A Summer Adventure: Exploring London and Somerset, England!

Man O' War Beach, Dorset, England

When you think of England, what comes to mind?  Royal palaces, museums, shopping, theatre and of course rain! But if you go in the summer months when it's warmer and less rainfall, you won't be disappointed.

In July, my family travelled to England to spend 10 days between London and the countryside of Somerset. Upon arrival, we picked up our car rental as we wanted to have the flexibility to discover quaint small towns and beautiful cliffs along the sea. Driving on the left side along narrow country roads  is not for the faint of heart. If you can easily drive in downtown Toronto then be confident you can do it there.

We began with 4 nights in the Somerset area and then 6 nights in downtown London (with a few side trips along the way). 

5 Awesome Reasons to Visit England in the Summer

1. Exploring The Outdoors of England's Countryside

Cheddar Gorge, Somerset

Durdle Door, Jurassic Coast near Dorset

West Bay Cliffs on Jurassic Coast

When I began researching areas to visit in England, I knew I wanted to head out of London for a few days. Somerset is only  a one hour drive from the city. We stayed just outside of Bradford-on-Avon. It's a cute town that's not too far for day trips.  They have an amazing Italian restaurant inside an old pub called Ravello.

After we arrived at the airport, we couldn't check into our accommodations until later in the afternoon, so we took a drive up to Oxford to see the infamous university town.  More to come on that.

Our first full day in Somerset we walked over 27,000 steps. We drove out to the town of Cheddar to see the magnificent Cheddar Gorge. We drove along the cliffs of this gorge into the town. The town is pretty touristy (reminded me of Niagara Falls) so we turned around and headed back along the road until we discovered a trail up to the top of the cliffs. The trail is called Black Rock and you can park on the side of the road. Once you climb the steps and walk along the trails you reach the top and the views are spectacular. There are wild goats wondering everywhere. So you had to make sure you watched where you stepped!

If you are on TikTok the next two eye catching areas you may have seen. Have you heard of the Jurassic Coast? It's a natural World Heritage Site that runs miles and miles along the South coast of England. It has beautiful landscapes that vary along the coastline with fossils and rocks. It's truly remarkable.

Man-O-War beach and Durdle Door are found just outside of Dorset. The views from the top are breathtaking. You can walk a trail down to the bottom and it's so worth it. We visited on a Monday and it was busy especially on the Durdle Door side. If we had more time, it would have been nice to pack a lunch and enjoy the beach for a few hours. Nearby there is a cove called Lulworth Cove. We were running out of time so we drove over to the town and walked up to the top to see the cove.

So everyone has heard of Stonehenge! But have you hard of Avebury? Yes, Avebury has a stone circle too in which we have no idea how it actually got there. I decided to skip Stonehenge on the recommendation of a fellow jewellery artisan. There are two circles of stones. One outer and one inner that are spread across a private farm. The cool thing about Avebury is you can actually touch the stones where Stonehenge they are roped off. It's much cheaper and so much less busy. I touched many stones but unfortunately none of them took me back to the late 1700's!

Avebury Stone Circle

2. Visiting English Towns in Somerset and Beyond

Broad Street, Oxford, England

Before heading to Somerset, we took a little detour up to Oxford. The university reminded me of the University of Toronto as the buildings are spread out amongst the town. Most of the buildings are gated so we could only look through fences to see them. One of the main attractions here is Broad Street. It's the main street that runs through Oxford and it was bustling. Apparently it's always busy.  You can also do punting along the river which I don't recommend doing here. Way too busy and crowded. If you are wondering what punting is, keep reading about in Canterbury.

The Roman Baths, Bath, England

Royal Crescent as seen in Bridgerton TV series

We arrived in Bradford-on-Avon and the city of Bath is only a 20 minute drive.  The Roman Baths are the main attraction here. I don't know what I was expecting as I hadn't read up on them.  After you get your ticket (which you can only do online), you walk in and see the main Roman Bath below.  But that's not all.  When they discovered the Baths in the 1800's, they took the artifacts and turned them into a museum which is actually underground. They believe the Bath's were built by the Romans in 70AD. The water is warm but as you can see in the photo you don't put in your hands in as it's filled with algae now.

While in Bath, we discovered three of the buildings that are used in the TV series Bridgerton.  The above photo is the Royal Crescent which is used often in this tv series for various shots.

Canterbury Cathedral

River Punting in Canterbury

Before heading into London, a trip to see Canterbury Cathedral was on the list. I have seen Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral in London and this church in my opinion was way more beautiful.  The archways and stained glass windows were everywhere. It was originally built in the 597AD but was destroyed in fire in 1067. Rebuilding began in 1070AD.

In Canterbury, they also have punting boat rides along the Great Stour river. We stumbled upon Westgate Punts. It was a cloudy day with a bit of rain so we luckily got to take a boat ride in the afternoon. On a sunny day, they told us all the reservations are filled up by 11:30am. I highly recommend taking the nature and city tour as you learn about the history of the buildings along the river.

Before we left, we quickly did a walk around the shopping area. It reminded me of Harry Potter's Diagon Alley. The shops are very old and colourful. I came across a silver jewellery shop called 925 Silver and picked up some celestial hoop earrings.

There are many small villages in the Somerset area. If you have the time I recommend seeing Catherine Hill in Frome.

3. A Must See for Harry Potter Fans 

Are you a Harry Potter fan? If so, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter I highly recommend.  Here you will see movie sets, costumes, green screen demonstrations, and more. This year Harry Potter The Prisoner of Azkaban sets are featured. 

Tickets need to be purchased well in advance as it's a very popular tourist attraction. Once you arrive, you can stay as long as you like. There are activities for children throughout the tour and lots of photo opportunities too.

If you are coming from London, you can drive or take The Underground to Watford. At Watford, a Harry Potter Double Decker bus picks you and takes you to the studios.

Harry Potter Afternoon Tea

Hogwart's Express

Great Hall Harry Potter Studios

4. London Main Attractions

Tower of London

Buckingham Palace

London Eye Ferris Wheel

We spent 3 full days in London and covered as much as we could. It's a vast city with so many historical sites to see. Our first stop was the Tower of London.  We took a beefeater tour and learned the historical background of the Tower of London before we visited inside the White Tower where the armoury is located. One of my favourite attractions is The Crown Jewels.

The rain did come in London on and off. One of the nights we walked down to Buckingham Palace to see it lit up. There was no one around so we were able to take awesome photos of the palace. I highly recommend visiting attractions on nights like this.

If you are looking to see spectacular views of the city including Big Ben, then the London Eye ferris wheel is a must. They have a window between 2pm and 3pm where admission tickets are reduced by 30%. You need to purchase them online well in advance.

Have you heard of Hamley's? Think Paddington Bears everywhere. In London, it's a famous toy store where the flagship is located on Regent Street. It has 5 levels and it's filled with toys and demonstrations.  Other stores that will blow your mind in size are Harrod's, The Lego Store and the M&M's store.
​
​London is filled with museums. Admission is free and it's recommended to book your ticket online as you can be turned away if show up without pre-booking. They do ask for a donation when you enter the buildings. My son wanted to see The British Museum where the main attraction is The Rosetta Stone. If you love Egyptian, Roman and Greek history, then visiting this museum is recommended.

British Double Decker Lego Bus

The British Museum Staircase

5. London Markets and More

Borough Market - Paella

Jubilee Market - Weekend Market

As a maker, I was very interested in visiting arts and craft markets in London. On our way back from the Tower of London, we stumbled upon Borough Market which has been around in some form for 1000 years. If you are looking to sample food, this is the place to go if you handle long lines and crowds. When we walked through the market, it was crazy!
​

Skirt by Nicola Quilter

We stayed near Covent Gardens and explored two markets there. On weekends, they hold a craft market called The Jubilee Market. I stumbled upon a maker called Nicola Quilter who creates clothing and embroiders botanical plants on each piece.
​
During the time we were in England, you could also visit Wimbledon, Silverstone Grand Prix and of course live theatre.

Hobson's Fish & Chips, Soho, London

Tips:
​Bring layers and a good rain coat. For the most part it didn't rain, but when it does you want to be prepared. Perhaps waterproof shoes too!

If you are gluten free and want to have fish and chips, I recommend Hobson's Fish & Chips. They have three locations and we tried two of them. We also found a shop called Doughnut Time that sells both gluten free and vegan donuts. Yummy!
​

Doughnut Time

England seems to be a popular destination this summer!  Are you planning a visit? Or perhaps you have been. Let me know what's your favourite part!

Enjoy the Beauty of Nature!🌷
Cheryl