Ashwick

Ashwick is a small, quiet village on the eastern edge of the Mendip Hills, and while it has little accommodation of its own, it makes a good jumping-off point for exploring this corner of Somerset if you base yourself nearby in Shepton Mallet, Wells or one of the surrounding villages. The area suits travellers who want genuine rural countryside rather than a tourist hotspot: rolling hills, old quarries, ancient churches and quiet lanes rather than crowds. Country inns, farmhouse B&Bs and self-catering cottages are dotted through the wider parish and neighbouring villages such as Oakhill and Gurney Slade, often set in converted farm buildings or older stone houses that reflect the area's long agricultural history.

Staying near Ashwick works well as part of a wider Mendip Hills or east Somerset trip, with Shepton Mallet's shops and cafes a short drive away, and Wells's cathedral city offering a wider choice of hotels and restaurants for those who want more facilities on hand. Bath is also within easy reach for a day trip, roughly 15 miles to the north-east. Because the village itself is so small, most stays here are about peace and quiet rather than nightlife or entertainment, with the Mendip Hills AONB right on the doorstep for walking and cycling. Booking ahead is sensible for the more characterful country inns and smaller B&Bs in the surrounding villages, as options directly in Ashwick and its immediate neighbours are limited compared with the larger towns nearby.

Ashwick itself is small, but it sits within easy reach of some of Somerset's best-known countryside and heritage attractions.

• Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty — the hills rise immediately around Ashwick, offering walking and cycling routes across limestone grassland and ancient woodland.
• St James' Church, Ashwick — a Victorian Gothic church built between 1876 and 1881, incorporating a much older 15th-century tower.
• Oakhill Brewery site — the neighbouring village of Oakhill was home to a major Victorian brewery, founded in 1767, that once ran its own light railway connecting to the Somerset and Dorset line.
• Shepton Mallet — a historic market town just a few miles south, with a long brewing and railway heritage of its own, plus shops, cafes and the Bath and West Showground nearby.
• Wells — England's smallest city, around seven miles west, home to Wells Cathedral and the moated Bishop's Palace.

For food and drink, most visitors head into Oakhill or Shepton Mallet, where village pubs and local cafes serve the wider parish. Shepton Mallet itself has a good range of independent cafes, pubs and restaurants, reflecting its status as the area's main market town, while Wells offers a wider choice again for a day out with a meal included.

Ashwick sits within the Mendip Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty of limestone grassland, ancient woodland and old quarry workings, which makes for attractive but sometimes rugged walking and camping country. It is worth being clear from the outset that wild camping without the landowner's permission is illegal in England, including here in Somerset, so any camping trip to the Ashwick area should be based at a proper campsite or with a landowner's explicit agreement, rather than pitching up informally on the hills or in woodland.

That said, the wider Mendip Hills and east Somerset area has a good spread of campsites and glamping options within a short drive of Ashwick, from simple farm-based camping fields to more developed sites with facilities near Shepton Mallet and the surrounding villages. The terrain around Ashwick itself is hilly and wooded in places, with old quarry land near Gurney Slade and gently rolling countryside towards Oakhill, so it suits those who enjoy walking as much as pitching a tent. Surface water can be limited on the higher ground, so it is worth carrying your own water if you are exploring further into the hills on foot.

Spring through early autumn is the most comfortable season for camping here, when the ground is drier and the days long enough for decent stretches of walking around the Mendips. Summer weekends can see nearby sites busier, particularly around events at Shepton Mallet and the Bath and West Showground, so booking ahead is worthwhile in peak months. Winter camping is possible but the exposed limestone hills can be cold, wet and muddy, better suited to experienced campers with the right kit. For those who prefer a bit more comfort, glamping options such as bell tents, shepherd's huts and pods have become more common across the Mendip Hills and east Somerset in recent years, offering a good compromise between being out in the countryside and having a proper bed and heating close at hand after a day on the hills.