West Buckland

West Buckland is a village and civil parish tucked into the countryside between Wellington and Taunton, its land stretching from the water meadows of the River Tone in the Vale of Taunton Deane up onto the northern ridge of the Blackdown Hills. It is not to be confused with the larger West Buckland near Barnstaple in Devon, a good sixty miles further south west; this is the quieter Somerset original, adjoining the county boundary and easily reached from the M5.

At the heart of the parish is a scatter of period cottages, a primary school, a village hall on Silver Street, a playing field and a village shop, with the tower of St Mary's Church rising above the rooftops and visible for miles across the Vale. Around the main village lie a handful of small hamlets, including Chelston, Poole, Ham and Stoford, each little more than a cluster of farms and cottages set among the lanes.

Top things to do near West Buckland

West Buckland works best as a base for exploring the Blackdown Hills and the towns either side, rather than a destination with attractions of its own.

• St Mary's Church — a Grade I listed parish church with 13th-century origins, built between around 1275 and 1300 on the site of an earlier Norman building. Its crenellated tower, added around 1509, holds six bells, the oldest cast in 1606, and the font inside is Purbeck marble dating from 1140.
• Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty — the southern part of the parish rises onto the northern ridge of the AONB, with quiet lanes and footpaths giving views back over the Vale of Taunton Deane.
• Gerbestone Manor — a Grade II* listed manor house on the edge of the parish, substantially rebuilt in the late 16th century around some surviving 13th-century fabric, now used as a wedding and events venue.
• Wellington — the parish's post town, two miles to the west, with a historic high street, independent shops and the landmark Wellington Monument on the Blackdown Hills above the town.
• Taunton — the Somerset county town five miles to the north east, with a full range of shopping, the Somerset County Museum in Taunton Castle, and Vivary Park.

Getting to West Buckland

West Buckland sits right by the M5, which cuts through the parish alongside the A38, making it one of the more accessible Blackdown Hills villages by car; Junction 26 at Wellington is the closest access point. Taunton, five miles away, has a mainline railway station on the London Paddington to Penzance line, with connecting bus and taxi links out to the village. There is no railway station in West Buckland itself.

Best time to visit West Buckland

Spring and summer bring the Blackdown Hills lanes and hedgerows into full leaf and are the easiest months for walking the ridge above the village. Autumn colours the Vale of Taunton Deane below, while winter is quieter still, best suited to short walks and a log fire rather than long days out.

Where to stay near West Buckland

The village itself has little formal accommodation, so most visitors base themselves in Wellington or Taunton, both a short drive away, or choose farm and rural stays scattered across the parish and the wider Blackdown Hills.

Food and drink near West Buckland

The village's own pub and shop have closed over the years, though a village shop still serves the community. The Blackdown Garden Centre sits just outside the village, and the wider choice of pubs, cafes and restaurants is found two miles away in Wellington or five miles away in Taunton.