End Farm
Locking
Weston-super-Mare
Somerset
BS24 8RH

Telephone: 01934 822548 (No calls after 8pm please.)

Wookey Hole is just two miles from the city of Wells and approximately twenty miles from Bath, Bristol and Weston Super Mare. If you are in the area with your Motorhome hire it is worth including this venue on your list of places to see. Wokey Hole is one of somersets most famous attractions. Its amazing caves with illuminated stalagmites and stalactites are one of natures most spectacular displays. The whole family are likely to enjoy a visit to this natural wonder. Then there is the story of the Wookey Witch and an opportunity to meet her if she is in residence, alternatively, you could see the fabled stone said to now be all that remains of her! There is a great deal of fun to be had here for children too. A Circus show, Giant dinosaurs, mirror maze and penny arcade are just a few of the attractions that now surround the original caves. This is clearly much more than just an awesome natural attraction set into the limestone hill side, it has developed into a multi faceted entertainment park that children will love. If you are traveling south from the midlands in your midland Motorhome hire it will be worth planning a stop at Wookey Hole for the whole family to appreciate this somerset attraction.

Wookey Hole Ltd
Wookey Hole
Wells
Somerset
BA5 1BB

Tel: 01749 672243