The first of an ad hoc, semi-regular roam around the villages of Somerset…
We’ll begin out journey in the village of Ashcott.
Situated on the side of the busy A39, three miles (5km) to the west of Street, Ashcott is a small village made up of a mix of old and modern buildings.
While the village seems to lack a real central focus, All Saints Church dominates the eastern heights.
The local amenities include a couple of pubs – the Ring O’ Bells and the Ashcott – and, while no longer served by the railway (Ashcott and Meare station and, indeed, the whole of the Burhnam branch line, were axed as part of the Beeching cuts in the 1960s), it is still a pleasant walk down to the Shapwick Heath and Ham Wall nature reserves, where the trains once passed.
CKPonderingsToo 
Good to see another photographer of Somerset! 🙂
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The county has been my home since February, and my intention is to get out there and start exploring it properly! 🙂
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As a start, I recommend the area of Levels between the Mendip and Polden Hills, inland from Burnham to Wells. LOL! there isn’t very much there!!! but its simple and wonderful. Good luck. Keep in touch! Adrian
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Well, I live in Glastonbury, so that should be very easy to do! 😉 Richard
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Great place to live, LOL! nutty but great! I’m in Bristol, but grew up in Weston. 🙂
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Haha! Glastonbury is a lovely place to live. I’ve been coming down here for the last 20 years and finally moved in February (it was cheaper to buy a place than pay B&B rates!!). I love the peace and tranquillity of the place. The easiest way I have found to describe Glastonbury to people – apart from the stock “no, I’m not moving there for the festival” – is to compare it to Brighton. Brighton is a very Bohemian and welcoming city, but it does it all for show. Glastonbury just IS. 🙂
Sadly, my default for Bristol in recent years is that every time I visit there, it chucks it down with rain! As for Weston, I’ve only been there once, and what I remember is the never-ending beach front and the Ground Force Garden for Jill Dando (showing my age!).
Take care, Richard
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I’ve never been to Brighton but have seen it on TV, and I think that’s a very insightful comparison with Glasto. And I think it parallels what I feel about the Levels (esp Tealham and Tadham) – no bullshit, no hype, just simple, rough (sometimes untidy) countryside, they just ARE. Adrian
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That’s good to know. I haven’t got a T on my A-Z yet, so I will look those two out! 🙂
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Also Sweets Tea Rooms – google – and others (tho not sure if open); Westhay village; Godney (nice bridge; but mostly not locals); also AA Walkers Map 25, Bristol, Bath & Mendips , 2.5 inches top the mile, v useful. 🙂
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(And watch out, because village B is coming very soon!)
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Lovely
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Thanks, Stevie! (Although I have to be honest, it’s the least inspiring of the villages I have visited thus far…)
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