WHO knew that you could trek over a volcano or get married in a Lock Up that inspired the policeman's helmet in Somerset?
In February, Visit Somerset and Exmoor Tourism launched a campaign to find out the top 50 secrets of Somerset and Exmoor and unveiled the results this week.
The list focuses on those hidden gems of places that only local residents and regular visitors have discovered, or where a well-known attraction is included, a particular secret or story you are unlikely to know.
John Turner, CEO of Visit Somerset said: “We hope the secrets will not only attract new visitors to Somerset and Exmoor but also encourage people who travel to the area regularly to visit new parts of the county.”
The list is split into four categories: Active, Cultural, Heritage and Nature.
The diversity of what there is to do in Somerset and Exmoor is enormous. Discover the world's greatest collection of vintage plastics, kayak around the highest cliffs in England or discover the stories of King Arthur and King Alfred the Great.
Below is the full list:
Active secrets
1. Ancient Royal Hunting Forest, Hoaroak Water in Exmoor
2. Waterfall on new stretch of England Coast Path, St. Audries Bay
3. Great Wood Volcano Walk, Quantock Hills
4. Stunning 360 degree view of the county from Burrow Mump
5. Coasteering on the highest coastline in England from Minehead
6. Somerset Space Walk along Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, Maunsel Lock
7. Best undiscovered Mountain Biking: Exford, Crowcombe and others
8. Climbing and caving in UK's largest underground caving system, Cheddar
9. Children’s QR code poetry with views at Conygar Tower, Dunster
10. Hidden beaches and coves: Lee Bay, Exmoor
11. Victorian and WW2 Fort with sweeping views, Brean Down
12. Fake Bristol, WW2 bombing decoy town Black Down, Mendip Hills
13. King Arthur’s Camelot at Cadbury Castle
Culture Secrets
14. World’s greatest collection of vintage plastics at Bakelite Museum, Williton
15. Cathedral woven from willow in Longrun Meadow, Taunton
16. World class gallery Hauser & Wirth Gallery, Bruton
17. Traditionally Smoked eel at Brown and Forrest, Langport
18. Top class locally farmed Oysters at Porlock Weir
19. The home of Romantic poetry , Coleridge Cottage in Nether Stowey
20. Magical St. Agnes Well, Cothelstone
21. Super sandcastles at The Weston-super-Mare Sand Festival
22. Brand new Samphire Music Festival, Porlock
23. Secret Gardens in Kilver Court, Shepton Mallet
24. Quirky exhibitions in shipping containers Contains Art, Watchet
25. The Roxy, one of the smallest cinemas in England, Axbridge
Heritage Secrets
26. Ancient Sweet Track, world’s oldest engineered road at Avalon Marshes
27. Unique carved pews at St. Leonard's Church, Rodney Stoke
28. Westonzoyland , site of the last major battle on English soil
29. Glastonbury Lake Village, one of many lost villages in Somerset
30. Nunney, one of the UK’s finest moated castles
31. The Mineral Line, a feat of engineering, Washford
32. Castle Cary lock up (the inspiration for the Police Helmet!)
33. Rare windmill at Ashton, near Axbridge
34. Finest Georgian street outside Bath and Arts Centre, Bridgwater
35. Underground Victorian reservoir to explore at Dunster Castle
36. Award-winning Wolf Hall film location , Barrington Court
37. The second oldest clock in the world at Wells Cathedral
38. Story of King Alfred’s burnt cakes: Athelney and Taunton
Nature Secrets
39. Historic packhorse bridges, great for Pooh sticks: Malmsmead and others
40. Home of the ‘Frankenstein’ scientist, Fyne Court
41. Wimbleball Lake in Europe's first International dark sky reserve
42. World Bolving Championships near Dulverton
43. Burnham-on-Sea lighthouse, one of the world’s most iconic
44. Digital interactive Family Story Walks, Horner Woods and others
45. Somerset's own Jurassic Coast, Kilve to Blue Anchor
46. Secret?ive? booming bitterns at Ham Wall
47. One of the largest?'s? new wetlands in UK at Steart
48. Tallest trees in England at Nutcombe Bottom, Dunster
49. Lakeside nature and wildflower trail at Otterhead Lakes , near Taunton
50. Wildlife and history: one of the largest hill forts,? Ham Hill
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