Whimbrels Barton is perfect for large group holidays where you don’t all necessarily want to be together 100% of the time. This gorgeous group accommodation sleeps 16 over 3 adjoining barns, giving guests their own space to sleep and take a break from the crowd. It’s ideal for families with younger children who need an early bedtime, or even for grandparents who like to turn in a little earlier than the night owls. Gather together in the enormous living/entertaining space for big fat breakfasts, lazy lunches and celebration dinners; play table tennis, love every moment. Unwind in the hot tub or for something different, an outdoor bath; watch the little ones happily bouncing on the trampoline, spend an entire afternoon enjoying a leisurely barbecue.
It’s always good to see a bit of the local area when you’re on holiday, so go and explore. Whimbrels Barton is deep in the unique and beautiful landscape of the Somerset Levels and there’s plenty to see and do round here. Walkers will love it - you can stride out from the doorstep and within minutes you’ll be on some trail or footpath surrounded by unspoilt countryside. Stroll along the River Tone to Burrow Mump, where the panoramic views roll on forever across fields and moors, then wander back down for a glass of local cider at the King Alfred Inn. Just up the road at Stoke St Gregory is Coates English Willow Visitor Centre – go and find out about the basket making trade that the Levels are famous for; watch a demonstration, browse the museum, stop for cake in the tea room.
A few miles further is Taunton, the county town of Somerset, where you can browse the shops, play on the high ropes at Vivary Adventure Centre, go bowling or see the curiosities in the Museum of Somerset. In the other direction is Langport, a quiet town with independent shops, regular markets and riverside walks that take you to the village of Muchelney with its fascinating abbey ruins and The Priest’s House (NT). On the edge of town you can hire bikes from Parret Trail Bikes and set off to explore the Levels at your leisure.
For days out there are family attractions within easy reach, like Haynes Motor Museum and Fleet Air Arm Museum. Take a trip to Glastonbury to climb the famous Tor and see the enchanting Chalice Well. Wells is good too, with its glorious Cathedral and Bishop’s Palace. You could even spend a day by the sea, with beaches on the Jurassic Coast only about an hour away; go mackerel fishing at Lyme Regis, hunt for fossils at Charmouth.
Find time for lunch in a country pub – The Halfway House at Pitney, The Bird In Hand at North Curry and The Firehouse at Curry Rivel are good. But you might just want to stay put at Whimbrels Barton where there’s everything you need to keep you smiling. Being happy, making memories; it’s what it’s all about.