Mid West Accommodation

Wellington Somerset Bed and Breakfast Wellington Monument

Wellington is becoming something of a food hub for the mid-west Somerset area. Their annual Food Fair and Festival brings together a huge selection of locally produced food and drink and many of the shops in the town sell local meats, vegetables, cheeses, cider and beer all year round.

The town is bordered by the River Tone and the Blackdown Hills providing excellent area for walking and taking in the Somerset countryside.

Wellington Tourist Information

Wellington is a small town seven miles south west of Taunton between the River Tone and the Blackdown Hills. Its name was used for the title of the first Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley.

The town grew on the wool trade which ultimately declined but new industries took over. You can find out more about Wellington's local history from Wellington Museum that looks at the industries that have supported the town and its associated with the Duke of Wellington. Admission is free. Wellington Museum, 28 Fore Street, Wellington, Somerset TA21 8AQ. Tel: 07971 242 904. Email: wellingtonmuseum@tiscali.co.uk

Wellington has a good selection of shops including gift and craft shops, a music shop and an old-fashioned ironmongers. You can buy locally produced food including meats and cheeses and there is an excellent fish shop.

Wellington also has its own brewery, Masters Brewery. This is a family run business started in 2005 that produces high quality beers and ales using recipes that have been developed over many years. An excellent excuse for searching their beers out when you're down in Somerset or you can check the link right for more information.

Wellington Food Town Fair and Festival - Wellington Farmers Market

Wellington is becoming something of a food capital in the area. There are lots of farms and producers of quality food and drink in and around Wellington. Wellington has started hosting an annual Food Fair and Festival to bring together these producers and widen the appeal for locally produced, quality food and drink including honey, organic meat and vegetables, cheeses, cakes, jams, chutneys, locally brewed beer and, of course, cider.

This is intended to be an annual event so check the link right for the latest dates for this year's Festival. This is an initiative that can only gain in popularity as more people become aware of the benefits of supporting local businesses and eating the seasonal food available on their doorstep.

If you don't catch that check out the Farmers Market that is held every third Saturday of the month.

Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - Wildlife Reserves

South of Taunton are the Blackdown Hills - the backdrop to the Taunton Racecourse. This is a range of heather and woodland clad hills that stretch across the border into Devon.

One of the most noticeable monuments in the Somerset part of the Blackdown Hills is the Wellington Monument that pokes out above the tree line above Wellington. It was built to commemorate the Duke of Wellington's victory at Waterloo in 1815. There are some pleasant walks through the woodlands up on to the common to the monument. A variety of leaflets for walks within the Blackdown Hills are available from Tourist Information Centres.

Check the Blackdown Hills weblink right for more information on attractions and activities in the Blackdown Hills. Walking, cycling, horse riding, fishing, golf and adventure sports are all popular.

Somerset Wildlife Trust manage several wildlife reserves near Wellington including Wellington Castle Fields, Ruggin and Quants that contain grasslands, scrub and woodland habitats. Check the weblink right for their location and more information.

Wellington Somerset Carnivals

Wellington is on the circuit for the Somerset Carnivals. These are usually held between September and November. It's well worth timing your visit to coincide with one of the carnivals that are held at a whole host of towns throughout the county. The Somerset Carnival tradition dates back to the 1600s when many places in Somerset commemorated the Gunpowder Plot. Street entertainment, fireworks and special events throughout the town add to the fun and carnival atmosphere.

Processions gradually make their way round a predetermined route from around 7pm at night. The floats are illuminated with coloured lighting which makes a welcome splash of colour in the dark autumn nights. A huge amount of effort is put into creating carnival entries. Some are created by Carnival Clubs; some by keen individuals or groups, all work throughout the year raising the money themselves to create spectacular themed floats which are judged prior to the procession begins. Prizes are hotly contested and ensure the standards are raised year-on-year. It is a fantastic, lively event with brilliantly decorated floats and costumes and lots of music and dance to get your feet tapping.

It's a fun night out for all the family and you can help raise funds for charities or the clubs for the next year's entry. Thousands attend carnivals, so watch out as parking can get very limited on carnival nights and town centres can often be cut off to traffic during the carnival.

Check the weblinks right for this year's carnivals and past carnival photographs.

Click Search

Tourist Information

Internet Links

Home Top