Bishop Sutton

Bishop Sutton is not a village of big hotels, and that is part of its appeal. Sitting on the A368 between Weston-super-Mare and Bath, on the northern slopes of the Mendip Hills and just east of Chew Valley Lake, it is better thought of as a quiet base for exploring the surrounding countryside than a destination with a wide hotel scene of its own. Within the village, expect small bed and breakfasts and self-catering options rather than large chains, some attached to local farms or cottages, well suited to couples or small groups wanting a peaceful stopover close to the lake and the hills.

For a fuller choice of hotels, the nearby cities make the most sense. Bristol, around ten miles and 25-30 minutes north, has a large range of hotels from budget chains to boutique options in the harbourside and city centre, plus easy access to Bristol Airport. Bath, about 12 miles east and roughly 40 minutes by car, offers everything from Georgian townhouse hotels to well-known international brands, alongside its Roman Baths and World Heritage architecture, making it an easy add-on for a longer stay. Staying in either city and driving out to Bishop Sutton and Chew Valley Lake for the day is a practical way to combine city comforts with quiet countryside, particularly for visitors who want fishing, birdwatching or Mendip walking without giving up a wider choice of restaurants and evening options back at base.

Wherever you base yourself, book well ahead in summer, when both the lake and the Mendips draw more visitors, and check specifically whether a property allows dogs if you are planning walks at Folly Farm or over Burledge Hill.

The main draw is right on the doorstep, but there is more to the surrounding Chew Valley than the lake alone.

• Chew Valley Lake — one of the largest reservoirs in southern England at around 1,200 acres, opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1956. It is a noted trout fishery, with bank and boat permits available through Bristol Water Fisheries, and a serious birdwatching site with five permit-only hides used to spot some of the 260 recorded bird species.
• Folly Farm Nature Reserve — an Avon Wildlife Trust reserve just outside the village, built around a 17th-century farmhouse, with wildflower meadows, Dowlings Wood and SSSI-designated grassland to walk through.
• Burledge Hill hillfort — an Iron Age univallate hillfort on the ridge above the village, an easy walk with good views back over the Chew Valley, and an SSSI in its own right since 2005.
• The Mendip Hills — the AONB rises immediately south of the village, offering some of Somerset's best walking and cycling country, from gentle valley paths to the higher open ground further towards Cheddar.
• Chew Magna — a larger and prettier neighbouring village a few miles north, worth a visit for its shops, tea rooms and riverside walks.
• Bath — the Roman baths, Georgian crescents and World Heritage city centre are around 40 minutes' drive to the east, an easy day trip from the village.

The village pub, the Red Lion, is the natural focus for food and drink locally, alongside the small supermarket and post office that sit within the village store for day-to-day supplies. For a wider choice of pubs, cafes and restaurants, Chew Magna a few miles north has a good spread of options, and both Bristol and Bath offer everything from casual cafes to well-regarded restaurants for visitors happy to travel a little further afield.

Bishop Sutton and the wider Chew Valley reward visitors willing to travel a little lighter. There are no formal campsites directly in the village itself, but a caravan park operates locally, and the surrounding Chew Valley and Mendip Hills area has a scattering of small touring and camping sites, along with a growing number of glamping options in shepherd's huts, pods and bell tents that suit the gentler, rolling landscape better than a standard tent pitch on exposed ground. As in the rest of England, wild camping without the landowner's express permission is not lawful here, including around the shores of Chew Valley Lake itself, which is a working reservoir managed by Bristol Water with restricted access; stick to permitted sites and any camping should be arranged with a farm, campsite or landowner directly.

The terrain suits camping well once you have a pitch sorted. Bishop Sutton sits low in the valley on the northern edge of the Mendip Hills, so nearby ground ranges from flat, easy walking around the lake margins to steeper, more exposed high ground on the Mendips proper towards Burledge Hill and beyond; pick a site with this in mind depending on whether you want gentle strolls or more serious hill walking from your pitch. The lake itself is the main organising feature for any stay, with fishing and birdwatching permits available directly from Bristol Water Fisheries for those keen to spend time on or beside the water.

Late spring through early autumn is the most comfortable camping season, when the meadows around Folly Farm are at their best and evenings on the lakeside are long and mild. Autumn brings large numbers of migrating and overwintering wildfowl to Chew Valley Lake, which can make a shoulder-season camping trip particularly rewarding for birdwatchers prepared for cooler nights, while winter camping here, as elsewhere on the Mendips, is really only for well-equipped and experienced campers given the exposed, elevated terrain nearby. Whatever the season, Bristol and Bath are both close enough for a supply run or a change of scene without needing to break camp.