Weare

Weare is not a hotel destination in its own right — it is a tiny village with little formal accommodation of its own — but its position on the edge of the Somerset Levels makes it a sensible, quiet base for exploring the Mendip Hills. Rather than staying in the village itself, most visitors book a room in nearby Axbridge, Cheddar or Wells, or choose a farmhouse bed and breakfast or country inn scattered across the surrounding parishes. These options put you within a few minutes' drive of Cheddar Gorge's show caves and clifftop walks, Axbridge's cobbled square and King John's Hunting Lodge, and the cathedral city of Wells, while still returning each evening to genuinely rural, uncrowded surroundings.

Because this part of Somerset sees far fewer visitors than the Cheddar Gorge honeypot itself, accommodation tends to be smaller-scale — converted barns, working farm B&Bs and traditional inns rather than large hotels. It suits travellers who want the Mendips and the Levels as their backdrop without paying gorge-side prices, and who do not mind a short drive to reach the main attractions. Booking ahead is worthwhile in summer, when the wider Cheddar and Axbridge area gets busy, but options widen considerably the rest of the year.

Weare is best used as a peaceful base for exploring the Mendip Hills, the Somerset Levels and the historic towns that ring them.

• Cheddar Gorge — Britain's largest gorge, with dramatic limestone cliffs, show caves at Cheddar and Cox's Caves, and a clifftop walk with views across the Levels to the Bristol Channel.
• Axbridge — a handsome small town a couple of miles from Weare, with a cobbled square, timber-framed King John's Hunting Lodge (National Trust) and the Perpendicular church of St John the Baptist.
• Mendip Hills — rolling limestone upland immediately to the north, laced with footpaths, Bronze Age barrows and the show caves of Wookey Hole further east.
• Cheddar Reservoir — a circular walk and watersports centre a short drive away, popular for sailing, paddleboarding and birdwatching.
• Glastonbury — the Tor, Abbey ruins and town are within easy reach across the flat Levels roads, offering a very different, more mystical day out.
• Wells — England's smallest city, with its medieval cathedral and moated Bishop's Palace, a short drive to the east.

The village itself has few facilities, so most food and drink options are found nearby. Axbridge has a handful of traditional pubs around its market square, while Cheddar offers a wider choice of cafes and restaurants aimed at visitors to the gorge, including places specialising in local cheese and cider. For a more special meal, Wells and the surrounding villages have a good spread of country pubs and restaurants making use of Somerset produce.

The gently sloping, willow-lined countryside around Weare sits at the meeting point of the Mendip Hills and the flat expanse of the Somerset Levels, and this contrast of upland and lowland makes it an interesting, if low-key, area for camping. As with anywhere in England, wild camping is not permitted without the landowner's express permission — this is farmed, privately owned land, much of it drained pasture crossed by rhynes (the local name for the drainage ditches), so pitching up without asking is both illegal and impractical. Fortunately there are legitimate campsites within easy reach, particularly around Cheddar, Axbridge and the wider Mendip fringe, ranging from simple touring pitches to family-oriented sites with better facilities.

The terrain shapes what to expect: the Levels themselves are low, flat and can be prone to standing water and mist after wet weather, so spring through early autumn is the most comfortable window for camping, when the ground is drier and the days long enough to make the most of walks up onto the Mendip ridge or over to Cheddar Gorge. Midsummer weekends bring more visitors to sites near the gorge itself, so those wanting a quieter pitch often do better on the Levels side, closer to Weare, with the option of a short drive up into the hills for the day.

For those who prefer a roof but still want to be outdoors, glamping options — shepherd's huts, safari tents and converted farm buildings — have become increasingly common across this part of Somerset, offering a comfortable alternative to a tent while keeping the same rural, big-sky setting. Many working farms in the area now combine agriculture with a handful of glamping pitches or camping fields, which suits Weare's own character as a small, working village rather than a tourist centre — a genuinely quiet corner from which to explore the Mendips and the Levels.