I thought I had found the perfect spot for an evening and night in Clovelly until I read that Rick Steves said it was "cloying sweet and with one street selling worthless knickknacks" or something like that. How about Dunster? Or another suggestion?
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Wells, Somerset
Lovely little town with a stonking cathedral. Photo: http://www.wellscathedral.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/West-front-2.jpg
Posted by
2599 posts
Clovelly is a privately owned village so you must pay to enter. Cars are parked outside the village and you walk down this steep street lined with cottages to the harbour. I disagree with RS and think it is well worth a visit.
The A39 route is very scenic but can be slow going due to bends and steep hills on the Exmoor section. Although Wells is OK and has a medieval cathedral, it is simply not worth going out of your way to visit/stop-over due to poor road links with the M5 motorway (interstate in 'American’). I would consider staying in Lynmouth, Minehead or Dunster. Be sure to check the parking situation for any place that you intend to stay. When on the A39, be sure to visit Selworthy - which is just off this route between Porlock & Minehead. Google the places mentioned for more info. They are on this map:> https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.1644666,-3.7128752,23848m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m1!1e1
Posted by
not here anymore
631 posts
Dunster is fine, or try neighbouring Blue Anchor which has slightly better views due to being on a cliff - on a clear haze free day you can see back across to SW Wales!! On a fine evening (or any time really) there is a simple walk partly along the beach and across fields between Blue Anchor and Dunster. But take a flashlight if intending to come back late, fields and beaches don't have streetlights!
If you can arrive by early afternoon Dunster Castle is interesting https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/place-pages/115/pages/opening-times-calendar
Posted by
3124 posts
I'll second the recommendation for Wells, though you could also stay in Bath.
Glastonbury has kind of gone into the "worthless knickknacks" category with crystals & hippie culture mixed in, which is too bad since the walk up to Glastonbury Tor and the Somerset Rural Life Museum are really nice. South of Glastonbury is Street, which has a Shoe Museum.
In the other direction, heading out towards Cornwall, there's always Exeter.
https://www.visitexeter.com/