The county town of Somerset, Taunton is the perfect cottage holiday destination. The town has excellent buildings with charming stone and Tudor architecture, and there is also fascinating history in the town stretching back over 1000 years including a 10th century monastery. Taunton boasts a choice of museums and parks, one of which has held the Taunton Flower Show for over 150 years.
For outdoor enthusiasts, the Quantock and Blackdown Hills Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are easily accessible, as well as the Dartmoor and Exmoor National Parks slightly further afield, plus Swell Wood, Ham Wall and Greylake nature reserves. If a day by the sea is what you’re after, the coast is around 20.4 miles away and home to Blue Anchor Bay and St Audries Bay near Watchet; Burnham-on-Sea beach; Kilve beach near Minehead and, of course, the popular seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare, 32.7 miles away but well worth the journey with its great range of activities.