Page 54 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Great Britain

52 BACK ROADS GREAT BRITAIN

VISITING TAUNTON
1 Taunton
Parking Somerset; TA1 3XZ
Park in the car park near the bus station. This county town, in
Tourist Information the heart of apple and
Fore Street, TA1 1JD; 01823 340 470; cider country is centred
www.visitsomerset.co.uk around its triangular
VISITING EXMOOR former market place,
Fore Street. The cattle
Exmoor National Park Centre market moved to the
For more information about Exmoor outskirts in 1929, but
National Park including walks, events the 200-year-old red
and activities: open Mar–Oct.
Dunster Steep, Minehead, TA24 brick Market House
6SE; 01643 821 835; www.exmoor- still dominates. Parts
nationalpark.gov.uk of 12th-century
Taunton Castle survive,
now home to the Above One of the gatehouses of the impressive
WHERE TO STAY
Museum of Somerset (open Tue–Sat). Dunster Castle, Dunster
Nearby in Hammet Street, the richly
TAUNTON sculptured tower of St Mary track offering trips in veteran carriages
The Castle expensive Magdelene Church, founded 1308, often hauled by steam locomotives.
This wisteria-covered family-run hotel
in the town centre provides historic soars up 50 m (163 ft) and is a ª Turn left out of car park onto B3188,
accommodation. It also has a brasserie landmark visible for miles. then left onto A39 towards Minehead,
and a restaurant. ª Turn left out of the car park along turning left into Dunster. Car parks just
Castle Green, TA1 1NF; 01823 272 671; Corporation Street, left at roundabout off the A39 and in the castle grounds.
www.the-castle-hotel.com
on to North Street (A3207) and left on
DUNSTER to A358 out of town; take B3224 left 3 Dunster
Luttrell Arms expensive just after Bishop’s Lydeard, then B3188 Somerset; TA24 6SL
Small 15th-century hotel facing the Yarn right to Washford. Park at Cleeve Abbey The quaint 400-year-old open-sided
Market. Used in medieval times as a car park, on left as you enter village. octagonal Yarn Market is a reminder
guesthouse by the Abbots of Cleeve, it
has several rooms with four-poster beds. of the village’s once-thriving wool
32–6 High Street, TA24 6SG; 01643 2 Washford industry. The nearby Doll Collection
821 555; www.luttrellarms.co.uk Somerset; TA23 0PS (open daily Apr–Sep), displays ancient
Cleeve Abbey (open daily Apr–Oct), and modern dolls. Turreted Norman-
LYNMOUTH founded by Cistercian monks in 1188, style Dunster Castle (open daily Mar–
Rock House Hotel moderate is the most complete set of monastic Oct), was home of the Luttrell family
Family-run small hotel in 18th-century
building at the harbour entrance. It cloister buildings in England, including for 600 years until 1976. Perched on a
has a cosy restaurant with sea views. a gatehouse, small chapel, dormitory hilltop and surrounded by terraced
Manor Green, EX35 6EN; 01598 753 and large 15th-century refectory with gardens, it was extensively remodelled
508; www.rock-house.co.uk an arched wooden ceiling known as a in Victorian times. Dunster is a good
waggon roof. Washford is also on the base for visiting Exmoor.
Below left The 15th-century Luttrell Arms West Somerset Railway (daily mid- ª Continue on A39 past Minehead
Hotel, Dunster Below right One of the Mar–Oct; www.west-somerset-railway. until Selworthy is signposted off to the
pristine, tidily thatched cottages of Selworthy co.uk), a 32-km (20-mile) stretch of right. Park opposite the church.

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