The Old Rectory is such a beautiful house. Classic and elegant interiors, period features and traditional charm blend to perfection with all the modern facilities you’ll need for your large group holiday in Somerset. With 9 bedrooms sleeping 18 guests, a hot tub, games room, playroom and play area, this is a house for all ages, perfect for family holidays and celebrations. The adjoining studio can be arranged for yoga workshops and business meetings, making this the ideal choice for wellness retreats and corporate away days. The house is a stone’s throw from St Audrie’s Park so is convenient for weddings and events held there.
This is also a good place to stay for walking breaks – right on the doorstep is the rugged beauty of the Quantock Hills National Landscape; lace up your boots and explore the sun dappled coombes, the heather topped heaths, dramatic clifftops and windswept beaches. Pootle about the quiet lanes and find a quaint country pub for a laid back lunch. Pack a picnic and climb to the top of Wills Neck, the highest point in the hills with panoramic views stretching out to Exmoor, Dartmoor and The Mendips. Amble from Ramscombe Great Wood to Cothelstone Hill, venture over to Nether Stowey and walk in the footsteps of the Romantic poets; visit Coleridge Cottage, then go over to Holford where Wordsworth lived at Alfoxton House.
There is so much to see within a very short drive of The Old Rectory; catch the steam train with the West Somerset Railway and chug through the countryside to Watchet for a stroll along the harbour. Alight at Blue Anchor or Minehead to play on the golden sands. Go searching for ammonites on the beach at St. Audries Bay or Kilve, then have a cream tea at the Chantry Tea Gardens. Have an Exmoor adventure, discovering the rugged gorse covered moors where wild ponies feed, walk the lush river valleys and vast woodlands, follow the South West Coast Path along the clifftops with stunning views of the Bristol Channel. Cross the ancient clapper bridge at Tarr Steps, potter around the little harbour at Porlock Weir; see the fairytale castle (NT) that stands high above the streets of Dunster, walk up the cliff to the tiny church of Culbone, said to be the inspiration for Lorna Doone's fatal wedding.
If you have children to keep amused, take them to Tropiquaria Wildlife Park or Doniford Farm Park; those who love history should visit Cleeve Abbey with its 15th century refectory, cloister buildings and gatehouse, and for the garden lovers, Hestercombe House and The Walled Gardens of Cannington are a must.
But there’s every chance you might prefer to stay put, whiling away the days at The Old Rectory, relaxing in the hot tub, playing croquet on the lawn or table tennis in the games room, taking afternoon tea in the drawing room. You’ll be happy together, making memories to shout about, to last a lifetime. Just what it’s all about. Book your stay today!