Places
to Visit
There
are lots of places to visit locally.
The local dunes and beach are within walking distance
of the house and well worth a visit. The walk takes about
10 minutes from here down the road then follow the bridle
path to the beach. If you just want the fresh air then you
can drive to and park on the beach by turning right from Yew
Tree, then right again at the end of Hurn Lane, drive towards
Brean, before you get to Brean turn left at the sign for beach
parking (be aware that it may not be possible to park at high
tide and always stay at the top of the beach).
Brean Leisure Park, no more than 20 minutes walk from
here. There is fun for everyone with Go Karts, crazy golf,
roller coaster, ten pin bowling etc. The site is open from
March to October with a car boot sale on Sunday and a market
on Monday. The Tavern is part of this complex and provides
regular entertainment.
Brent
Knoll
Well worth the walk up to the top for the fantastic views
and the remains of an ancient fort now looked after by the
National Trust. You can park near the church where there is
a footpath to the top.
Brean
Down
Owned by the National Trust this outcrop of the Mendips sticks
out into the Bristol Channel and provides a wonderful circular
walking taking about an hour and a half. The area has been
in use since ancient times and the Trust have a leaflet explaining
its history and ecology. At the very far end there is the
remains of a Victorian Fort. The fort can be explored it has
lots of information boards explaining its use right up to
World War II. On a clear day the views across to Wales and
down to Exmoor are spectacular.
Further away, there are many other
places well worth a visit.
Wells
About
22 miles away. Wells is the smallest city in England and is
famous for its cathedral and school at the centre of the town
and its community. The area around the cathedral is one of
the largest medieval ecclesiastical precincts.
There
are lots of old buildings to look at as you wander around,
including the tithe barn and 15th century parish church. The
town also has a cheese shop, Somerset cheese is made locally.
Around this old centre is modern Wells, with its shops and
facilities, all at the foot of the Mendip Hills.
Cheddar
About
14 miles from Yew Tree House. Cheddar
is unique. Its distinguishing feature is the natural phenomenon
of Britain's largest Gorge. The Cheddar Yeo in Gough's Cave
is Britain's biggest underground river, and the Gorge Cliffs
are Britain's highest inland limestone cliffs. The Gorge is
a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of the calcareous
grassland, Karst limestone buttresses and Horseshoe Bats.
Peregrine Falcons nest on the cliff face and Soay sheep keep
the scrub in check.
Gough's
Cave is an internationally famous archeological site because
of its Late Upper Paleolithic finds (12-13,000 years old)
and contained Britian's oldest complete skeleton (9,000 years
old). It lies within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
and is a candidate for Special Area for Conservation status.
Popular
tourism began with the opening of Cheddar Valley Railway in
1869/1870, which provided workers from towns with the opportunity
to enjoy a day's outing for the first-time as a Bank Holiday.
The railway was also popularly known as the Strawberry Line,
because it passed close by the many strawberry-growing fields
in the largely south-west facing slopes on the Cheddar side
of the valley. "Strawberry Special" trains ferried
the fruits by rail to all parts of the country, until the
line was axed in 1965.
Glastonbury
Glastonbury
(22 miles away) today is a centre for religious tourism and
pilgrimage. Strains of mysticism and paganism co-exist, not
always easily, with followers of its Christian heritage. As
with many towns of similar size, the centre is not as thriving
as it once was but Glastonbury supports a remarkable number
of pagan or Alternative shops, often featuring magical items
prominently among their wares. The outskirts of the town boast
a DIY shop and the slow redevelopment of a former sheepskin
and slipper factory site, once owned by Morlands. Although
the redevelopment has been slow, clearance of the site has
begun with a dramatic change to its appearance.
The
ruins of the abbey are open to visitors; the abbey had a violent
end during the Dissolution and the buildings were progressively
destroyed as their stones were removed for use in local building
work. The remains of the Abbot's Kitchen (a grade I listed
building) and the Lady Chapel are particularly well-preserved.
Not far away is situated the Somerset Rural Life Museum, which
includes the restored Abbey Barn. Other points of interest
include St. John's Church, the Chalice Well, and the historic
George and Pilgrims Inn, built to accommodate visitors to
the Abbey.
The
walk up the Tor to the distinctive tower at the summit (the
partially restored remains of an old church) is rewarded by
vistas of the Mid-Somerset area including the Levels, drained
marshland. From there, 150m above sea level, it is easy to
appreciate how Glastonbury was once an island and, in the
winter, the surrounding moors are often flooded, giving that
appearance once more.
The
Quantocks
The Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
covers 99 square kilometres running north west from the vale
of Taunton Deane to the Bristol Channel Coast. The Quantock
Hills was England’s first AONB being designated in 1956 (confirmed
in 1957) and consists of large amounts of heathland, oak woodlands,
ancient parklands and agricultural land.
Because
of the special nature of the Quantocks much of it is covered
by a designation of Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
for the geologically interesting coastline to the maritime
heathlands on the northern hills.
The
Mendips
The Mendip
Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is located to the
south of Bristol. The area includes the lakes of the Chew
Valley and the western and central parts of the limestone
ridge known as the Mendip Hills. The limestone landscape includes
an open windswept plateau, wooded combes, steeply cut gorges
and flower rich valleys. The area was designated an Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1972
There are some brochures in your room and many more on the
dresser by the back door please help yourself.
