To Do In/Around Somerset

I liked Wells a lot, though it is relatively small. I'm not a fan of Bath aesthetically, but it has the Roman Baths and a number of good museums, so it arguably has the sights you might expect in a larger place. I think those are both good choices. There's stuff to see in Bristol, and it's quite close, though I don't know anything about the traffic/parking situation.

It's too bad you aren't closer to Oxford, but Salisbury is within your range.

Thanks for the reply.
We will be in Oxford for two nights prior to Cheddar.
I was debating Salisbury, I have been before as well, and it is within range, but I wasn't sure if we were going to go there during this trip. We definitely could, but I wanted to first see if there was anything else recommended.

I love Wells and have been a couple of times. DO take one of the docent tours of the Wells Cathedral. IF you have time go in to the BIshop's Palace too. It's small but interesting and the gardens are pretty neat. You can get up onto some of the wall there if that's doable for your Mom.

Many enjoy Glastonbury. I'm glad I went but I was not totally taken with the ruin and the whole King Arthur and Joseph of Arimathea legends. I'd probably visit the abbey ruins then walk thru town a little. There are way too many New Age shops for my taste. In the Abbey Visitor Center there is a nice but small museum. I enjoyed the medieval kitchen and herb garden.

I'm not sure how much driving you want to do but Cerne Abbas is not too far away where you can see the hill figure of the Cerne Abbas Giant. The village of Cerne Abbas is cute as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerne_Abbas_Giant

I love Bath but I really love the Georgian/Regency era in addition to the Roman era sights. I've visited a number of times and stayed up to 5 nights, lol!

I'd vote for Salisbury if your Mom hasn't been there. That cathedral is just amazing to me and one of my favorites. They have some interesting art installations in the nave at times. Last May there was an installation of origami doves floating down the center aisle that was very powerful imagery in view of the horrible poisonings/killings of this spring.

June is a great time for gardens but the ones I've been to have been further out in Cornwall so too far to go to. I'm sure someone will come up with a stately home with a lovely garden in the area!

editing to add: Here's a link to the National Trust properties. Click on the 16 and that will put you in your local area.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/search?view=map

For me Glastonbury was a bucket list item because when I was a kid I read a book (children's fiction, obviously) about a boy who was a novice in the abbey at the time when the earthquake came and the walls fell down. I was always fascinated by that story and by the still-standing tower, which sailors in the Severn Estuary used for navigation. When I went there it was about 30 years ago and the town had not gotten as much taken over by crystals and incense as it is now -- not to mention the massive Glastonbury Festival. Because of these changes I'm not sure I would go out of my way to visit Glastonbury again.

However, I greatly enjoyed the Somerset Rural Life Museum. If you or your mother are interested in English farming traditions, it's wonderful. (Do you know what a mud horse is? What about scrumpy?) https://swheritage.org.uk/somerset-rural-life-museum/

Well, I just hope you are not there in the last week of June as that is when the Glastonbury Festival takes places and the roads will be jammed - especially when they all arrive/leave.https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/information/tickets/

Now look at this map:>https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.2202479,-3.2562229,10.81z/data=!5m1!1e1
You will see Cheddar towards the NE. Unfortunately, the nearest part of the coast is not very attractive. The sea water is muddy due to it being an estuary and the nearest seaside town of Weston is not worth bothering with in my opinion.

Note that the most scenic areas are marked green on the map. Look to the west and you will see such an area = Exmoor National Park - which is well worth seeing. My advice would be to drive to Bridgewater and take the A39 going west. Be sure to make your first stop DUNSTER before heading into Minehead for a quick look. Then continue W on A39 and soon you will see a country lane on R leading to SELWORTHY - take it the short distance to the church and then have a wander around amongst the thatched cottages.
https://www.britainexpress.com/counties/somerset/az/Selworthy.htm

After Selworthy - back to the A39 and continue W via Porlock. Now things get really interesting as you climb a massive hill high up above the Bristol Channel with distant views of Wales. You will eventually reach LYNMOUTH which is very attractive.

You can either return via the same route or take back roads over Exmoor. http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/enjoying
http://www.discoverdunster.info

Also consider Stourhead - which is SE of your location. (Don't be put off by the opening image - it really looks good in June):> https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stourhead
Not far from Stourhead is:>https://www.longleat.co.uk/longleat-house

As a child, each summer i’d go and stay with my nan and grandad in Minehead. That’s worth a day trip. There is a nice harbour and beach, and a local park with some nice gardens as I remember. It also has a working steam railway for a taste of a bygone age.

If you like art and gardens then a visit to Hauser and Wirth is something you might enjoy. Hauser and Wirth is a worldwide network of art galleries that are always in unique structures with rotating exhibitions. Sometimes they are well known artists and sometimes a little more obscure...I just went to an amazing exhibition of Alexander Calder at the Los Angeles location. Their location in Somerset is beautiful and has the added bonus of a working farm and gardens that they use for their onsite restaurant.

Glastonbury has gone a bit too new age for my taste. Wells is worth a visit and you could see Shepton Mallet in the same day and possibly ride on the steam train.

Sherborne is a lovely market town with 2 castles - the old one is a ruin and New Castle was built in about 1600! There is also an Abbey and plenty of tea shops. It’s about an hour from Cheddar. If you are there on a pumping day, Sherborne Steam and Waterwheel Centre is worth visiting, manned by volunteers. En route, you could stop at Castle Cary, another characterful market town.

The coast in that part of the UK isn’t very interesting.

I think you are very wise in concentrating on a single county rather than attempting to rush around the UK ticking off 'must see' sights. The suggestions made in other posts are excellent. I would add:
1. See Wells Cathedral and the amazing cross-buttress in the nave. This looks modern, but is a Mediaeval solution to prevent the building collapsing. Next to the Cathedral is Vicars Close, which has been continuously inhabited for 650 years and may be the oldest such street anywhere. See https://www.wellscathedral.org.uk/.
2. The most attractive part of Bath for me is the older part of the town near the Abbey. This has narrow streets and interesting shops. You should take the waters in the Pump Room and also visit the costume museum. Another treat in Bath is the rooftop thermal bath. See: https://www.thermaebathspa.com/.
3. The West Somerset Railway is the longest heritage railway in the UK and runs steam trains from Taunton to Minehead. See: https://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/. Several of the stops on the line, such as Dunster and Watchet, are worth visiting in themselves. Minehead is a traditional seaside resort. Taunton is the County town of Somerset and is also worth vistiing.

Hestercombe Gardens might be worth a look. Very nice little café there too. About 45 minutes south of Cheddar not too far from Taunton.

enter link description here

Wow, thank you all so very much for all of that input, I definitely can better figure out now what we will want to do. I had a feeling the coastal area wouldn't be up to expectations, but during my last trip to the UK I was based for a week in Mousehole, so I was rather spoiled there. I do very much enjoy staying in one place and getting to know the area better, rather than spending so much time traveling between places to see more.

I would second a trip to Dunster and Lymington although I'd probably skip Minehead. Longleat House is a stunning Elizabethan stately home with gardens designed by Capability Brown. I'm pretty sure you can get a ticket for just the house and gardens and not bother with the Safari Park etc. Glastonbury is very new age, not my thing.

Hi again-
Circling back for more feedback....
So here is where I have landed...
We will be in oxford for two days prior to heading to Cheddar. Going to Blenheim Palace as well.

First full day (in cheddar): stay nearby, go to wells in late morning/afternoon and then back to Cheddar.
Day 2: Bath - all day. Have a good idea of what I want to do there. Will have a car. Based on research, best to do Park and ride from Odds Down?
On that- does anyone know if you can buy a single ticket with cash, on the bus? I don’t know if I am misreading (probably am). But I’m confused on whether or not I can just walk up with cash to buy a round trip ticket?
https://travelwest.info/park-ride/bath/odd-down
Day 3 or 4: Dunster... with a little exmoor park road trip built in based on a previous suggestion. We are debating skipping the train- mainly so we can have more freedom - but haven’t decided completely yet.
Day 3 or 4: stay near and play by ear....or go to Stourhead and Longleat?!?! We are having a tough time deciding this. I hate for things to feel rushed with so much on the itenerary, but at same time, want to do and see what we can.
Departing day : depart cheddar- go to Salisbury, drop off car, sightsee there for a few hours before catching the train to London for next part of trip.

Any input on anything would be much appreciated. Thank you so much!

Odd down P&R. Yes buy ticket on the bus. Try to make sure you have the correct money or as near as possible. The driver won’t thank you if you hand over a large denomination note and may refuse you boarding the bus.

Glad you are skipping Glastonbury which is recommended by RS. We were totally underwhelmed and sorry to waste time there. Loved Wells, Salisbury, and Stourhead and Cheddar Gorge is worth a look. The natural beauty of CG is overshadowed by commercial stuff. A local told us it falls into the British tacky category and that is a good description.

What is it with all the irreverent posters? Reported as Spam.

Visit the world's famous, Mr. Roger Wilkins aka. Mr. Scrumpy himself. It is a cider farm near Wells and is renown for his classic cider. It is called Lands End Farm.

Oh yes, I’ve heard of that. I’ll add that. Thank you.