Three Days in Somerset — Day 2

Day two in Somerset will involve some driving. Starting from the Abbey Hotel, head for Glastonbury, to see the Glastonbury Tor (pictured above courtesy National Trust UK) which is an imposing hill near the town of Glastonbury. At the top are the ruins of St Michael’s Tower, with a history going back to the Iron Age.  The stone Church of St Michael was built in the 14^thcentury to replace a wooden church which had burned. Only the tower remains, prominent on the Tor and can be seen from miles around. The tower and Tor have long been claimed as Avalon, the home of King Arthur, a claim that was made after the alleged discovery of his and Queen Guinevere’s coffins in 1191, as documented by Gerald of Wales. Today, the Tor has become associated with the occult in several forms, including the Glastonbury Zodiac and the modern-day Goddess movement. However, the only known historical and factual associations with the Tor are the two Christian churches built there, of which St Michael’s tower is the lone remnant.

Scissors Arches inside Wells Cathedral ©2019 EnglandForAllReasons.com

From Glastonbury, head for the city of Wells. Wells is the smallest official city in UK, with a population in 2011 of just over 10,000 citizens. However, the presence of the Wells Cathedral makes the appellation of “city” official. A working Anglican parish church, the Cathedral hosts a daily pattern of prayer and worship. For the tourist, there are multiple tours scheduled around the daily worship events. The cathedral was built between the 12^thand 15^thcenturies in Gothic style. The architecture is stunning, with a unique scissor arches in the main part of the building that really have to be seen to be fully appreciated.

In addition to the cathedral’s own shop, if you are in Wells on market day, the market will be in the square immediately outside the Cathedral walls where one of the three wells from which the town gets its name is located. The water runs down a gully right on High Street.

Cheddar Gorge ©2019 EnglandForAllReasons.com

From Wells continue to Cheddar but don’t take the direct route. Instead, from Wells go to Priddy then follow the B3135 into Cheddar. That approach will take you from the top of the Mendip Hills, through the Cheddar Gorge into the town of Cheddar. The scenery along the way is breathtaking as you descend into the steep-walled gorge. Once you get to Cheddar there is a tourist area with the Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company and several places to eat or have tea. This area of UK was the inspiration for a famous Christian hymn. Augustus Toplady, a local pastor, was said to have been walking in the area of the Burrington Combe, a gorge near Borrington, when a terrific thunderstorm arose. Toplady sought shelter in one of the many caves in the gorges, and from that point of safety in the cleft of rock was inspired to write “Rock of Ages, cleft for me.”

Ploughman’s Lunch in Cheddar ©2019 EnglandForAllReasons.com

The Cheddar Gorge has many caves along the roadway, some of which can be visited, if you wish to do so. And do stop for lunch in Cheddar, if you can, and have a Ploughman’s Lunch, with genuine Cheddar cheese!

From Cheddar, return to Bath and enjoy a nice dinner after your very full day!