This year has been one of the most surreal years. The things we took for granted were denied us even access to our countryside was severely restricted.
But the human race is resilient; we have seen remarkable examples of resourcefulness. Now, gradually, by implementing new systems that demonstrate that resourcefulness, there is a glimmer of normality coming back into our lives.
Going for a walk and enjoying refreshments in a lovely outdoor setting is one of those treats that were denied us, but Somerset’s tea gardens are gradually reopening and, as they do, they richly deserve our support. The reopening of each will vary and is dependent on many factors. Please check with them before you plan your visit, but let’s get out there and enjoy what Somerset has on offer, raising a tea cup to those who provide us with the treats we no longer take for granted.
BOSSINGTON, ALLERFORD AND SELWORTHY
Can it get any better than three tea gardens all rolled into one walk on Exmoor?
This area of the moor is part of the National Trust’s 12,500 acre Holnicote Estate, donated by Sir Richard Acland in 1944. The estate encompasses villages, woodlands, coombes, expansive moorland and coastline.
Kitnors, in lovely Bossington village, has been serving tea to travellers for more than 50 years. One summer I had a memorable tea in their garden, sitting beneath a massive parasol which ably kept off the pouring rain; the staff drew lots to decide who should go and serve the four eccentrics who insisted on staying outside.
Denne historien er fra September 2020-utgaven av Somerset Life.
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Denne historien er fra September 2020-utgaven av Somerset Life.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Up on the Down
Try this easy-to-follow Exmoor walk with SIMONE STANBROOK-BYRNE
Shop until you drop
It’s Somerset’s county town, it’s the place to go for the big shops, but Taunton is also home to a thriving independent scene, discovers CATHERINE COURTENAY
Creatures of the night
Have you ever had something swoop past your ear, almost unseen? You may have had a brief encounter with a bat, says BERNARD BALE
Bowled over
Now that we can return to skittle and bowling alleys - albeit with new rules BERNARD BALE reveals that the sport of bowling has many Somerset links
Trackway through time
In the Somerset Levels SIMONE STANBROOK-BYRNE discovers a place where our Neolithic heritage rubs shoulders with the present day
SAVING THE SPLENDOUR OF EXMOOR
The splendour of Exmoor National Park may appear timeless and untroubled, but a new book reveals the long and often bitter struggle conservationists faced to save the landscape from the twin threats of afforestation and the plough
Decorative art
Not simply functional, treat your walls like an extension of your personality
Charity starts at home
How do we teach our children the importance of giving back?
Blooming brilliant
Will and Lauren Holley purchased a four-acre field in Somerset, converted it into a nursery, opened during lockdown and now their perennial plants are flying off the shelves. JULIE HARDING meets the go-getting couple
Age-old advice
Just become a grandparent for the first time? Perhaps you need a little guidance, so here are some top tips about how to embrace your new family role
