BRITAIN’S GOT GREAT FOOD!

Final Prize Options

Option 2 – Wales & South West

Enjoy a 2-night stay at the Devonshire Arms, www.thedevonshirearms.com a Grade II listed former hunting lodge, set on an idyllic village green in Langford, Somerset.

Step inside and you'll find an unexpectedly contemporary style, with an emphasis on quality. Their friendly staff are always on hand to ensure your visit is an enjoyable one.  You can choose to drink and dine al fresco in their courtyard, large walled garden or overlooking the green at the front, or choose the restaurant if the weather is cool.

There are nine bedrooms, all individually designed in a fresh modern style, each with its own en-suite facilities, wide-screen TV and all the finishing touches you would expect.

Saturday morning travel to The Somerset Distillery (www.ciderbrandy.co.uk) at Burrow Hill for a tour and tasting opportunity!  Famous for its cider brandy, this promises to be a private tour you’ll remember! The starting point of their cider and cider brandy is apples grown in their own orchards. You can follow their orchard trail where different apple varieties and other interesting features are explained. The walk itself takes about 30 minutes and you may need wellies.

Now lunch is required!  Drive the short distance to Brown & Forrest (wwwsmokedeel.co.uk) for a private tour of this small family-run smokery, which produces the finest quality smoked salmon and eels, as well as 40 other smoked items!  All are for sale in their shop, but take time to sample it there in their award-wining restaurant.  

After lunch you can visit the nearby Muchelney Abbey and Pottery, or perhaps the grander-scale of Wells Cathedral will be more to your taste.  Otherwise take in the latest exhibition or diverse arts and crafts at the Courthouse Gallery (http://www.somersetguild.co.uk/courthouse.cfm) in Somerton, followed by a stroll around the attractive town and perhaps an afternoon cream tea?  If you fancy something more energetic, then cycles can be hired close to the Hotel and you can ride the banks of the rivers in the area and perhaps take a break at East Lambrook Manor Gardens Tearooms!

The Fleet Air Arm Museum isn’t far away either. Here you can discover the history of the British Navy’s air force.

Whatever you decide to do during the day, you return to the Devonshire Arms for the evening to enjoy dinner in their restaurant (or al fresco if the weather holds!)

Sunday: after a great breakfast, showcasing local produce it’s time to leave, but don’t race out of Somerset.  Make time for stopping at Cheddar Gorge to visit the Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company (www.cheddargorgecheeseco.co.uk) where the only Cheddar, made in Cheddar is produced. You can watch the cheese-making process at various stages as they transform their rich, local milk into award winning authentic Cheddar Cheese.

The viewing gallery allows you to watch the cheese-makers practice their skills and from Easter until the end of October a guide is on hand to help and answer questions.

After seeing the cheese being made you can treat yourself to a free taste at the taster bar and then visit the shop where their prize-winning Cheddars plus local pickles, biscuits, hand crafted cheese dishes, cheese knives etc are on sale.