Somerset Life (April 2024)

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Year: 2024

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Text

YOUR ESSENTIAL MONTHLY GUIDE TO THE COUNTY

somerset-life.co.uk APRIL 2024

ON TOU R

Sir David
Attenborough’s

WILD ISLES

Discover
Somerset’s
SECRET
ISLAND

Spicy

SEAFOOD
SUPPER
recipes

Escape to the

coast
 Celebrating 200 years of RNLI heroes
 Portishead, Burnham-on-Sea, Weston-super-Mare
 Try land yachting in Brean
 Photography masterclass in Porlock
 Historic shipwreck coastal walk with map

£4.50

April 2024

Somerset Life

April 2024

Somerset Life

WELCOME
from the editor

PHOTO:THEBRISTOLNOMAD,GETTY

he irst time that I truly fell in love with our
Somerset coastline has to be about three years
ago. I had just completed a challenge of sorts
where I had set myself the task of following the
River Parrett Trail from source to sea. It was a stunner
of a route, and although I acquired a few blisters along
the way, I look back on that 50-mile walk so incredibly
fondly as it was the time when I felt I really got to know
our county. I had tracked the river as it morphed from
hidden bubbling spring, to babbling brook, to a vast
expansive tidal powerhouse, and with each twist and
turn of the footpath I deepened my understanding of how
Somerset, as a whole, knits together. On walking the inal
few steps to the inishing post at WWT Steart Marshes it
was as if Mother Nature knew my feet were throbbing in
pain so she presented me with the most perfect of sunsets
over the saltmarsh as a gift. It was one of those moments
where I said to myself: ‘I love where I live’.
That love has, of course, deepened even further over the
years since, and that is why I am delighted this month to
celebrate our coastal communities with a special focus on
our seascapes and the people who live and work in these
unique places. It’s all tied in rather fortuitously as this
year also sees the 200th anniversary of our maritime
heroes, the RNLI. With events planned for this April, do
above: Our ‘secret’ island of Steep Holm, seen at sunset
save the dates and enjoy the festivities as we thank those
brave volunteers at Minehead, Portishead, Burnham and
Weston lifeboat stations.
camera and boost your photography skills in Porlock
Whilst we are thinking of heroes, we are also delighted
Bay. Then, it’s time to buckle up as you step aboard an
inlatable boat and join me on a spot of island hopping –
to be bringing you an interview about Sir David
Somerset’s secret island of Steep Holm re-opens at this
Attenborough’s most recent award-winning documentary
time of year and with limited boat trips it’s
series, Wild Isles. Sir David works very
an absolute must-see.
closely with Alastair Fothergill OBE who is
After all that sea air you’ll no doubt have
the Somerset-based ilm producer behind
worked up a healthy appetite so be sure to
the series (amongst many other nature
programmes you will no doubt have seen).
enjoy the spicy seafood supper recipes which
This year Alastair is taking Wild Isles on tour
have been brought to you by the Nailsea-based
and with Somerset featuring on screen, it’s a
Conscious Food Co – delicious!
Enjoy your explorations,
hot ticket that you won’t want to miss out on.
Rachel x
Our coastal appreciation is then furthered
with a guided walk to the historic shipwreck at
Rachel Mead
Email rachel.mead@newsquest.co.uk
Berrow and a spot of marine lake swimming
Editor,
@somersetlifemagazine
Somerset Life
in Clevedon before we invite you to grab your
Somerset Life Magazine

MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Somerset Life

Emma Bovill

Andrea Cowan

Pauline Cox Msc

ventures into a
contemporary ine art
gallery in a bluebell
wood near Bruton
Page 85

looks for quirky
conversation pieces
at ive of our best
reclamation yards.
Page 120

takes you for a
bracing springtime
swim in Clevedon’s
marine lake.
Page 159

April 2024

INSIDE
April 2024

PHOTO:SILVERBACKFILMSLTD

Sir David Attenborough’s
Wild Isles series is on tour
this April

10 22 34 46
WILD ISLES
ON TOUR

200 YEARS OF
SAVING LIVES

PHOTOGRAPHY
MASTERCLASS

WHAT IS LAND
YACHTING?

By Rachel Mead
We chat with Alastair
Fothergill, producer of Sir
David Attenborough’s series
Wild Isles, and learn about
Somerset’s starring role in the
acclaimed documentaries.

By Steve Roberts
Celebrating the lifeboat
stations in Burnham-on-Sea,
Weston-super-Mare,
Portishead and Minehead with
an in-depth interview with
female helm, Susan Beaton.

By Daryl Baker
Always wondered how the
professionals get those
incredible shots? Daryl takes
us to Porlock and advises how
to capture THAT image of
THAT tree!

By Malcolm Rigby
A trip to Brean reveals an
opportunity to set sail – along
the sand, not on the water!
The club is looking for new
members, could this be your
new sport for spring?

April 2024

Somerset Life

PLUS

ARTIST AT HOME IN
WESTON-SUPER-MARE

PHOTO:AGAKUBISH

Relatively speaking
The three generations
behind Wall Eden Farm

Is this the perfect
village pub?
Emma Dance reviews
The Talbot Inn in Mells

It’s ish for tea
Nailsea’s top ishmonger gifts
you two seafood supper
recipes for spring

Somerset Staycation
Why leave the county when
we have luxury stays like this
one in Hinton St George?

Look to the stars
A trip to Bath reveals a
brother and sister duo whose
future was written in the stars

Top tickets
Enjoy a night out at one of
these Somerset events

Art watch
Creativity can be casual,
writes Emma Bovill

The Founder of the RSPB
Conor Jameson relects
on the campaigning
conservationist W.H.Hudson

ISLAND HOPPING - IN SOMERSET
By Rachel Mead
Are you in on the secret? Join our editor as she travels
six miles across the Bristol Channel to explore the isle
of Steep Holm.

By Emma Bovill
Meet award-winning artist Aga
Kubish, who takes inspiration
from Somerset’s natural world
to create striking linocut
prints.

URBAN GARDENS

PHOTO:ANGHARADPAULL

By Angharad Paull
Spring is springing across the
county but have you visited
these green spaces in the
city of Bristol?

113 From Somerset to Italy
How the Romans connected
Mendip to Rome
114 Racing Times
As excitement builds for the
Grand National we chat to
Martin and David Pipe

ON THE COVER

159
PHOTO:PAULINECOX

HAVE YOU TAKEN
THE PLUNGE?

By Pauline Cox
Clevedon is home to a marine
lake which is the perfect safe
swimming spot for those who
are keen to start cold water
swimming. Our functional
nutritionist advises how best to
get started.

Somerset Life

Celebrating our coastline with the
‘Lighthouse on Legs’ at
Burnham-on-Sea.
Photo: Ian Wool, Getty

April 2024

somerset-life.co.uk

EDITOR
Rachel Mead
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rachel.mead@newsquest.co.uk
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Published in Somerset by Newsquest Media
Group. Registered oice 1st Floor, Chartist
Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales,
NP20 1DW. Printed by Acorn Web Offset Ltd,
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April 2024

Somerset Life

The

CALL
WILD
of the

Award-winning ilm director and
Somerset resident
ALASTAIR FOTHERGILL OBE

is bringing Sir David Attenborough’s
Wild Isles on tour
WORDS:

Rachel Mead PHOTOS: Silverback Films Ltd

WILD ISLES

A northern gannet dives
to catch mackerel

WILD ISLES

April 2024

Somerset Life

WILD ISLES

ho can forget the incredible Wild Isles series that graced
our screens last year? With Sir David Attenborough
reminding us that ‘Nature is just as dramatic and
spectacular in the British Isles as anywhere I’ve seen
elsewhere,’ he ensured that over ive million of us tuned
in each Sunday evening, with a further seven million
catching up on BBC iPlayer since. What many people
perhaps don’t realise is that Silverback Films, who are
behind the series, are based just up the road in Bristol,
and that many of the scenes from the Wild Isles series
were ilmed here in Somerset.
With so many of us eager to learn more about the nature
on our doorstep, Silverback Films are now going on tour
with Wild Isles Live this May. In advance of their show
in Bristol, I was invited to meet Somerset-resident and
co-founder of Silverback Films, Alastair Fothergill OBE,
who not only produced the Wild Isles series but has also
brought many BAFTA and EMMY award-winning nature
shows to our screens; Blue Planet, Planet Earth, Frozen
Planet and Chimpanzee to name just a few.
On arriving at Silverback Film HQ, I was welcomed
into the reception area and greeted by a huge smiling
portrait of Sir David Attenborough which graces the walls
alongside several trophy-laden shelves. I was shown into
the aptly named Gorilla Suite and was joined by Alastair.
He has been in the Natural History programming arena
for 40 years, having originally launched his career at the
BBC in 1983 before creating the Bristol-based production
company in 2012. ‘After being responsible for the original
Blue Planet series in 2001, I always felt that an amazing
series could be made here in the UK. Bristol is the ‘Green

left: A male toad grabs irmly onto a female as he

attempts to fertilize her eggs in a pond in Somerset
below: Alastair and Sir David during the

ilming of the Wild Isles series

Somerset Life

April 2024

WILD ISLES

Hollywood’, and all the best wildlife ilms are made here
so I promised the BBC that if I could raise the money it
would be just as impressive as the planetary series. As
you can imagine, it takes millions of pounds an episode
to create these types of series and so we needed to raise
a lot of money to make it feasible. We’re very thankful
that Wild Isles was partly funded by the RSPB and the
WWF who joined as co-production partners. For all of
us, the real dream of Wild Isles was to move the dial of
public appreciation.’
There are some hard-hitting facts delivered throughout
the series – particularly when Sir David informs the viewers
that Britain as a whole is one of the most nature-depleted
countries in the world. ‘The igures in the UK are quite
depressing,’ said Alastair, ‘but we do make these ilms
predominantly to inspire people. It is still really amazing
here in the UK and it’s important that local people realise
that they may not be able to do anything to help the polar
bears directly, but they can do something closer to home
in Somerset for their otters or their starlings for example.’
At the mention of starlings Alastair remarked on the huge
changes that have been seen in the wetlands across our
county: ‘The Avalon Marshes in Somerset is one of the
most important water areas in the UK now and it really
demonstrates what you can do when you give nature a
chance. People often say to me, “You must get depressed at
the loss of our natural world?” and I always say “No, I love
my job particularly because I have seen nature restore itself.”
The Avalon Marshes near Glastonbury are a great example
of restoration. Just 30 years ago they were mostly being
dug up for peat. Today they are home to a wonderful range
of rare birds – marsh harriers, over ive species of herons
and egrets and tens of bitterns ‘booming’ in the summer…
it’s our equivalent to the Okavango Delta in Botswana.’
With our county being used as the ilming location for
the spotlights on both the dragonlies and the toadlet
migration in the Wild Isles series, I wondered why Alastair
didn’t choose to ilm the starling murmuration scenes on
the Somerset Levels. ‘With the starlings roosting in such
a massive area of reeds at Ham Wall it can make ilming
very tricky – the birds can roost almost anywhere – so
we crossed the border into Devon where they choose to
roost in the trees. By using thermal cameras to see the
birds at night we could then watch the barn owls hunting
at night – that was a big spectacle! I do, however, have on
good authority that the bitterns at Ham Wall will steal
starlings from the reeds there – but ilming that would
have been very challenging!’
Talking of challenges, our conversation inevitably
turned to our farming community. Sir David quotes in
episode three of Wild Isles that ‘95% of Britain’s hay
meadow habitats have been lost since the 1930’s’ and I
wondered what Alastair’s thoughts were. ‘The positive story
is that farmers are really aware of it. They realise that for
their survival and the health of the soil they need to stop
logging it. They need to ind a diferent economical model
to make it pay – for some that could be embracing tourism
or creating a higher quality product that can be sold at a
higher price. Farmers appreciate how special nature is
and they are absolutely not the enemy in conservation.
‘Hedgerows are really good for nature so many farmers
are now leaving the strips on the edge of ields for
wildlowers which entices really good insects which

right: A mayly nymph hatching out of a chalk stream

April 2024

Somerset Life

WILD ISLES

‘The Avalon Marshes in Somerset
is one of the most important
water areas in the UK’

Somerset Life

April 2024

WILD ISLES

in turn helps to manage the aphids. If you increase
biodiversity on your farm, then most of it is in turn
supporting you on your farm. The farmers are the heroes
of conservation in the UK, they get a bad rap – but they
are a responsible community. I hope the ELM scheme
(Environmental Land Management) will inancially
reward farmers to be conservationists. With so many
people living in crowded cities; we need to remember how
important the countryside is for mental health beneits
– think of the footpaths and the wilderness areas; these
are all provided by the farmers, rather generously in fact.
Ultimately, we are all on the same side.’
With the Wild Isles Live tour visiting the county this
May, what can we all expect to see? ‘We’ll be taking
you behind the scenes whilst delivering a wonderfully
immersive experience – a little like the original show only
this time you’ll be viewing a huge screen with a massive
sound system which means you really will be face to face
with a sea eagle!’ The tour promises to appeal to all age
groups, taking the audience on a captivating journey
through the British Isles’ most breathtaking landscapes,

above: Sir David Attenborough with Alastair Fothergill OBE
right: A kingisher catches a minnow

‘and by being held at the Bristol Beacon, you are not only
seated in a beautiful building, but the acoustics are very
21st century. The sound of nature will be something else
and in combination with George Fenton’s beautiful score
from the Wild Isles theme tune, well, the Bristol Beacon
will show of the sounds of the show just beautifully.’
The show culminates with a Q&A with Alastair and
his team ‘and we’ll also be talking about the Save Our
Wild Isles Campaign which is designed to show people
what they can do to make a change in their own backyard
– because as Sir David says, no matter where we live, we
can and must play a part in restoring nature to our isles.
Never has it been more important to do this for ourselves
and for our wildlife – it is our responsibility.’
Tickets for Wild Isles Live at the Bristol Beacon
on Saturday May 11 are available from
wildisleslive.org

SAVE OUR WILD ISLES CAMPAIGN
WWF, the RSPB and the
National Trust are working
together to bring nature
back from the brink.
As the TV series showed
us, our wild isles are home
to some truly special
wildlife and habitats, but
with our nature in crisis,
what can we do to help?
To help nature on your
very own doorstep in
Somerset you can follow

April 2024

these top tips from the
Save Our Wild Isles team:
1: If you have a garden,
set aside areas of longer
grass and temporary
no-mow areas. If you
don’t have access to a
garden, could you pot
an additional plant in a
window box, balcony or
courtyard? Every plant
will make a difference!

2: Create a home – can
you provide the right
environment for bees, bats,
and birds so that nature can
come and stay with you?
3: Cut out chemical
herbicides and pesticides
– to ensure a variety of
wildlife this is a must.
4: Go peat free with your
compost when planting.

Peatlands store carbon
and are wildlife hotspots.
5: Create wildlife corridors
within your outdoor space.
Can you encourage wildlife
to traverse from your garden
to next door for example?
For more advice, and to
join the Save Our Wild
Isles campaign visit
saveourwildisles.org.uk

Somerset Life

WILD ISLES

Somerset Life

April 2024

OUR COASTLINE
For views of the water and a taste of salt on the breeze

SECRET ISLAND

IN FOCUS

We visit Somerset’s
isle in the channel

Professional photography
guidance for the perfect shot

PHOTO:DARYLBAKER

LIFE SAVERS
Celebrating the RNLI’s
200th anniversary

LIGHTHOUSE ON LEGS
Burnham-on-Sea has three lighthouses,
but this lighthouse on legs – also known
as the ‘Low Lighthouse’ – is the only one
which is actively working as a navigational
aid for those at sea. Built in 1832 it provides
a white lash of light every 7.5 seconds

Somerset Life

which shines through a window on its
front. Loved by photographers, the Low
Lighthouse is painted white with a single
vertical red stripe on its sea-facing side
and provides a striking silhouette along
the beach as the sun sets behind it. The

hard-packed sands make this stretch of
coast a good spot for a dog walk before
heading into Burnham to enjoy a cuppa in
one of the beach-side cafés. With thanks
to Daryl Baker for his photography.
@darylbakerphotography

April 2024

ta
R

5
I

Susan Beaton,
helm of the
Portishead
lifeboat station

‘WITH
COURAGE,
nothing is
IMPOSSIBLE’
As the country commemorates the 200th anniversary
of the RNLI, Stephen Roberts meets SUSAN BEATON,
who volunteers to keep our Somerset waters safe
PHOTOGR APHS:

RNLI

April 2024

LA LABEL (RIGHT)

absolutely love it. The pager goes of at
all times of the day and night but I’m
not inconvenienced by that one bit. You
don’t respond to a pager at 3am unless
you enjoy it.’
Susan Beaton became the irst female
helm at the Portishead lifeboat station last
year, a decade after joining the team. ‘Being
born and raised in a coastal community on
Scotland’s west coast meant the sea was
ever present, so I joined the Royal National
Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 2013 when I
was struggling to ind a job after uni. Then,
after relocating to Somerset for work, I joined
Portishead lifeboat station.
‘Our crew volunteers respond to on average
40 ‘shouts’ a year at Portishead. These are
diferent to a seaside town as we have no
beaches, so there’s no inlatables – but we
get lots of other call outs: broken down boats,
open water swimmers, kayakers who’ve
unfortunately got into diiculty, false alarms,
and sadly, mental health issues.
‘Open water swimming has boomed and
people go out swimming in high tides without
understanding our tidal range and get caught
out. They’re mostly adults who may not have
done enough research of our area, but we
never judge. I can respond to most ‘shouts’

‘I

when working from home – my employer’s
more than supportive. I just message my boss
with a single word: “lifeboat”.’
In 2024 the RNLI celebrates its 200th year
and the scale of the operation is staggering.
RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews and lifeguards
saved 506 lives and helped 39,680 souls
last year.
Tragically, around 140 people die annually
in our UK and Irish coastal waters and the
RNLI’s vision is to save every single one of
these. By working with communities and
partners the stations try to prevent people
getting into danger in the irst place, with
males over 15 years old most at risk.

As well as the lifeboat crews there are
thousands of dedicated fundraisers and
volunteer shore crews helping with launching
and recovering lifeboats.
There are 238 UK and Irish lifeboat
stations covering 19,000 miles of coastline
with RNLI lifeguards patrolling around 240
UK and Channel Island beaches.
Of the four lifeboat stations in Somerset
the oldest is Burnham-on-Sea, established
in 1836, followed by Weston-super-Mare
(1882), Minehead (1901), and the newest
recruit, Portishead – when the Portishead
Lifeboat Trust was adopted into the RNLI
charity in 2015.

above: Susan with her colleagues,
Dave (left) and Jake (right)
right: The Portishead Lifeboat,
My Lady Anne on exercise

April 2024

Somerset Life

‘ You don’t respond to a pager
at 3am unless you ENJOY IT’
Susan says: ‘The RNLI prepares you for
the worst possible outcome, then if the
casualty turns out to be ine it’s OK – but
you always need to be mentally prepared
in case you have to cope with that situation.
There’s loads of training and competencies
today, from understanding our personal
protective equipment (PPE) to knowing
where everything’s located on the lifeboat
so you don’t have to think if asked to locate
something. Navigation, search patterns,
irst aid and casualty care are constantly
rehearsed during training sessions.
‘There is a diference between an inshore
lifeboat (ILB) and all-weather lifeboat
(ALB). On the former we’re not expected to
know everything inside out but we should
nevertheless be able to operate anywhere
within that boat and be interchangeable.
Someone else must be able to take over the
operation in an instant. One of our rescues
from Portishead featured on the BBC’s
Saving Lives at Sea when a man and dog went
over a clif, the man sufering a punctured

above: The RNLI responds to
call outs at all times of day
right: The Portishead lifeboat
responds to about 40 ‘shouts’ a year

Somerset Life

lung. It was a collective efort to help them
both and it was a story with a happy ending
as they were both ine afterwards.
‘The vast majority of people on our coast
don’t expect to get into diiculty. Medical
emergencies happen and a boat breaking
down is no diferent to a car; you’re just
more vulnerable out there on the water.
Experience, or lack of it, isn’t always the
determining factor. We’ve had ‘call outs’ to
people who’ve just bought a boat, and others
who have boated for 40 years. But as I’ve said,
there’s never any judgement. Even people
you feel have misjudged going to sea, you
just try and ofer advice, or local information,
which will hopefully help keep them safe in
future. When someone’s just had a terrible
experience, it may not be the best time to
start lecturing them about not wearing a
lifejacket!”

HONOURING THE
RNLI IN SOMERSET
There will be a programme of
activities to commemorate the
charity’s 200th anniversary across
the UK and Ireland this year.
April 28
Open Day at RNLI Portishead,
BS20 7EA
Meet the volunteer crew, see the
lifeboat in action and take a look
around on board. In a family-friendly
event, the RNLI will be joined by the
other emergency services as well
as the ‘Beach Buddies’ lifesaving
puppet theatre. Expect face painting,
crafts, a treasure trail and cake!
September 28
RNLI 200-year Anniversary Ball,
Weston-super-Mare
A black-tie event with three course
meal on the Grand Pier. Enjoy dancing
to live music, a silent rale and
delicious food at this glitzy event to
honour our heroes in style.
The cost of running the RNLI in 2022
was £188 million; 81p of every £1 funds
lifesaving activities with the remainder
used to help generate more funds.
Please support this vital and worthy
institution ‘for those in peril on the sea’.
rnli.org.uk

April 2024

Somerset Life

RACHEL MEAD

LA LABEL (RIGHT)

’m going to hold my hands up in complete
honesty and admit, that until last year, I did
not know that Somerset had an island! I’m
admitting to having this gap in my knowledge
in case there are any other fellow ‘not-in-theknowers’ out there. With my confession out
in the open, let me introduce you to this very
special ancient outcrop of rock which has been
inhabited on and of (for those who knew it
was there) for over 8,000 years. Meet my most
recent acquaintance – the Somerset island
of Steep Holm.
When you choose to step ashore on this
‘secret’ island, you’ll be committing to her
from the of because once the boat drops you
on ‘The Beach’, you’ll be waving goodbye to
your ride home for 12 hours. The tidal range
here is huge, the second largest in the world,
so depending on tide times, your day is likely
to begin early doors (we set sail from Westonsuper-Mare at 7am) and you won’t be back
until the same hour later that evening. For
the adventurers amongst you, you’ll be able to
28

April 2024

feel as though you are channelling your inner
Captain Cook – or William Dampier if we’re
keeping to our Somerset theme. You can opt to
explore the island blissfully solo because there
are no tour guides keeping you to a set route. Or,
for those of you who enjoy some camaraderie
whilst stepping out onto new and exciting
lands, knowledgeable company is on hand in
the guise of the volunteering team from the
Kenneth Allsop Memorial Trust, which owns
and helps maintain the island. These stalwart
‘Steep Holmers’ will take you on a guided tour,
if you wish, and as a heads up they have so
much knowledge of the place, you’ll be shown
things that you might otherwise miss if you’re
not eagle-eyed. Steep Holm was purchased
as a living memorial to the broadcaster and
conservation campaigner Kenneth Allsop in
the mid-70s and since then these incredible
volunteers have been sympathetically restoring
the history of the island whilst preserving the
unique landscape, lora and fauna for explorers
like you and me.

Somerset Life

STEEP HOLM

Your day begins bright and early in Westonsuper-Mare. You’ll meet your fellow island
hoppers at the Knightstone Harbour slipway
before all climbing aboard the Bay Island
Voyages craft. The excitement starts here,
because not only is your mode of travel a
speedy RIB, it’s one of those sporty ones
which invites you to sit astride your seat as
if you’re riding a motorbike. With the sea air
whipping through your hair, you’ll be across
the six nautical miles in about 20 minutes
and your day will have begun with a real
adrenaline rush.
As you disembark you are greeted with the
remains of the old inn before you pick up the

above: The old barracks are now a visitor
centre. Photo: Kenneth Allsop Memorial Trust
top right: Preparing to set sail from
Weston-super-Mare. Photo: Rachel Mead
right: Arriving at the island via RIB.
Photo: Rachel Mead

Somerset Life

April 2024

SET SAIL IN SOMERSET
Trips to Steep Holm are organised by Bay Island
Voyages with 2024 sailings starting on March
29 at 07.30. The cost of the return trip is £45
per person which includes a donation to the
Kenneth Allsop Memorial Trust. The nature of
the RIB means that the trip is only suitable for
those over 1.1 metres tall.
bayislandvoyages.co.uk

STEEP HOLM

zig-zag track of the old incline railway used
by soldiers when Steep Holm was fortiied
during the Second World War. This is the
irst hint of historical military occupation
on the island, but as you explore further
you will realise that a vast majority of the
defences are Victorian, from when Steep
Holm was also a crucial link in the set of
four Palmerston forts protecting the Bristol
Channel from French attack. On digging even
further back into the archaeological surveys
and inds, it is believed Vikings were using
Steep Holm as a secure base from which to
raid the mainland in 870AD, plus there have
been countless Roman artefacts uncovered
which suggest that the Empire had also set
up home here for quite some time too. But
fear not, you have 12 hours to uncover all the
mysteries and marvels from Steep Holm’s
deep past and as you reach the top of the
island at 256 feet above sea level, you’re
not far from the museum, and the barracks
where you can pore over plenty of books and
informative displays.
Converted into the Visitor Centre, the
old barracks is your base camp for the day,
and it is here that you’ll be able to chat to
the band of volunteers, enjoy your packed
breakfast, lunch and tea, and take cover
from any poor weather, or from the gulls.
It’s probably now that I should also make my
second confession for the day – the gulls are
very well established here and will, without
fail, make a lasting impression on your trip.
If you’re a keen birdwatcher and you want to
experience a vivid insight into gull behaviour
then make sure you time your visit to coincide
with breeding season from late April to July.
With 1,000 gulls choosing Steep Holm as
their ideal nesting ground, the very cute and
very lufy chicks fearlessly toddle around, but
what is also crucial to know is that gulls are
incredibly protective parents so you’ll need
to walk around with a brolly as a defensive

Somerset Life

mechanism against the occasional swoop,
or more likely ‘poop’. If you’ve brought your
binoculars along then other notable spots are
clif-top cormorants, water rails (which are a
bizarre sighting as they normally prefer the
Somerset Levels) and the superstar crowd
pleaser (and logo for the Kenneth Allsop
Memorial Trust charity), the peregrine
falcon. For those visitors who prefer to
explore this remarkable island without fear
of a dive-bombing gull, then book aboard
the boat later in August and head to the
island for an early autumnal trip instead.
Remember, it’s just you and your fellow 11
visitors taking up temporary residence for the
day so it’s incredibly peaceful and gives you

above: The old cannons are
a favoured resting perch for
the gulls. Photo: Rachel Mead
left: The old inn is the irst
thing that greets you on arrival
to the isle. Photo: Rachel Mead
below left: During gull breeding
season, it is wise to sit beneath
a brolly to avoid a swoop or a
poop from above! Photo: Rachel Mead
below right: The luffy chicks
are fearless and wander along
the footpaths, though keep an eye
out for their parents who won’t
be far away! Photo: Meandering Wild

April 2024

LA LABEL (RIGHT)

Sunset on Steep Holm, looking across to the mainland. Photo: Tim Barrett

‘For the naturalists amongst you, a day trip
to Steep Holm is the VIP ticket, it’s the front
row seat at a nature documentary screening’
ample opportunity to switch of, explore at
leisure and just be.
By now you’re probably realising that a
trip to Steep Holm is not a standard walk in
the park. Steep Holm is very much an island
which is celebrated as a nature reserve and
bird sanctuary whilst also being recognised as
a key Site of Special Scientiic Interest due to
its rare plants such as the Mediterranean wild
peony. It is rugged, in places it is overgrown,
and the facilities are somewhat rustic, but this
is where its charm and authenticity prevail.
For the naturalists amongst you, a day trip to
Steep Holm is the VIP ticket, it’s the front row
seat at a nature documentary screening. For
the lovers of our coastline, you’ll get unique
views of the Somerset and Welsh mainlands
in addition to tangible insights into the
workings of this exclusive 50-acre island.
For the historians, there are so many stories

With 12 hours on the island this busy editor even
found time to write an article. Photo: Richard Howes

April 2024

to uncover – plus you’ll have open access to
the aged gun emplacements, ammunition
stores and searchlight posts. From legends of
Steep Holm being a monks’ retreat to tales of
bears having brawls in the inn there’s much to
discover. It seemed there was even a bit of a
loophole in the law when it came to the selling
of alcohol on Steep Holm during the 1800s.
Although the island falls under Somerset’s
county jurisdiction, the landlord of the inn
believed that he was outside the mainland
laws of licensing due to the fact that he was six
miles of the coast and he managed to serve
drinks for 50 years before being summoned to
court. Once the law had inally caught up with
him, he realised that he’d need to relocate
his business however he didn’t go far – just
a short boat trip across to the neighbouring
Welsh isle of Flat Holm. Cheers!
Steep Holm is, without doubt, one of our
county’s gems which deserves more of a
spotlight, and yet due to the very nature of
her location, she is able to maintain a sense
of exclusivity. It is a privilege to be one of
those few who have ventured across the Bristol
Channel to walk amongst her histories and
current Laridae inhabitants (thank goodness
for my brolly!). Under the care of the Kenneth
Allsop Memorial Trust, humankind very much
comes second place here, the island is home
foremost to the birds, and I do confess, gull
poop and all, that after making acquaintance
with Somerset’s secret isle there is a certain
magnetism about her which ensures I’ll be
going back to improve my knowledge of our
county’s secret island even further.

Peregrine falcons feature on the logo for
the Kenneth Allsop Memorial Trust as they
are regular visitors to Steep Holm. Photo: Getty

THE KENNETH ALLSOP
MEMORIAL TRUST
Best known as a broadcaster, writer and
environmentalist in the 1960s, Kenneth
Allsop was a regular face on the BBC’s
Tonight programme. Steep Holm island
was bought as a living memorial in his
name and is maintained as a nature reserve
and bird sanctuary. The island survives
on monetary donations and the incredible
gift of time from the volunteers. The team
are always keen to hear from potential
volunteers, those who can help with
maintenance tasks as well as helping out in
the café, shop or fundraising.
steepholm.online

Somerset Life

April 2024

PHOTOGRAPHY

estled along the South West
Coast Path and within Exmoor
National Park stand t wo
magnificently preserved dead
trees in Porlock Marsh. They have to be the
most photographed trees in the whole of
the National Park and are a must see when
visiting this part of the county. Whether you
have set of from Porlock Weir or Bossington,
you will stumble across these incredible
ornaments, a somewhat bizarre but at
the same time mesmerising mark on this
historical part of our Somerset coastline. The
trees remind me of an ancient monument,
standing here in solidarity and serenity as if
they were planted here on purpose for me to
photograph – though of course I know they
perished due to the unexpected arrival of sea
water almost 30 years ago.
The marshland in which these preserved
trees are located has changed over the years
after a severe storm in 1996 called Storm Lili
caused a breach of the shingle ridge between
the sea and the original freshwater lood
plain behind it; resulting in the catastrophic
failure of one ecosystem whilst indirectly
creating another. As the salt water washed
into the marshes and mixed with the fresh
water lowing down from the Exmoor hills
a salt marsh was created – a new habitat for
rare coastal plants and wildlife to merit the
area’s accreditation as a SSSI (Site of Special
Scientiic Interest) in 2002.
There’s a lot of Somerset history in this area
and as you walk along the coast path it is easy
to let your mind wander back to the times
of our ancestors. Once known as Portloca,
Porlock has been on record since the 10th
Century with the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
stating that the Saxon King Harold of 1066
and his brother voyaged from Ireland with
nine ships and landed at Porlock Bay. They
made quite the arrival, burning the town to
the ground before then marching their way to
London. Fast forward to the 17th century and
the smuggling of contraband tobacco was rife
along the Somerset coastline, becoming so
widespread that small ports such as Porlock
Harbour, with its temporary discreet hiding
places, were notoriously known for stripping
HM Customs of a lot of revenue!

LOGISTICS
Car Parking: If approaching from Porlock Weir there is a pay and
display car park, postcode: TA24 8PB. If you start in Bossington you
can park at the National Trust car park, postcode: TA24 8HQ
Places to eat: There are several eateries in Porlock Weir including
Porlock Bay Oysters, The Ship Inn and Locanda on the Weir. Head to
the thatched cottage of Kitnors in Bossington for a cup of tea and piece
of cake in the garden. (Check opening hours before you set out)
Tides: The Somerset coast is tidal. Check tide times at tidetimes.org

Getting the shot

Back to today and I have wanted to capture
the skeleton trees at Porlock Marsh for many
years, but time and tide wait for no man, and
that was certainly the case for me. However
on this day, it so happened that I changed my
location last minute due to the unpredictable
weather elsewhere on Exmoor. I had pulled

left: Follow the South West Coast Path and

check the tide times to see this iconic
skeleton tree. Photo: Daryl Baker
above: ‘Think about the ilters you may
want to use for the best possible exposure’
advises Daryl. Photo: Charlotte Baker

Somerset Life

the car over, quickly checked the tide times
on tidetimes.org, and found that luck could
inally be on my side for capturing the elusive
skeleton trees! The perfect conditions for
the most sought-after relection shot need
the combination of a high tide with a low
wind speed. But you do need to be careful
and manage your time carefully; after all
this particular part of the coast path is tidal.
If you’re after this shot you’ll need to work
quickly, thinking about the ilters you may
want to use, and also the settings required

for the best possible exposure time for this
image. I used a tripod with a combination
of a polariser and neutral density ilters to
achieve a slower exposure time, with my
camera on settings ISO 100, aperture f11 and
a shutter speed of ive seconds. Though, if you
are using a smartphone you could try using a
lightweight tripod and the Slow Shutter Cam
app to achieve a similar result.
Daryl regularly captures striking
images from around Somerset. See
them at darylbakerphotography

April 2024

Somerset Life

April 2024

Somerset Life

PEOPLE & PLACES
Meeting local personalities who shine a spotlight on Somerset
EXPLORING TEXTURE

THREE GENERATIONS

TAKE TO THE SANDS

Aga Kubish, from Weston-super-Mare,
invites us into her lino-cutting art studio

Let’s chat with the family behind
Wall Eden Farm Holidays in Highbridge

Forget the ocean, let’s go
land yachting at Brean

BOSSINGTON BEACH

PHOTO:MALCOLMLEWIS

This image, which was kindly sent in by reader Malcolm
Lewis, shows one of the two pillbox beach defences that
can be explored when you visit this part of our Exmoor
coastline. The hamlet of Bossington is very pretty with
thatched cottages aplenty. The National Trust rents out
holiday homes here including the large ive-bedroomed
Holnicote Lower House with its latticed windows and
log-burning stove. You can also stay at the nearby
Bossington Hall which is an adult’s only luxury B&B with
sauna, tennis court and squash court. For far-reaching
views along the coast head up to Hurlstone Point.

Somerset Life

April 2024

The moment that Aga’s Roots
linocut print is revealed

April 2024

Somerset Life

AGA KUBISH

THE
SPACE
BETWEEN
THE
LINES
Award-winning artist
Aga Kubish brings meticulous
creativity and a love of nature
to her exquisite linocut prints
WORDS:

EMMA BOVILL

April 2024

hen you choose to make somewhere your home, your
relationship with it takes on extra depth. Which is
apt for the extraordinarily talented printmaker Aga
Kubish, whose creative practice is wrapped up in
exploring texture and detail. The Polish-born artist
and her husband had long dreamed of exploring the
British landscape, sentimentally watching episodes of
Escape to the Country on TV in their native country.
42

April 2024

In 2018 she and her family ‘sold everything’ and took
a chance on a move to the UK, landing irst in Nailsea
before adopting Weston-super-Mare as their base. Aga
takes inspiration from the natural world to inform her
linocut prints, which study botanic motifs. It may be a
coincidence, but the establishing of roots and generating
fresh shoots in a new place has a warming synergy with
the focus on plants in her artwork.
Listening to Aga talk animatedly about her exploratory
walks, which she says help her balance family life with
her artistic passions, reveals just how much she enjoys
her surroundings. She is often found with a camera in
hand capturing intricacies in the lora she encounters
to reference back to in her home studio.
In quick succession, and with very little prompt, she
eulogises about the sound of the waves hitting the shingle
beach at Porlock, her love of walking in the Quantock
Hills (the basis of her piece The Forest) and the positive
energy of Wells and its cathedral. Her infectious joy in
the county in which she lives is echoed back. Her work
is on permanent display at Heart of the Tribe gallery
in Glastonbury, where she has also held solo and group
exhibitions. ‘Inspiriting, absolutely breathtaking and
amazing skill’ was one visitor’s response to her live
demonstration at the venue.

Somerset Life

AGA KUBISH

For all her success – Aga was accepted as a member
of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers in 2022 and
awarded the Canns Down Press Award for Panoramix in
2023 – and dedication to her practice, Aga is incredibly
modest. She makes art simply because it’s part of her
daily way of being in the world and connects her to it. ‘It
was my complex that I hadn’t attended art school, so it
was an important moment when I delivered my portfolio
to the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers at the
Bankside Gallery,’ she explains. ‘It was life changing when
I heard I was accepted.’
Heart of the Tribe gallery describes Aga as ‘incredibly
proliic’ and it’s an accurate relection. She produces her
limited-edition large-scale linocut prints on nearly a
monthly basis, actively seeking out stimuli to spur her to
extend her body of work and develop as an artist.
Watching her unveil her artwork, Roots is a delight and
privilege, a magical moment of reveal where the viewer
joins the artist in seeing the impression of the cut lino
and ink on paper for the irst time, recognising the way

above: The Panoramix linocut in progress
top right: Aga’s linocut The Forest
right: Incredible detail in this print Ferns

Somerset Life

April 2024

AGA KUBISH

‘It’s not like painting; if you make a
mistake there’s no way to ix it’
it creates a mirror image of the original design. ‘With
lino printing you have to think about a complex project
at the beginning,’ she reveals. ‘It’s not like painting; if
you make a mistake there’s no way to ix it.’ This is part
of the enjoyment and challenge for Aga, who inds the
act of cutting lino ‘like therapy, a mantra’.
Being connected physically to her work is important
to Aga. She applies pressure by hand to transfer ink to
paper, variously using glass jars or lids, allowing her to
bring out subtleties of tone in her monochromatic work.
‘I love this handmade approach, it’s a lot of fun and I’m
in control of the process.’
Aga works in one layer and one colour of ink on large
paper, keeping her technique as simple as possible to
allow for a deep dive into the minutiae of her subject
matter, the repetition and variety in form of leaves and
petals. This is played out beautifully in her interpretations
of the Palm House at Kew Gardens and artwork, Ferns.
The resulting pieces are timeless and elegant and as
suitable for a country house or a Victorian terrace. She
is conscious of how art its into the interior aesthetic of
a home and of how her prints, typically 1m by 70cm in

size, are appealing for customers as much as they are
rewarding to work on.
Deeply committed to her craft, Aga isn’t immune to
feelings of sadness when completing a run of prints (she
typically produces 50 with a handful of additional artist’s
proofs) but lacks no impetus to begin new projects. ‘I
need to produce art every day, it’s natural to me,’ she
reveals, using her available time ‘200 per cent to be
creative’. Her involvement with the Royal Society of
Painter-Printmakers brings extra rigour and focus to her
compulsion to make art and she hopes to join her fellow
members for the annual summer exhibition at its home
next to the Tate Modern in London.
‘I’m quite a shy person,’ she admits, ‘I prefer to speak via
my work’. Luckily for Aga, her prints speak for themselves,
loudly, efortlessly creating a 3D feel that give credit to
the painstaking efort that goes into each composition
and eliciting the urge to own not just one, but several.
There is a warm, bordering on impish, quality to Aga
and perhaps her only reticence is to reveal the type of
paper that she uses. ‘It’s a secret!’ she laughs. When
giving so much of herself in her artwork, and ofering
such a compelling window into the British countryside,
it’s only fair to aford her a few mysteries.
seanestart.square.site
@agakubish

above: House of Ferns by Aga Kubish
right: Behind by Aga Kubish

April 2024

Somerset Life

April 2024

VILLAGE LIFE

PHOTO:MALCOLMRIGBY

Malcolm Rigby takes a look at village life in Somerset

Land yachting at
Brean Sands

April 2024

Somerset Life

VILLAGE LIFE

T HIS MON T H W E V ISI T:

BREAN DOWN
rom Brean Down to Burnham-onSea there are seven miles of beach
– so what can you do there? You can
go land yachting of course. I met
up with Derek George at the Brean Land
Yacht Club, not much more than a cabin
plus storage unit but somewhere to keep
warm, have a cup of cofee and meet other
enthusiastic members. Derek is a former
British champion; he introduced his son to
the sport at the age of 12 and now Craig is
the current champion.
The activity can be traced back to 6th
century China and it came to Brean in the
1920s when the locals would make the
vehicles from the remains of World War
One aircraft. Now it is recognized as one of
the best European beaches with two regattas
a year. Derek said: ‘This is a good beach in
general, it’s lat, it’s quite hard sand and
we’re well positioned for south westerly
winds and that comes straight on the shore
here and that makes perfect sailing.
‘I get as much buzz out of doing this as
racing motor bikes. You can get the adrenalin
going, being low to the ground and going at
speed. If you’re doing 35 you feel as if you’re
doing 60. The other enjoyment out of it is
the eco-friendly thing, you’re not actually
using fuel, just using the power of the wind
to give you that adrenalin feel.’
The ‘yacht’ looks like a sophisticated
go-kart frame with three wheels and a sail.
It is, but it can go up to 65mph, is classiied
as an extreme sport and there are no brakes
(don’t worry, you just sail into the wind to
stop). Wind speed is important, you need
at least 10mph and generally you can go
at about twice the strength of the wind.
‘Hiking’ is when you go on to two wheels,
apparently it is a fun factor but you do
lose speed.

‘We have had higher numbers in the past
but we are losing the younger generation
because they’re on computers and
PlayStations. We’re looking to encourage the
younger ones for sure. If anyone’s interested
in joining the club we do taster days and we
have got club yachts here so they have got
use of them for a year. Come and try it, we
guarantee you’ll be smiling very soon.’
Donning a helmet, I had a short go, it was
truly amazing – I shall return with my son
for a taster session.
The Morrison’s cashier conirmed that
Brean was indeed a village of two seasons;
population down to under 700 in winter
months with a shop, a chippie and a pub,
but in the summer with the small city of
caravans and chalets, people swell into the
thousands (land sailing is not permissible
in July and August). The numbers game is
further complicated by the fact that EDF
have taken over the Pontins site for 900
Hinkley workers.
Martin Chatterton, chair of the parish
council, has had a working life at sea so it’s
not surprising he moved to Brean 23 years
ago. ‘My house opens onto the beach so I
can get up in the morning open the gate
and I’m on the beach. That is wonderful,
that’s the reason I moved here. I can see the
sun rising over the Mendips in the morning
and I can see it set over the Bristol Channel,
depending on the time of year, anywhere
from Cardif in the summer down to over
Exmoor in the winter.’
On a bright Sunday, even out of season,
the National Trust car park will be full and
there’ll be a row of cars on the beach (tide
permitting); there will be dog walkers, hardy
ishermen, children playing, horse-riders,
husky club members, kite buggies and of
course land yachts. It’s a giant pleasure park.

Highs and lows
Geographically, Brean’s claim to fame is that it
has one of the greatest tidal ranges in the world,
second only to the Bay of Fundy in Canada.
The sea has some strong and dangerous currents at
low tide and red warning lags should be observed.
Somerset Life

THE FORT/
PALMERSTON FOLLY
Take a walk up the hill and a stroll
along the Brean Down peninsular
and you ind the fort. It’s a kind
of unintentional folly. Built and
manned during the Victorian era to
stem a potential French invasion,
then re-commissioned during World
War Two to keep the Germans out,
the fort never actually saw any
conventional action. It was one of
four spanning the Bristol Channel
the others being on Flat Holm, Steep
Holm and Lavernock Point in Wales.
Seven large guns were installed at the
battery but they soon became largely
redundant. In 1900 a soldier ired his
rile into a gunpowder magazine and
that ended this particular military
occupation. However, the isolation of
the spot did make it suitable for some
experimentation by the Admiralty’s
Department of Miscellaneous
Weapons Development. A seaborne
version of the bouncing bomb was
tested here, as were torpedo decoys
and rocket grappling irons. The
National Trust took it over as a
managed ruin.

INFO
POPULATION: 635 (2011 census)
STAY OR BUY:
The Old Rectory is a seasonal family
run bed and breakfast just 400m from
the beach. The property is situated
in the quieter centre of Brean but
is within walking distance of the
main attractions. It has an acre site,
including attractive gardens, ish pond
and play area.
admin@oldrectorybrean.co.uk
Situated in an enviable position with
direct access to the beach from
the rear garden, St Bridgets Close
on Church Road offers spacious
accommodation throughout, along
with outstanding views. Outside
there are gardens to the rear with a
summerhouse.
£675,000. Westcoast Properties,
Burnham-on-Sea.

April 2024

PHOTO:DAVEWALL

The three generations: Andy, Dave and Colin Wall

KEEPING IT
in the FAMILY
This month we chat to three generations of the Wall
family: Dave, Andy and Colin who run the award-winning
Wall Eden Holiday Park near Burnham-on-Sea
WORDS:

Malcolm Rigby PHOTOS: Dave Wall

April 2024

Somerset Life

FAMILY BUSINESS

Dave (aged 33): The farm originally was a dairy one. My
Great Grandad bought it in 1927 and then my Grandad
took it over in the 60s and we had a dairy herd here
until the late 90s. Then unfortunately with milk quotas
and various other things we couldn’t keep the business
going. So, 2004 saw my Dad put the irst log cabin in and
then the next year we got another one, 2008 two more
and then we added the other accommodation. I joined
Dad in 2014, after gaining a business and management
degree at Bournemouth University and spending two
and a half years at Leonardo Helicopters, as part of their
graduate programme.
It’s now been ten years, and we’ve gone from just
six lodges to now having 19 units of accommodation, a
bar and café, farm shop and adventure centre. As well
as the day-to-day operation, I manage the company
growth through new corporate partnerships, including
a range of leading holiday and experiential companies.
We’ve created great relationships over the years, helping
to continue growth as well as adding new facilities
year on year.
Grandad still has some beef cattle on the moors, he
keeps between 50-80 depending on the year. He’s still
doing that every day in the summer. Me and my dad are
more concerned about the business now. I run it day to
day, I’m more of the managing director and he’s more
of the executive, making new contacts and working on
projects. The inal say, that will be with me, overall I’m
in charge of the staf and operations. There are eight
employees over the winter then going up to 15 or 20 during
the summer months. Our business was very summer
focussed but now we have built the bar, the café and the
farm shop we get a lot more winter trade and we also
introduced hot tubs in 2021. The hot tubs have been a
real success, you have to have them in because that’s what
people are looking for – it’s quite a competitive market
now. Sports-wise there’s ishing, kayaking, canoeing and
paddle boarding, they’re very popular between May and
September, good for getting people in from the local area,
they like to take part in the adventure activities. We’ve
also got target sports; we’ve got shooting, archery and
axe throwing as well. That’s diferent but very popular.
Food-wise we’re looking to ofer proper lunches. At the
moment we do pasties and sausage rolls but we’re hoping
to do proper plated food as well as fried breakfasts in the
morning. We’re also hopefully reintroducing massage
therapies.
Winning the Gold as the Holiday Park of the Year (in
the Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism Awards) was quite
a boost for us all. Hopefully now we might go through to
the South West Regional Awards. We’re proud that our
little holiday farm has managed to beat the big boys.
There’s other family connections too. My wife, Sami,
does all the accounting and payroll; her Dad provides
the apple juice and cider; not forgetting our three year
old son, Luke, who likes to feed the sheep!

Inside the lodges at Wall Eden Holiday Park

Andy (aged 59): Working with your family can at
times be very stressful and it can ofer up a number of
challenges. But when those challenges have arisen in the
past we have been able to work through them and come
out better and stronger. I would encourage people who
are in a family business to work things through together.
My son is very operational in his approach and the way
he works and I am very strategic. Though those two
ways of operating might clash you actually need those
two strengths in order to grow the business. My role is
to help establish the vision and continue the growth
and development of the business with interested parties
such as charitable organisations; the army rehabilitation
centre often use us. We look to work with local schools
and to support children who require additional support
outside traditional learning, mainstream schooling. We
want to ofer people an experience to take away rather
than just being somewhere to go on holiday. I’m looking to
create links with businesses and people who would want
to use our site and bring their staf to us as a workplace
training experience.
When I was a kid growing up on the farm it was an
idyllic life; as a seven-year-old I was driving tractors,
picking up hay bales, feeding calves and lambs; doing
all the things I possibly shouldn’t have been doing. But
times have changed and we’ve all moved on.

COMPANY
STATS
ESTABLISHED:
2004
ADDRESS:
Wall Eden Farm –
Rural Holiday Retreat,
New Road, East
Huntspill TA9 3PU
NEXT EVENTS:
New menu in the
spring
Live music events
in the spring
and summer
SOCIALS:
Wall Eden Farm
Holidays
walledenfarm
@WallEden

Colin (aged 81): I’m really the odd job man, I help out
when I’m needed. I’ve got a tractor still, so if they want
things moved around, then I do it. The Holiday Park has
done a brilliant job really. It’s a piece of land that wasn’t
suiting anything else really, unless you built houses on it –
and I don’t think that was going to happen. Diversiication
was necessary so that we could get a living out of it. I
deinitely enjoy my role, it gives me something to get up
for, I wouldn’t want to be sat around.

Between you and me . . .

Dave on Andy: Dad is always of swimming outdoors, even when it’s freezing. He’s a bit crazy
like that. Doesn’t matter about the weather, he will be out there in his budgie smugglers
Dave on Colin: He likes to drop by for a cofee…and, occasionally, a whisky
Colin on Dave: He goes to the gym every morning
Andy on Dave: Dave has an attention to detail and perfectionism - the glue that makes a successful business
Andy on Colin: Wherever Dad goes, his dog Towzer goes there too
Somerset Life

April 2024

FOOD & DRINK
The tastiest stories from across the county
CATCH OF THE DAY

FOOD CRITIC

FISHFINGERS & BEANS?

What does Emma Dance think
of The Talbot in Mells?

This busy chef in Wells also turns
to a quick ix now and again

PHOTO:WESTCOUNTRYDESIGNS

Rustle up this monkish recipe
for the ultimate seafood supper

ARTIST ANNA’S RURAL INSPIRATION
Nestled in a sunny home studio, Anna of West Country Designs,
blends inspiration from the countryside with cherished childhood
memories, weaving together a whimsical world. A move from a
bustling city life to Somerset acted as a catalyst for Anna in reigniting
her passion for art. Immersed in the breath-taking landscapes
of the West Country and drawing upon her original watercolour

Somerset Life

illustrations, Anna brings her imaginative scenes to life through
a range of greetings cards and gift designs. Each piece is infused
with the warmth and charm of rural life. This Hare & Dandelion
beech serving board is £45 and can be personalised on request.
westcountrydesigns.com
@westcountrydesignsengland

April 2024

PHOTO:EMMADANCE

The
Perfect Village Pub
Treat yourself to a memorable meal at The Talbot Arms,
where quality food and a warm welcome combine to create a
very special dining experience
WORDS:

April 2024

Emma Dance

Somerset Life

DINING OUT

ising running costs, staf shortages
and customers battling a cost of
living crisis; it’s a tough time for
the hospitality industry right now,
that’s for sure. And with diners and drinkers
demanding to feel that their hard-earned
pennies have been well spent, more so than
ever, there’s little room for error for those
that do keep soldiering on.
The Talbot Inn in Mells seems to have
captured the holy grail of hospitality
however – being both a proper local boozer
and a destination dining spot. The latter is
undoubtedly helped by its location; Mells
is frequently named as one of the prettiest
villages in the UK, and it’s just a stone’s
throw from Soho House’s members’ club
and hotel, Babington House. But that’s not to
take away from what the team at The Talbot
has achieved, which is something really very,
very lovely indeed.
We enter and immediately ind ourselves
in the cosy bar. Most of the tables are full –
even on a damp of-season afternoon – and
it feels cheerful and buzzing. We shimmy
our way through and into the dining area

left: Cubes of succulent Creedy Carver Duck
below: Raspberry steamed sponge with crème
anglaise for a real taste of nostalgia
below right: The Talbot is classy and relaxed

which is lighter and brighter and all Farrow
and Ball tones. The welcome is warm – and
not just because of the roaring log ire, and
we’re shown to our table. There’s a great mix
of people already there enjoying themselves,
from families to muddy-booted dog walkers,
to trendy out-of-towners on a weekend escape,
and it makes for an atmosphere considerably
brighter than the dull skies outside.
The menu has been cleverly split - with
there’s a selection of pub grub classics like

‘The welcome is
warm - and not
just because of the
ROARING log ire’
a ploughman’s, steak and chips, burgers and
ish and chips, as well as some more ine
dining-esque dishes. As my husband and I are
on a rare child-free outing (and can therefore
eat at leisure without simultaneously trying
to persuade an excitable toddler to sit still
for more than a nanosecond), we decide to
make the most of the opportunity and go
for the fancier options. We are, however,
almost swayed when we see plates loaded
with towering burgers, oozing with cheese,

being delivered to the family seated on the
table next door.
I start with courgette fritters, which are
calm and comforting when eaten on their own
but which take on a new energy when paired
with a iery garlic aioli. My husband’s game
terrine is butch and beguiling. The terrine
is rich and dense, with a prune ketchup
adding a welcome sweet note to the deeply
savoury meat.
My main course of Creedy Carver duck
breast arrives and is a much prettier, more
delicate afair than I had expected. Cubes
of perfectly rested, succulent duck with
golden, crispy skin are artfully arranged on
the plate, along with a beguiling assortment
of garnishes. There’s a silky smooth parsnip
puree, a soft buttery fondant potato, a
Stornoway bon bon that adds crunch and
a deep earthiness, and pickled blackberries
that are delightful little pops of sharp
zinginess that set the palate alight. It’s a
wonderful assortment of textures and
lavours, and while each element on its own
is in itself utterly delicious, it’s when they
are combined that the real cleverness of the
dish becomes apparent.
Pan-fried salmon with cuttleish ink risotto,
tiger prawn and octopus looks both simple
and dramatic with a whole baby octopus
sitting atop the black-as-night risotto – its
arms curling around a shining, pink prawn. >

PHOTO:JAKEEASTHAM

PHOTO:EMMADANCE

Somerset Life

April 2024

‘There’s CRUNCH, AND CREAM; there’s juiciness from
the pear and a crumbly cake to soak it all up’

above: Saffron poached pear and

cardamom cake
right: The bar is cosy and inviting

April 2024

the pear and a crumbly cake to soak it all
up. I love it.
Not as much, though, as my husband loves
his raspberry steamed sponge with crème
anglaise. He’s so enamoured with his choice
that the irst bite elicits an actual little happy
dance. It’s a real taste of nostalgia – but
better. A hug in a bowl that can’t help but
make you smile.
The whole place makes you smile, actually.
It’s relaxed and welcoming, and the staf
seem to genuinely enjoy being there and
interacting with the customers. There’s
a careful attention to detail that makes it
feel like somewhere special, but without
even a hint of erring into the pretentious.
Prices aren’t cheap – but they’re far from
outrageous either.
At around the £25 mark our mains were at
the pricier end of the menu – but it’s worth
noting that they are complete dishes, and
no-one will try to upsell you endless sides.

The Talbot Inn is the kind of pub that you
wish you had just down the road from your
house. And whatever challenges might be
facing the hospitality industry right now,
the team at The Talbot have made creating
the perfect village pub look easy.
talbotinn.com

PHOTO:JAKEEASTHAM

It’s a fairly admin-heavy dish, with prawns
to shell and an octopus to navigate, and we
need to ask for a inger bowl to mitigate the
mess. The efort is deemed worth it, however,
with each element cooked just-so, and the
lavours of the sea shining through.
The pudding menu makes great reading.
It’s full of delicious-sounding things like
sticky tofee pudding and raspberry trile. On
the advice of our charming waitress I plump
for a safron poached pear with cardamom
cake, maple cream and candied pecans – and
I don’t for a second regret my decision. It’s
all kinds of brilliant – the heady spices of
safron and cardamom are almost savoury,
the pecans unashamedly sweet. There’s
crunch, and cream; there’s juiciness from

Somerset Life

FISH RECIPES

PHOTO:CONSCIOUSFOODCO.

Spicy
y
SEAFOOD
SUPPERS
Jonny Burnett is the founder and sales director of
Conscious Food Co. Not only do he and his team supply the
South West’s top restaurants and hotels with sustainable
ish, they also own the Conscious Fish Shop in Nailsea which
sells day-boat ish and shellish fresh from Brixham

April 2024

PHOTO:CONSCIOUSFOODCO

Thai Monkish Curry
This monkish curry ticks all the boxes, and it really is not very time consuming to make.
Monkish complements this curry so well, the meaty texture soaks in all of the lavour and creates a wonderful dinner.
Plus, it’s dairy and gluten free and low in fat so you can enjoy, guilt free! (Serves 2)

INGREDIENTS
• 2 monkish tails
• 1 white onion (chopped)
• 2 peppers (red, orange, or green)
sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
• 1 thumb of ginger (chopped)
• 1 stick of lemon grass (chopped)
• 1 red chilli (chopped, I kept seeds
in for heat)
• 7 baby corn (halved)
• 1 spring onion (chopped)
• 1 handful of fresh coriander
(chopped)
• 1 400g tin of coconut milk
• 2tsp of ground coriander
• 1tsp of cumin

April 2024

• 1tsp chilli powder
• 2tsp turmeric
• 1 lemon
• vegetable oil
• salt
• rice

METHOD
Heat some oil in a large pan,
and when hot add your onion,
garlic, ginger, half of the chilli.
Add a good pinch of salt,
sweat for 5 minutes, then
add the spices, sliced pepper,
and lemon grass, cook for
a further 5-7 minutes.

Add 250g of the coconut milk,
along with the juice of half a
lemon, and cook for around
15-20 minutes on a simmer.
You should see the colour
become pale yellow; this
is the colour you want.
Add a further 100g (or the rest
of the coconut milk) to the pan,
and add the halved corn and
remaining chilli, remaining lemon
juice and a pinch of salt, cook for
a further 15 minutes on a simmer.
When there is 10 minutes left,

heat a non-stick pan, add some
vegetable oil, and when the pan
is hot, add your monkish.
Fry for 3-4 minutes on one side,
turn and repeat (You can add
the monkish to the curry at the
end after cooking if you would
like it to soak in all of the lavour,
I did not, as I wanted to present
mine with the whole monkish
tail on top of the curry).
Dish the curry onto a plate, and
pop the monkish on top, garnish
with the coriander and spring
onions, and serve with rice.

Somerset Life

FISH RECIPES

Spicy Haddock Goujon Tacos with
Caulilower Ceviche & Pickled Red Cabbage
Spring is oicially here, and I wanted to create something special, a spectacle of colour, vibrancy & health! The beauty of this is, you
can make the pickled cabbage and caulilower ceviche in advance, in fact you can even bread the haddock in advance!
That way when you are cooking, you have minimal work or cleaning, and maximum joy! (Serves 4) Enjoy, Jonny

PHOTO:CONSCIOUSFOODCO.

INGREDIENTS!
Haddock Goujons:
• 2x haddock illets cut into
goujons (cod, whiting, pollack,
hake, red gurnard, also work)
• 100g breadcrumbs
• 3tsp cajun spice
• 2tsp paprika
• 40g plain white lour
• Handful of fresh coriander
(chopped)
• 3 eggs (whisked/beaten)
• 2 pinches of salt

Caulilower Ceviche:
• 1/2 head of caulilower
(150g- 200g)
• Juice of 3 lemons
• 1/3 of a cucumber
(cut into even cubes)
• 2 salad tomatoes
• Pinch of salt

Pickled Red Cabbage:
• 200g – 250g red cabbage
(inely shredded)
• 600ml cider vinegar
• 150g – 275g white caster sugar
• water
(enough to cover the cabbage)
• Tacos (I bought mine
from Sainsbury’s)

METHOD
Start by pickling the cabbage
(as you want this to be cold
when you serve). Pop all of
the ingredients in a medium
saucepan, and bring up to a boil,
and then turn down to a simmer,
and simmer until the cabbage
is cooked (20-35 minutes).

lined tray until you need it.

Leave to one side, you want to
leave the cabbage in the liquor,
as it will help absorb the lavour.

Pop the breadcrumbs, eggs and
lour into 3 separate bowls. Put
1tsp of cajun spice and paprika
in with the lour, and put the rest
in with the breadcrumbs, along
with some freshly chopped
coriander. Add a small pinch of
salt in each bowl and mix well.

Now to make the caulilower
ceviche. First chop the caulilower
into small pieces (the caulilower
is not being boiled or roasted,
the lemon cooks the caulilower,
so you want them chopped up
pretty small!) Place into a bowl.

Put the haddock goujons in
the lour, then the egg and
inally the breadcrumbs. Make
sure the haddock is fully
covered. Sometimes, you may
have to run it through the egg
and breadcrumbs twice.

Pre heat the oven to 180°C.
To cook the goujons, you can
either bake in a pre-heated oven at
180° for 15-20 minutes, or pan fry
and inish in the oven. The method
I will explain here is the pan frying!

Now you are ready to serve your
ish taco feast, drain the cabbage,
spoon on the caulilower, and tuck
into this ishy bit of goodness.

Pour over the lemon juice,
and cover and chill in fridge
for 1 hour (minimum).

The haddock should be
coated in a herby and spiced
breadcrumb, pop onto a

Heat a non-stick frying pan, and
cover the bottom with vegetable
or olive oil. Place the goujons in

consciousfoodco.co.uk
/consciousfoodco
/consciousishco

Somerset Life

When the caulilower mix has
been in the fridge for at least
an hour, take it out and mix
through the prepared tomatoes
and cucumber, season with
a touch of salt if needed.

carefully, and pan fry one side
down for 2 minutes (until the
breadcrumbs start to go golden
brown, turn and repeat again.
Once all golden brown, pop
into the oven for 5 minutes.
Heat your tacos in the
microwave (or follow the
package instructions).

April 2024

Highlight
your brand
Food for thought to advertise
your business contact the
magazines team today.

greatbritishlife.co.uk/advertising

April 2024

Somerset Life

FOOD & DRINK

MEETtheCHEF
Andrea Cowan meets a local chef who tells us about

their culinary experiences and inspiration

Rob Howell
Chef/director of ROOT WELLS,
in Sadler Street, the sister
restaurant of Root Bristol. Rob
has received the Michelin Bib
Gourmand for his modern,
veg-led, sharing plates
Tell us about the food
of your childhood
At the time I didn’t think too much of it,
I suppose. However, looking back now, I
was very lucky, with plenty of home-cooked
meals, Sunday roasts, cakes at weekends.
Along with the yearly visit to France, good
food was a regular from a young age.
When did you decide that being
a chef was your calling?
It took a while until it all clicked and became
more than just a job. I had been cooking for
a few years and I was living in Edinburgh.
There was a good 12 of us that all worked
together and spent most of our time outside
of work together too. That’s where I fell in love
with food and everything that went with it.
Who are your biggest inluences?
Earlier in my career I read cookbook after
cookbook, always looking for ideas and
inspiration. I would say Nathan Outlaw’s
cooking was always something I really took
a lot from, the simplicity of it, the producedriven cooking. Now I would say the teams
in the kitchen inluence my cooking and the
dishes that go on the menu.

PHOTO:EDSCHOFIELD

What inspires your menus?
I would honestly say anything and everything.
We cook with what is best and available to
us, using local growers and producers in the
South West. So it always starts there, but what
we do with it is a collaboration of ideas from
the team. Always talking about what we enjoy
eating ourselves and creating tasty familiar
lavours for our guests to enjoy.
What other elements
inluence your cooking?
We always try and keep it as simple and tasty
as possible when cooking. The kitchens in
both restaurants are very small so can be
limiting, however I believe it’s a good thing.
Means you have to be a little cleverer with
how you think about putting a menu together.

Somerset Life

‘Earlier in my career I read
cookbook after cookbook, always
looking for ideas and inspiration’
What would be your perfect supper?
Honestly, if someone is cooking for me, I’m
happy with anything! We cook simple dishes
at home and with two little ones we usually
end up eating pretty early as we always try

and eat all the same thing. If I had to choose
anything to eat I would say a big plate of
grilled shellish with some fries! But the
closest I get to that at the moment is ish
ingers and beans.

April 2024

WELLS
A N D R E A C O WA N ’ S W E L L S WA N D E R I N G S

PROOF THAT A BOWL OF SOUP IS GOOD
FOR THE SOUL AS WELL AS THE STOMACH
H

below: Edgar Phillips, founder of Art

Experience Days, the winner of January's SOUP!

April 2024

far.’ The name of this community focused
event comes from the bowl of soup and roll
that is included in the entry fee, courtesy of
students at The Blue School and the head chef
of the Connect Centre, and with ingredients
donated by several Wells supermarket and
local traders.
So to the order of the afternoon, overseen
by compere Paddy O’Hagan. The format
allows time for the previous winner to return
and explain how the money has been put
to use. This time it was Richard Jones, a
volunteer co-ordinator from The Strawberry
Line, working on the restoration of the Wells
to Dulcote section. He handed over to the
irst contender for the afternoon: Nicky Hall
of the Wells Trishaw Project. This bookable
bike ride, powered by volunteers, enables
older and isolated people to get out for trips
around the city, as well as the chance to ‘feel
the wind in their hair’! The overwhelming
response has proven a need for a second
trishaw.
Next was Ian and Ruth Ames-White of
Wells in Mosaic. Ruth is creating a unique
six-metre diameter mosaic, walkable map
of Wells’ historic centre. They are in the last
stages of the 10-year project and are installing
the mosaic next year, where it should last for
hundreds of years. Ruth then handed over to
artist Edgar Phillips. Believing in the power
of art to break down barriers, Edgar works
with charities and groups such as Mind in

Somerset, Heads Up, and Spark Somerset,
and provides free one-to-one bespoke Art
Experience days. Participants learn about
the history of stained glass in a safe and
reassuring environment, creating their own
piece to take home the same day.
Last to take to the stage was 15-yearold Sergeant Iris Marshall from Wells Air
Cadets. Iris outlined the invaluable life skills
that the organisation provides for the 35
young cadets, ranging from teamwork to
building conidence. Integral to this is a light
simulator which urgently needs updating.
The 85-plus attendees then had the
diicult job of voting for the project they
felt the worthy winner. It was a close-run
thing, but Edgar Phillips won the day and
received a respectable £350. Delighted, he
said ‘this will pay for someone to access
an Art Experience Day, including all the
preparation, travel, lunch and materials. It’s
so much more than making a stained-glass
window together.’ Best of all, the remaining
three organisations each received a cheque
for £118. It was a really heart-warming
afternoon: I learnt about some inspiring local
groups, met interesting, community-minded
people and enjoyed a bowl of delicious soup!
I’ll be making a return visit.
SOUP! takes place on April 6,
July 6 and October 5 2024. Visit
the website for more information
wellsindependents.org/soup

Somerset Life

PHOTO:PHILIPWELCH

OUP! was devised in 2010 by Amy
Kaherl in Detroit as a way to raise
money to fund local, creative
projects, described as ‘grass roots
action in the absence of public services
and the collapse of the private sector.’ Its
success quickly spread and by 2016, when
Ross Young of Wells Independents decided
to start one in Wells, there were 43 similar
set-ups in the UK and over 115 worldwide.
It’s a fantastically simple, but efective,
format. SOUP! in Wells takes place quarterly
in the Connect Centre. Visitors pay £5 at the
door, take a seat and listen to volunteers
from four community groups who each have
four minutes to explain what they do and
then take four questions from the audience.
Everyone assembled is then able to vote on
the group that they feel would beneit most
from the money on ofer.
The money collected at the door is
match-funded by a business sponsor (Wells
Business Centre on the day I attended) and
the organisation with the most votes wins
half the money, whilst the three ‘runners-up’
receive a share of the remainder. As Ross
says: ‘We believe everyone who makes it to
the stage is a winner and deserves to beneit
inancially – over 80 have been helped so

Somerset Life

April 2024

Somerset Life

LIFE & LEISURE
Celebrating our culture and enjoying the county this April
SHEPHERD’S HUT STAYCATION

STARRY-EYED IN BATH

TOP TICKETS

Where better to enjoy a luxury retreat
than 10 minutes up the road?

The brother and sister duo
with royal connections

Have you secured your place
at these prime events?

FARMERS MARKET, FROME

PHOTO:TAMSYNGREGORY

Artist Tamsyn Gregory has lived in and around Somerset
most of her life and her paintings and illustrations relect
her love of the area. Capturing leeting moments in local
towns and landscapes using vibrant colours, Tamsyn’s
unique eye discovers joy and beauty in everyday scenes,
which she paints using traditional and digital media.
Her art works, cards and prints can be found in galleries
across the South West including the Frome collection,
available from The Black Swan Art Gallery Shop.
tamsyngregory.art
@tamsyn_gregory

Somerset Life

April 2024

Lakeside
Luxury
A rural Somerset retreat takes the
shepherd’s hut experience to a whole new level
WORDS:

April 2024

Angharad Paull PHOTOGR APHS: M J Heritage

Somerset Life

SOMERSET STAYCATION

himsical images of stargazing
telescopes under willow trees,
twinkling lakefront gardens,
rustic outdoor kitchens and
steaming tubs are surely what mini break
dreams are made of (and what Instagram was
made for). I have been, somewhat surreally,
stoking the ire of The Shepherd’s Hut
Retreat near Hinton St George for months.
It has, unabashedly, been the object of my
Instagram scrolling afections multiple times
a week. Even Taylor Swift wrote a whole two
albums on such romanticised woodland
escapism, but the reality is also right here
in Somerset. And, as luck would have it,
it was about to become a reality for me too.
As we only live a short ten minute drive
away, you’d think this adults-only, rural
hideaway would be something that I’d never
be able to justify but as a special gift for my
husband’s birthday, I decide to go ahead
and treat him (and me!). I make him shut
his eyes to try and keep the exact location
of the Shepherd’s Hut a mystery. But the
surrounding scenery and approach to the
glamping site is so striking, I have to let him
see. Acre after acre of sweeping green ields,
a narrow country road that drifts of into the
picturesque landscape and a 140 metre-high
mound of a motte and bailey castle (possibly
Norman), which we shortly discover, also
provides the backdrop to our stay.
On arrival, a lengthy driveway lanked by
black metal and timber gates bearing bespoke
lettering (F and C for Fords Croft – the estate’s
working farm) signals the entrance, and sets
the tone for the meticulous attention to detail
that will characterise our getaway. Circling
around the castle hill, it is the water glinting

through the trees, and the six individuallystyled wooden huts all set around a lake
that next attract our attention. Each has its
own private hot tub, kitchen, private garden,
al fresco cooking areas, sumptuous interiors
and eco credentials (they use spring water
from their own well, electricity from a huge
solar array and locally-sourced timber).
The most recent addition, HUT 1898, is the
grandest in both size and style – this is the
one I had my beady eye on, and as I had
imagined, it’s love at irst sight. With the
kind of ‘lived-in’, homely interiors you’d
expect to ind in The PIG hotels, a private
hot tub, ire bowl area, outdoor Ooni pizza
oven, and a gin bar (the irst drink is on them,
with a suggested contribution of £5/drink
thereafter), it could have been designed based
on my very own ‘country escape’ wish list.
Despite its ‘hut’ status, nothing about
this place feels like we might be skimping
on conveniences. This is a level of luxury
that shepherds of old could scarcely have
fathomed. Not only is it a sizeable space, both
inside and outdoors, but everything here
has been carefully considered to enhance
your stay. Kitchen facilities comprise a tworing hob, kettle, toaster, oven, fridge and
sink. Big glass doors that open onto the deck
and a window overlooking the lake beside
the bathroom’s monsoon shower bring the
outside in, and mean you don’t miss out on
lake-gazing opportunities even when indoors.
We quickly get to exploring our little abode
for the night. Both of us are like excited
children pointing out the thoughtful details
to each other – from a jar of marshmallows
to toast over the ire bowl, to a built-in
trivet helpfully placed beside the barbecue. >

above:

The wood-ired hot tub is
the perfect place to relax
right:

The homely interior of
one of the six huts

Somerset Life

April 2024

LA LABEL (RIGHT)

left and
below right:

There’s great
attention to
detail both
inside and
outside the
huts
below left:

Guests can
cook up dinner
in the Ooni
pizza oven

‘We wallow for a while, before heading inside, popping on
the TV and sinking into EGYPTIAN cotton sheets’
Mini toiletries, matching gold kitchenware,
board games, fresh white bathrobes and a
‘roaring’ electric ire add to the charm. And a
discreet TV (plus DVDs) in handsome wooden
shelves that have been strategically placed to
separate the living space from the sleeping
area. A bottle of Prosecco kindly welcomes
us, which will go perfectly with that hot tub.
Talking of which…
The instructions explain that the hot tub
will take around three hours to get up to
temperature, so we start illing it with the
hose and getting the ire going. While we wait,
there’s more exploring to temporarily lure
us from our hideaway, namely snacks from
the honesty shed, a beautifully-renovated,
open-plan 100-year-old barn, housing a yoga
and activity space, wood burner, gym, sauna,
table tennis and pool table, and a woodland
sauna. We secure a one-hour session in the
latter by signing our names in a time slot on a
board outside, grab our towels, and soon ind

April 2024

ourselves peering out through the trees, trying
to spot some nocturnal bird life while we sweat.
The hot tub isn’t quite ready when we return
from the sauna, but in the twilight, the deck
is now glowing with fairy lights and I half
wish we were rustling up pizzas and cosying
down at the hut for the evening. However,
we are child-free for the night, and the law
states we must go out, which isn’t too much
of a hardship given one of our favourite pubs,
The Lord Poulett Arms, is just down the road.
Although walkable from the retreat (about 40
minutes each way), I’d say that’s best saved
for daytime or summer, as when we step away
from our glittering abode, the deep South
Somerset countryside is pitch black, save for
the gleaming eyes of a lone deer caught in
our headlights as we head out for the evening.
Back at the hut after dinner, the water in
our hot tub has reached scorching proportions,
which is easily remedied with a dash of cold
and then it’s ready for us to take a dip in the

dark. We wallow for a while, before heading
inside, popping on the TV and sinking into
Egyptian cotton sheets. Come morning, my
husband is up before dawn to get the hot
tub going again. The fairy lights are still
glowing and the moon is still shining over
the lake when I join him. Wisps of steam rise
bewitchingly from our hot water, as cheerful
bird song and the sound of ducks quacking and
lapping provide the soundtrack. The magnetic
pull of the water and enthusiastic warbling of
the birds are hard to tear myself away from,
but I’m eager to soak up some of Somerset’s
countryside at its inest. There are a number
of walks right on the doorstep, including a
leisurely 20-minute woodland stroll, and a
footpath to the market town of Crewkerne. Of
I trot, counting my lucky stars and revelling
in the magic of it all.
theshepherdshutretreat.co.uk
@theshepherdshutretreat
theshepherdshutretreat@gmail.com

Somerset Life

April 2024

Sir William and Caroline Herschel
hard at work in their house cum
workshop. In a possibly sexist
commentary Sir William appears
to be pondering the ininite while
Caroline lays on the tea. She was
actually a more than capable
astronomer in her own right.
Photo: Colour lithograph by A. Diethe, c.1896,
source – Wellcome Collection.

Sibling Stargazers
With Dr Brian May, lead guitarist of Queen and astrophysicist,
as its patron, Stephen Roberts delves into the celestial
history behind the Herschel Museum of Astronomy in Bath
70

April 2024

Somerset Life

THE HERSCHELS

t never ceases to amaze me, the famous
personages with links to Bath. If Bach
was the star who provided the music (as
per our February issue) then it was the
Herschels who supplied the stargazing. The
funny thing about William Herschel is that
he came to Bath as a musician and ended up
discovering a planet.
Sir (Frederick) William Herschel (17381822) was a German-born British astronomer,
and brother of Caroline Herschel (1750-1848),
who was aptly born in Hanover during the
Hanoverian period. From first visiting
England in 1755 as a young oboist in the
Hanoverian Guards band, he became, in
1766, an organist and teacher in Bath. Sister
Caroline was also Hanover-born where she
stayed in some misery until 1772 when she
joined William in Bath, ostensibly to run

‘In 1773-74 William
made a relecting
telescope which
he used in March
1781 to discover the
planet Uranus’
his household for him, but also with an eye
on a better life. Although unused to being in
the public gaze and only speaking very basic
English to start with, Caroline soon began
performing soprano in concerts staged by
her brother.
William took up astronomy (as you do),
with Caroline acting as his assistant, but also
making her own independent observations
and thereby discovering eight comets,
several nebulae and many star clusters. In
1773-74 William made a relecting telescope
which he used in March 1781 to discover
the planet Uranus, but which he actually
called ‘Georgium Sidus’ (the Georgian
Planet) in honour of King George III. This

historic event occurred at the Herschel
family home, 19 New King Street, in Bath,
which is home to today’s Herschel Museum
of Astronomy. In a moment the self-taught
Herschel had doubled the size of the known
solar system and with nothing more than his
home-made telescope. The Herschels had
moved into New King Street four years earlier,
Caroline commenting, possibly ruefully, that
‘almost every room in the house turned
into a workshop’, William busily ‘grinding
glasses and turning eye pieces’ to create his
epoch-making telescopes.
The following year, 1782, Herschel was
appointed private astronomer, or King’s
Astronomer, to George III, and he continued
his researches, ably abetted by Caroline, but
now in Slough, handily near the royal castle
of Windsor. In 1789 William Herschel erected
another telescope, this time one that was 40
foot long, the biggest of a number of larger
such contraptions that he built. Size isn’t
everything though and despite its bulk it
was not the most accurate of his devices; it
was nevertheless suiciently grandiose to
impress the King. It was lauded as a marvel
of its time and incorporated a speaking tube
such that William, aloft on his observer’s
platform, could communicate with Caroline
down below. In 1798 meanwhile Caroline
was to publish her star catalogue. Although
William acknowledged her as his ‘assistant’,
Caroline was recognised as an astronomer
in her own right and earned money for her
work, which included the discovery of those
eight comets. She was only four foot three
inches tall yet saw further than most who
were taller! William Herschel was knighted
in 1816 and died in 1822, the year that
Caroline returned to Germany. She’d win
the Royal Astronomical Society’s prestigious
Gold Medal in 1828.
Between them they had greatly increased
our knowledge of the solar system, Milky
Way and nebulae. Besides Uranus, William
also discovered two of its moons, and
two of Saturn’s moons, noted the rotation

of Saturn’s rings, the period of Saturn’s
rotation, the motions of binary stars and
the presence of infrared radiation through
his observations of the Sun. He also made
a famed catalogue of double stars and was
the father of another astronomer, Sir John
Frederick William Herschel (1792-1871).

FROM THE PAST TO
THE PRESENT
19 New King Street is part of a terrace which
was built around 1764, very early in the long
reign of George III. The Herschels moved
here in 1777 at a time when the builders were
still in and the unmetalled road on their
doorstep a scene of noise and mess as work
continued. The ive-loor townhouse was
designed with the so-called ‘middling’ sort
in mind, artisans, and it seems discoverers
of Uranus. The Grade II*-listed building has
been fully restored in the authentic style of
the Georgian period and is open to the public
Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm. An annual
pass costs £12 per adult with accompanied
under 18s going in for free.
herschelmuseum.org.uk

above:

William Herschel was
appointed the King’s
Astronomer in 1782
far right:

The music room
at the Herschel
Museum of Astronomy
with telescope
right:

You can enjoy access
to the gardens at the
Herschel Museum of
Astronomy.
Photos: Herschel Museum of
Astronomy/ Bath Preservation Trust

Somerset Life

April 2024

LA LABEL (RIGHT)

Ship to shore
Step aboard this spring to explore the new living
botanical exhibits on the SS Great Britain

nown as the largest passenger
ship of her time, the SS Great
Britain was designed by Isambard
Kingdom Brunel as a transatlantic
service sailing between Bristol and New
York. Since her maiden voyage in 1845
she was in service for over 40 years before
being retired to the Falkland Islands where
she was used as a warehouse ship before
being abandoned. Thankfully, in 1970
monies were raised and SS Great Britain
was brought home to the West Country,
braving 8,000 miles of stormy conditions to
save her from ruin and keep her fascinating
story alive.
Recognised now as one of Bristol’s most
visited tourist attractions, the historic ship
regularly launches new exhibitions and this
spring sees a new living exhibit on the top
deck. Visitors will be invited to step back in
time, immersing themselves in the era when
this ocean liner transported ferns, orchids
and other specimens across the world.
By collaborating with the Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew and the National Archives,
the curators at SS Great Britain have been
able to build a picture of how plants would
have been transported for sometimes

PHOTOS:VISITBRISTOL/ THEBRISTOLNOMAD,

Somerset Life

weeks at a time. Cargo manifests and
passenger diaries have also revealed details
which have enabled the team at SS Great
Britain to partner with local gardeners
so that accurate Wardian Cases can be
recreated for visitors to fully experience
botanical life aboard.
Whilst embracing this unique moment in
time, visitors will also be invited to try their
hand at lower pressing and Victorian crafts
whilst creating their own cyanotypes – an
early photography technique to record plant
specimens. Keep an eye out for talks and
tours which will focus on botanicals and
how they have inluenced our medicines
and cosmetics.
A longside Brunel ’s eng ineering
masterpiece the SS Great Britain, you can
also visit the Brunel Institute free of charge
which houses a comprehensive maritime
collection including access to objects from
the archive vault. It’s also worth noting
that if you visit on a Sunday you can book a
table in the ship’s opulent First Class Dining
Saloon and enjoy a roast dinner whilst being
surrounded by Victorian memorabilia.
SS Great Britain is open Tuesday to
Sunday, 10-5 ssgreatbritain.org

above:

Plants crossed oceans in
Wardian Cases like these aboard
the SS Great Britain
below:

Explore the various exhibitions this
spring aboard the SS Great Britain
and enjoy a roast dinner
on a Sunday!

April 2024

Somerset Life

WHAT’S ON
COMPILED BY:

Laurence Mcjannet

Somerset Life

PHOTO:FROMTHEFILMETERNALFLAME,BANFFMOUNTAINFILMFESTIVAL

Guide to
THE BEST
events in
April

CINEMA

Banf Mountain Film Festival
Action-packed adventure returns to the big screen
at Bristol’s Victoria Rooms this month. The Banf
Mountain Film Festival World Tour comes to town
with another spectacular cinematic programme
of ilms, from mountain biking across America to
skiing in Kyrgyzstan. It’s the most comprehensive
collection of new works by some of the inest

adventure ilm-makers from around the world.
There are two diferent ilm programmes to choose
from, or for double the action come to both.
From 7.30pm April 11-13 Victoria Rooms,
Bristol £17 or £15.50 for concessions,
plus booking fee
banf-uk.com

April 2024

WHAT'S ON

COMEDY

CHRIS McCAUSLAND: Yonks!
Following his recent sold-out tour including
over 140 dates, Chris is back on the road
with his new show Yonks! He’s been
called an ‘overnight success’, even though
he’s been doing this for ‘bloody yonks’,
performing stand-up for two decades and
now a regular face on British television. He’s
an established favourite on such lagship
comedy shows as Have I Got News for
You, Would I Lie to You?, QI and The Last
Leg, and last year presented his own travel
series on Channel 4, Wonders of the World
I Can’t See. Yonks! promises to be Chris
McCausland’s biggest show yet.
From 8pm. April 3 Forum, Bath.
£22.50 plus booking fee
bathforum.co.uk

COMEDY

DANIEL FOXX: Villain
What’s a little evil amongst friends?
Fresh from a sell-out extended run at the
Edinburgh Fringe and New York City, TikTok
starlet Daniel Foxx brings his sensational
debut show Villain – about childhood, Tilda
Swinton and bullying (but in a chic way) –
to the Hen & Chicken in Bristol. With his
trademark wit and grandmother’s pearls,
Daniel takes us back to the 2000s, and his
formative years, when the Special K diet was
all the rage and the only queer representation
on our screens was Aladdin’s nemesis, Jafar.
From 8pm. April 11 Hen & Chicken,
Bristol. £15 henandchicken.com

EXHIBITION

These Mad Hybrids
EXHIBITION

Earth, Wind, Water And
Fire

PHOTO:LUCYEVANS

ACEArts in Somerton hosts an immersive and thoughtprovoking exhibition of works by artists Lucy Evans,
Elizabeth Raeburn and Rodney Lawrence, which runs
until May 25. Each exhibit, whether a landscape on canvas
or ceramic, embraces the elemental aspects of nature
in some way. Open from Tuesday to Saturday, from
10am to 5pm. ACEArts also holds a wide range of artist
workshops - from charcoal drawing to pottery painting.
From April 13 ACEArts, Somerton Free acearts.co.uk
76

April 2024

Running until May 12 at Bristol’s RWA,
These Mad Hybrids comprises a collection
of ceramic sculptures made by abstract
painter John Hoyland RA in dialogue with
a spectacular, international assembly of
contemporary sculpture by artists including
Phyllida Barlow and Hew Locke. A display
of paintings by Hoyland shows the dynamic
connection between his sculptures and work
on canvas. Curated by sculptor Olivia Bax
in collaboration with Sam Cornish and Wiz
Patterson Kelly of The John Hoyland Estate,
the exhibition is inspired by a group of unique
ceramic sculptures by Hoyland, which he
afectionately called his ‘mad little hybrids’.
This is the irst public display of the ceramics
since 1994, and their irst presentation
alongside Hoyland’s abstract paintings from
the 1960s to 2010s.
Throughout April at RWA Bristol.
£9.90, concessions £5.45.
rwa.org.uk

Somerset Life

WHAT'S ON

EXHIBITION

IMAGE:MUSÉED’IXELLES-BRUXELLES

Toulouse-Lautrec And The Masters Of Montmartre
Blockbuster exhibition Toulouse-Lautrec
and the Masters of Montmartre will open at
the Victoria Art Gallery in Bath this month,
running until the end of September. Artwork
featuring Montmartre, cancan dancers, the
‘Chat Noir’, and characters from the Moulin
Rouge will transport visitors to turn-of-the20th century bohemian Paris in this vibrant
exhibition. This is the only chance to see
Lautrec’s complete collection of around 100
posters exhibited together in the UK before
it moves to a permanent home at the Musée
d’Ixelles in Belgium.
From April 26. Victoria Gallery, Bath.
£10, concessions £9, children £3.50
victoriagal.org.uk

DAYTIME

TALK

THEATRE

Mark Thompson’s Spectacular
Science Show

JOHN ROBB: Do You Believe In
The Power Of Rock ‘N’ Roll?

YOU’RE BARD

You think science is boring? Well, think
again – this is science like you have never
seen it before! Designed for children and
adults alike, Mark’s Thompson’s Spectacular
Science Show explores the strange and
magical properties of matter with exploding
elephant’s toothpaste, vortex-generating
dustbins and even howling jelly babies!
Awarded ‘Best Kid’s Show at Edinburgh
Fringe’ by The Derek Awards, this interactive
show promises to entertain and educate in
the most innovative and spectacular way.
From 2.30pm. April 7 2024.
McMillan Theatre, Bridgwater.
£17, under-16s £15
mcmillantheatre.com

Author, musician, journalist and
presenter John Robb brings his new UK
tour celebrating his life in music to the
Folk House in Bristol. In it he discusses
everything from his recently released book
The Art Of Darkness – The History of Goth
to his experience being the irst person
to interview Nirvana, his coining of the
term ‘Britpop’ and his adventures on the
post-punk frontline. John Robb is a manyfaceted creature. Not just a well-known face
from TV, he is also a best-selling author,
musician, journalist, presenter, pundit,
music website boss, publisher, festival boss,
eco-warrior, vegan behemoth and talking
head singer from post-punk mainstays
The Membranes.
April 19. The Folk House, Bristol.
£15 plus booking fee.
bristolfolkhouse.co.uk

THEATRE

The Passion Of Living Spit
Come to the Tobacco Factory in Bristol for
a hilarious theatrical journey through the
life and unfortunate death of the bearded,
ethnically ambiguous ofspring of God,
Jesus H. Christ. The show features all of
JC’s greatest hits including water into wine
and loaves and ishes, as well as parables
and miracles galore! And with a holy host of
reimagined Easter hymns, this promises to
be a Sunday school lesson unlike any other.
With a dash of irreverent wit, a sprinkle of
divine inspiration and a hearty helping of
tasteless biblical bufoonery, The Passion
of Living Spit promises to give a whole new
meaning to the term ‘cross-dressing’.
From 7.30pm with some 2.30pm matinees.
Until April 13. Tobacco Factory, Bristol.
£20, concessions £16
tobaccofactorytheatres.com

Somerset Life

MAGIC SHOW

The Greatest Magician
Following a sell-out run in 2022, James
Phelan – the magician most infamous
for jamming the BBC switchboard after
correctly predicting the lottery numbers
– arrives at the Komedia in Bath with a
dazzling new show for 2024. James is a
polished showman and raconteur and his
new theatrical project will leave you dizzy
with disbelief. If you’re lucky enough to get
tickets before they sell out, you’ll see why
The List magazine called this show ‘the one
to watch in the world of magic’.
April 2.
Komedia Bath £24.50
komediabath.co.uk

Taunton’s Brewhouse Theatre presents
Shakespeare like you’ve never seen. Four
actors, four Shakespeare plays. Endless
possibilities. You – the audience –
decide everything, from the play to the
performance style. Even which actor plays
which part. This hilarious, unpredictable
new show, featuring actors whose past
experience includes the RSC, Bristol Old
Vic, Cheltenham Everyman and the West
End promises an unforgettable evening of
Shakespeare that will never be repeated.
From 7.30pm. April 5.
Brewhouse, Taunton £21.50
tauntonbrewhouse.co.uk
CL ASSICAL MUSIC

GILDAS QUARTET
Ilminster Arts Centre hosts an evening
of classical music, including pieces by
Haydn, Debussy and Puccini, performed
by the Gildas Quartet. Praised for their
energy, verve and refreshing approach, the
quartet have performed to critical acclaim
at major venues including the Bridgwater
Hall, Purcell Room and Wigmore Hall, as
well as live on BBC Radio 3. Determined
to bring the visceral experience of string
quartet performance to audiences at
close quarters, the Gildas launched their
immersive ‘Surround Sound Sessions’
project in 2019. This series ranges from
short one-work ‘pop-up’ concerts in unusual
settings to full-length recitals, with the
audience literally in the midst of the players,
in surround sound.
From 7.30pm. April 19.
Ilminster Arts Centre £18
ilminsterartscentre.com

April 2024

EXHIBITION

OLIVIA BAX: Cavalcade

PHOTO:TIMBOWDITCH

For her irst solo exhibition at Bo Lee and
Workman, artist Olivia Bax creates new
work to occupy the distinctive architecture
of the former Methodist church. A cluster of
enigmatic forms stand in the balcony pews
like a choir, quietly observing the sculptures
from which they have been separated. The
latter have either taken their position on the
loor or are hanging of the gallery walls.
The closer one gets, the true complexity of
Bax’s work becomes more apparent. The
sculptures conjure up the human body, both
in their scale and form, so that they become
both the spectacle and the spectators in this
unique Cavalcade.
Until April 13. Bo Lee & Workman,
Bruton. Free admission.
boleeworkman.com

THEATRE

What’s Next?

PHOTO:STUARTMCCLYMONT

Alice Roberts
Join anthropologist, author and broadcaster Professor
Alice Roberts as she reveals the inspiration behind her novel,
Wolf Road - in which she takes readers on a journey into the
Ice Age. Find out about the archaeology that informed the
book, from stone tools and animal bones to painted caves
and carved mammoth ivory. And discover how cutting edge
science is challenging and changing our ideas about the deep
past and bringing our ancient ancestors into focus,
letting us see them more clearly than ever before.
From 7.30pm, April 20. Cedars Hall, Wells £18.50
cedarshallwells.co.uk
78

April 2024

Somerset Life

PHOTO:MIDDLEWEIGHTTHEATRECOMPANY

TALKS

The intimate venue of Bristol’s Alma
Theatre and Tavern is the ideal setting for
a performance by Exeter-based Middle
Weight Theatre Company. Returning from
an award-nominated 2023 UK tour, the
touring company presents its latest original
comedy-drama, recounting the incredible life
of Harriet Quimby, the irst woman to ly solo
across the English Channel, and uncovering
the historical event left unheard of for over a
century. From 8pm, April 17-19.
Alma Tavern and Theatre, Bristol.
£14, concessions £12
almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

Somerset Life

April 2024

PHOTOS:TOMHAYES

SOCIAL DIARY

£22,000 raised for
St Margaret’s Hospice
n evening of glitz and glamour was enjoyed
by 270 elegantly dressed supporters at the
St Margaret’s Hospice Charity Ball. Following a
meal at Taunton School – the perfect scene for
an extraordinary evening – rale winners were delighted
as they collected bespoke hampers, bottles of izz and a
huge TV. Guests were also encouraged to bid on a range of
auction prizes donated by local businesses and supporters
including Exeter Chiefs tickets, a Mulberry handbag, and
a luxury holiday to Antigua. As Greenslade Taylor Hunt
Auctioneer, Jamie Batt brought the hammer down on the
last auction lot, reaching an incredible total of £22,000
of fundraising for the night, the dance loor came alive
as local sensation Haus Band took centre stage.

A
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April 2024

Kerry Baillie, community partnerships manager at
St Margaret’s, said: ‘This year’s charity ball was a
wonderful success – not only in terms of the funds raised
but the shared sense of purpose and community spirit
that illed the room. The £22,000 generously donated by
our supporters will enable us to continue to provide vital
care and support to people across Somerset, whenever
they need it, and we’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks
to everyone who made this a night to remember.’
The charity ball will be back in 2025 as the hospice
celebrates its 45th anniversary. For ways to get involved,
from sponsoring the ball to donating items or getting
your booking in early to reserve your table, contact
charityball@st-margarets-hospice.org.uk.

Somerset Life

April 2024

PHOTOGRAPHS:NICKWILLIAMS

SOCIAL DIARY

Photographs from the 2023 Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism Awards at The Bristol Hotel

Tourism Awards
Open for Entries
he Bristol, Bath & Somerset Tourism Awards
opens for entrants on April 8 and will close
on June 23. The awards are free to enter and
with more than 20 to choose from, one of the
main questions has to be – which categories will you be
applying for? The awards are open to small, medium and
large businesses from Somerset including the cities of
Bristol and Bath. The judges are keen to receive entries
from across the county and are used to comparing
businesses of very diferent types and sizes. A series
of online workshops is being run to support businesses
which have never entered before or those who would
like some help with their entry forms. Details of these
and all the award categories for 2024 can be found at
somersettourismawards.org.uk.

T
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April 2024

The awards can make a huge diference to both your
business and your team, says Deborah Stanyon from the
Porlock Information Centre. ‘We were delighted to achieve
Silver in the ‘Information Centre of the Year’ category. We
are a self-funding, volunteer-led centre and this award
gives our team a great morale boost and conirmation
that they go above and beyond in the services which we
ofer. It keeps the beautiful Porlock Vale in the spotlight
and gives us a great opportunity for extra promotion.’
Somerset Life magazine sponsors the awards annually.
Last year we were delighted to present the Gold Spa &
Wellbeing Experience of the Year Award to the Aztec
Hotel & Spa in Bristol. The 2024 Bristol, Bath & Somerset
Tourism Awards will be held on December 5 at Batch
Country House in Bleadon.

Somerset Life

April 2024

Somerset Life

A CHANGE OF ART
Join Emma Bovill as she opens doors to art and explores the creative scene in Somerset

PHOTO:ELLENMULCRONE

PHOTO:PIPPAO’KEEFE

KEEPING
CREATIVITY CASUAL
Tholos, slate tiles, by Ellen Mulcrone at Moorwood Art

Art amidst the bluebells
What warmer invitation to enjoy art than
in the context of a home. An idiosyncratic
space devoid of white walls and engineered
lighting. A human environment where
art interacts with the everyday. This is
what Camilla Drinkall, and by extension
her family, offer at Moorwood Art, a
contemporary ine art gallery in a cottage
nestled in an ancient bluebell wood
near Bruton.
Inspired by the concept of a gallery within
a home from trips to New Zealand, where
she encountered them regularly, and making
the most of her background as an interior
stylist, Camilla has been opening her doors
since 2010 and runs group exhibitions twice
a year, one in spring and one leading up to
Christmas. A proportion of the proceeds of
every sale is donated to charity.
Each two-week event is bookended with
a preview and ‘end of’ party and Camilla
takes as much joy in these uplifting socially
orientated events as in the exhibitions
themselves and the bustle of the pack down,
unhanging and wrapping artworks ready for
them to travel from her home to someone
else’s, interacting with buyers as they come
to collect their chosen pieces.
‘It’s wonderful having the shows in our
home. It feels very relaxed and it’s not a
perfect house and in a strange way I think
that helps,’ explains Camilla. ‘I enjoy being
the link between the artist and the buyer

Somerset Life

and the happiness that brings to everyone.
No one buys art unless they love it, and a red
dot sticker will make a very happy artist and
is a big reason why I do this work.’
Moorwood Art’s location on the outskirts
of the village of Redlynch means even
getting there is part of the adventure. Once
visitors have found their way along a track
through the trees, where sculptures are
displayed as part of the exhibitions, they
encounter a warm welcome in a living,
breathing ecosystem provided by both the
woodland and inside Camilla’s home.
It’s no surprise that she relishes visiting
participating artists or that Camilla also
works with people in their own homes to
hang art, recognising the intricacies and
nuances of the process, the interplay between
individual artworks and where they’re placed
and the potential for reimagination and
change over time. Curation and installation
are crafts Camilla both delights and excels in.
‘It’s fun to discover how many diferent
types of space artists work in, I go to some
incredible studios and have a good rummage
around,’ reveals Camilla. ‘I choose art that
speaks to me, with colour, composition and
subject matter being the main reasons why
I go for something. I ind I go into a ‘zone’
when choosing the art for a show so each piece
its and works with others in the exhibition.’
moorwoodart.com
@moorwoodart.bruton

Sometimes we all just need a bit of
fun, and if art can’t stake a claim in this
space then it would be a great shame.
Pop up social evening organisers Pour
& Draw have got the balance just right,
hosting twice a month, light-hearted art
sessions across Bath.
Launched in November 2023,
they have collaborated with venues
including Hauslife homeware and
lifestyle shop, creating a cosy Danish
den and hygge vibe in their lounge
space to spark conviviality and
creativity, the Hidden concept store
(above) and Robyn’s Yoga Studio.
The artistic focus lexes with each
event and venue, from life drawing
to capturing live musicians as they
perform, and the pour element often
has a seasonal feel, ranging from
cockle-warming hot chocolate from
local suppliers Harth Chocolate to a
refreshing glass of Aperol.
Pour & Draw is about unwinding the
mind and enlivening the spirit and
lends itself to meet ups with friends,
taking the pressure off a date, an
evening without the kids or a funky
work social. They also curate private
events and have organised a fundraiser
for the Samaritans.
‘We offer a little motivation to get out
via an organised event but nothing too
serious, an antidote to the busy day to
day,’ explains founder Pippa O’Keefe.
‘People can enjoy a creative space with
a theme where there are no egos; it’s
really welcoming and sociable. As one
guest said: “You just start drawing”.’
pouranddraw.com

April 2024

Somerset Life

OUTDOOR LIFE
Making the most of our county’s greatest gift
BRISTOL’S BOUNTY

BEACH DAY

ITALIAN LINKS

Let’s explore the green
spaces of the city

Follow our guided walk for
shipwreck sightings and sea air

What connects the
Mendip Hills to Rome?

WALK & TALK
This year sees the Bath Royal Literary and Scientiic Institution
(BRLSI) celebrate its 200th anniversary by hosting a packed
calendar of events. Known as a centre for learning and information
sharing, BRLSI has contributed to culture and academic study in
the city. On April 23 you can join the ‘Canals, coal mines & the
science of geology’ walk from 10.30am to 12.30pm. In the early
1800s important advances were made in and around Bath in the

Somerset Life

‘new science’ of geology. This walk will visit several locations in
the city centre which were signiicant to the industrialisation of
Britain and explain why, at its formation, BRLSI saw itself as ‘the
cradle of English geology.’
There are several walks arranged for the year ahead including
‘Nelson & Bath’ and ‘Bath in the 1850s vs today’ – all of which can
be booked via brlsi.org/whatson

April 2024

BRISTOL
in
BLOOM
WORDS:

PHOTO:ANGHARADPAULL

As spring irmly takes hold, it’s the perfect time to
venture out of hibernation and see Bristol’s gardens
in full bloom. Here’s our pick of the city’s best
gardens including a vast estate in rolling countryside,
an intricate Tudor-style knot garden, an urban
nature reserve and a Victorian garden cemetery
Angharad Paull

PHOTO:ANGHARADPAULL

UNIVERSITY OF
BRISTOL BOTANICAL
GARDENS
This botanic garden in Stoke Bishop
is often overlooked by locals. Within
the ive-acre site there are four core
plant collections, inviting visitors
to stroll through several distinctly
diferent worlds. Wander through
prehistoric flora in Evolution to
tropical vegetation and vibrant
displays in the Mediterranean Climate
Regions section, to a recognisable
English country garden mix. Learn
about medicinal plants, marvel at
verdant glass houses teeming with
exotic species and discover an African
Rondavel. The garden hosts a variety
of events during the year (don’t miss
the Easter Sculpture Festival March 29
-April 1), plus a diverse programme of
gardening courses.
botanic-garden.bristol.ac.uk

April 2024

Somerset Life

BRISTOL

ROYAL FORT GARDENS
Originally designed by English landscape
architect Humphry Repton in 1800 (who
also has Ashton Court gardens in his
portfolio), the sloping green lawns belong
to the University of Bristol, but are open to
the public for most of the year. Last year,
the gardens were bestowed with a coveted
Green Flag Award and are the perfect spot
for hill-rolling and picnicking. Visitors

are encouraged to explore – seek out a
wildlower garden and public artworks;
dart in and out of Jeppe Hein’s mirrored
labyrinth (a favourite with kids) and be
wowed by ‘modernist grotto’, Hollow,
created using 10,000 tree samples from
across the globe by Katie Paterson and
architects Zeller & Moye. bristol.ac.uk/
external-estate/historicgardens/

THE RED LODGE

PHOTO:IANSTORROR

Behind an unassuming red door on
Park Row lies a 16th century house
with a captivating history and an
Elizabethan-style knot garden.
Following a restoration in the 80s, the
garden was redesigned to showcase
how it might have looked when the
house was built over 400 years ago,
drawing inspiration from plasterwork
designs in the master bedroom, one
of Bristol’s oldest rooms.
Brimming with plants reminiscent
of English gardens before 1630, the
borders complement the Tudor knot
garden trend.
Red Lodge is open to the public from
April until mid-December. One of the
best times to visit to see the garden in
all its glory is in late May/June when
the roses are in bloom.
bristolmuseums.org.uk/
red-lodge-museum

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April 2024

BRISTOL

PHOTO:ANGHARADPAULL

BRANDON HILL
When Brandon Hill Nature Reserve was
opened by Sir David Attenborough back in
the 1980s, it was a pioneering testament
to urban conservation, and remains a
haven for wildlife to this day. In spring,
the meadow glows with cowslips, while
summer introduces the likes of daisies
and knapweed. Located just of Bristol’s
steep Park Street and framed by handsome
Georgian houses, views soar over rooftops

90 Cheshire Life: <%+1m><%M> <%Y>

and boat masts to the distant Mendip hills.
The century-old Cabot Tower, surrounded
by a pretty water garden, stands as the best
vantage point in the sloping Brandon Hill
park. Accessible via steep, winding steps
to the top, those that dare make the climb
will be treated to phenomenal views in
every direction.
avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/naturereserves/brandon-hill

A short hop across Clifton Suspension Bridge and you’re in Ashton Court’s whopping 800
acres of parkland. It’s a favourite with mountain bikers, horse riders, golfers, dog walkers
and families, who lock here for countryside ventures close to the city (whose rainbowcoloured houses can be seen in the distance). At the heart of the woodland, deer park and
green grassy areas, lies a 16th century manor house surrounded by formal sunken gardens,
and a pond, with lower-illed borders and 160 species of rose. Tree lovers rejoice! The
estate is home to a large number of unusual tree species, including gargantuan redwoods
and a 700-year-old Domesday Oak.
bristol.gov.uk/page/leisure-and-culture/ashton-court-estate

ARNOS VALE
CEMETERY

NATIONAL TRUST
TYNTESFIELD

Established in 1839, this Victorian
garden cemetery, set among 45 acres
of woodland, was Bristol General
Cemetery Company’s solution to
overcrowded, unhygienic 19th
century parish graveyards. On a
hillside surrounded by fields, a
scenic, nature-illed environment was
created, with architecture mirroring
classical Greece. Arnos Vale is now
a peaceful sanctuary in a bustling
urban environment. Winding paths
lead visitors through evergreens and
woodland, grassland dotted with
wildlowers, and a community garden.
Pick up or download the Discovery
Trail or Woodland Walk map, keeping
an eye out for fairy doors, wildlife and
monuments honouring notable former
Bristol residents.
arnosvale.org.uk

Just seven miles from Bristol, the
National Trust’s Victorian Gothic
Revival mansion house is surrounded
by 540 acres of picturesque parkland,
woodland and gardens. The driveway,
lanked by topiary yews gives you a
glimpse of the horticultural delights
that await, largely unchanged since
the early 1900s. Large open lawns sit
alongside formal terraces that burst
with colourful bulbs in spring, while
a rose garden with Mendip views
and two restored Victorian gazebos
is a treat for the senses, with over 100
highly-fragrant roses. There’s also
an arboretum showcasing champion
trees, an orangery, a cut-lower garden
and an impressive kitchen garden
which supplies produce for the on-site
Cow Barn restaurant.
nationaltrust.org.uk

PHOTO:ANGHARADPAULL

ASHTON COURT ESTATE

April 2024

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GARDENING TIPS
Jane Earthy of Monkton Elm Garden Centre gives some seasonal advice

JOBS IN THE
APRIL GARDEN
Its time to be organised now, as the
gardening year ramps up another
level. Make a regular checklist of what
tasks need to be undertaken, breaking
it down into manageable chunks so
you don’t become overwhelmed.
This is an ideal time to move evergreen
trees and shrubs, if necessary.
Mulch borders with compost to feed
plants and conserve moisture.
Tie in climbers as they grow,
and start supporting rapidly
growing herbaceous plants such
as Delphiniums and Peonies.
Trim winter lowering heathers – a
good shear over the top works well.

Many Euphorbias (spurge) are at their
lowering best during spring, and as one of
the largest plant genera in existence, there
really is a Euphorbia for every garden. In
fact, there are well over 2,000 species and
cultivars found across the world, some low
growing and statuesque, others sun loving
and shade tolerant, or found from woodland
to desert – the list goes on. Some non-hardy
Euphorbias are treated as houseplants in the
UK, such as our favourite Christmas plant,
the Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) and
the cactus-like succulent, Euphorbia horrida
aka African Milk Barrel (‘horrida’ means
‘spiny’ in its native South Africa).
Here I focus on some of my favourite
garden varieties that do well for me and suit
diferent gardening styles. I grow several
Euphorbias in my garden, but my favourite
is E. characia subsp. wolfenii. This tough
sun lover is statuesque and architectural,
reaching 1.5m tall and perhaps a metre wide.
The impactful heads are actually numerous
bracts surrounding tiny lowers, so their
lime green colour persists for weeks after
the lowers fade. From the mediterranean,
it will thrive in gravel gardens in full sun,
or a sunny border, which is where it resides
in my garden, surrounded by the perennial
walllower Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’ and
Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ – a delightful
combination. Cut out old lowering stems –

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fresh growth is already waiting in the wings
to lower the following year.
E. ‘Silver Swan’ is a lovely cultivar has
silvery leaf margins that seem to glow in the
dark and is around 1m fully grown. Perhaps
plant with grasses. A harsh winter might
see it of however, so protect if necessary or
grow in a pot that can be moved under cover.
For part shade, Euphorbia griffithii
may be for you. It also has the advantage
of tolerating heavy soil. Useful for diicult
areas under trees, it’s a vigorous spreading
plant that reaches around 1m x 1m, with
red and orange ‘lowers’, along with decent
autumn colour. For deeper shade, choose
the tried and tested E. amygdaloides var.
robbiae. It thrives under trees and will
form a carpet of upright lime green lowers
during early summer, against attractive
dark evergreen foliage. This wood spurge
should be chopped back each autumn to
keep it in check.
E. myrsinites is a spring flowering
evergreen spurge that forms a low carpet
of waxy blue leaves, with contrasting lime
green lowers just 10cm high. I have seen
this looking fantastic in a hanging basket.
All Euphorbias exude a milky sap
which is an irritant, so wear gloves when
working with or near them. They can also
be short lived – expect to replace them every
four years or so.

Slightly tender perennials such as
Penstemon can be pruned back
now to encourage fresh growth.
Deadhead lowering bulbs as
they fade, leaving foliage to die
back naturally to feed the bulb.
Feed lawns now.

PHOTO:GETTY

Spring Blooms

Sow tender vegetables such as
beans and courgettes. Use single
pots or modular seed trays and
keep warm until germinated.

April 2024

W.H.HUDSON

BIRDS of
WISDOM
Somerset was a favourite destination
for campaigning conservationist and
author William Henry Hudson
WORDS:

n imposing oil painting dominates
the main meeting room at the
UK headquarters of the Royal
Society for the Protection of
Birds (RSPB). Curious about the person in
the portrait, I began a quest to rediscover
William Henry Hudson (1841–1922). I
traced the ield naturalist’s path through a
dramatic and turbulent era: from Hudson’s
journey to Britain from Argentina in 1874
to the unveiling by the prime minister of a
monument and bird sanctuary in his honour
50 years later, in Hyde Park, London.
Hudson came from South America to the
land of his ancestors, to seek his fortune
as a naturalist. Before he was born in 1841,
Hudson’s North American parents had
moved to Argentina to ind a better life on
the untamed Pampas frontier.
In 1895, 20 years after his arrival in
England, and when at last he had found some
success as an author and could aford it, one
of the irst long expeditions Hudson launched
from his London base was to the Westcountry.
Hudson was by this time helping to
establish the Society for the Protection
of Birds, of which he was the only male
founder among a group of dedicated
women focused on saving wild birds from
widespread destruction. He felt the draw of
the South West and the land of his paternal
forefathers. In spring 1895, Hudson explored
the Quantocks. ‘Last evening I spent with
an old gamekeeper,’ he reported, ‘he gave
me the history of his twenty-ive years’ rule,

Hudson’s inluence
ensured that pole
traps were banned,
preserving barn owls
for the future

Somerset Life

Conor Mark Jameson

and how he had succeeded in exterminating
all the hawks and ravens. The owls, he said,
he did not shoot, as they did no injury, but
they got caught in the pole-traps and there
were none left.’
Pole traps would be banned within a
decade, with Hudson’s inluence key.
‘I hope in a day or two before quitting
Somerset to send a letter to one of the local
papers,’ he wrote in a letter from Exford,
‘asking the people of this lovely county to do
something to prevent the extermination of
so many beautiful species.’
His campaigning zeal was tireless. With
growing success as an author, Hudson was
able to take longer rambles. In early 1899
he returned to Somerset and stayed for at
least ive weeks, visiting Limpley Stoke
and Englishcombe, and setting out for
Combe Hay.
‘I was greatly amused at an old farmer I met,
a very primitive looking old man, in a shabby
old great-coat, in a trap drawn by a lazy old
pony. He asked me to get up and he would
take me a mile on my way. I suppose he took
me for a “commercial” and asked me what
I was “circulating”. I answered that I was
“circulating my own blood” at which he smiled
grimly. His talk was one long grumble about
farm life and the injustice of people and the
nature of things… meanwhile he had taken
me by the roughest steepest narrowest lane I
was ever in, on to a great desolate down; then
he set me down and waved his arm and said
that I would ind Combe Hay “over there” ... >
April 2024

W.H.HUDSON

I think he only wanted to have a talk and to
get it took me out of my way. However I saw
some interesting stone quarries and got back
to Bath about dark.’
In 1905 Hudson returned to Wells after a
ive-year gap. By this time he was revered by
many illustrious names in literature – John
Galsworthy and Joseph Conrad among them.
Conrad famously said of Hudson that he
‘writes as the grass grows’. Some of Hudson’s
dispatches from Somerset epitomise the
beautiful simplicity of his prose.
‘I came by Shepton Mallet and walked from
there in the afternoon,’ he wrote. ‘A lovely
walk, by running water in a pretty deep valley,
with ine hills, big masses of stone cropping
out, on either side.’

memories, and looking for people I knew.
Those I particularly wished to see are gone…
to go and see them elsewhere would be a
mistake – they were part of Bath – my Bath,
which is a rather peculiar place with a smell
and feel and colour and shape and above
all an expression which makes it unlike all
other places on earth. The loss… hurts me
as much as it would to see a portion of the
west front of the abbey pulled down… I have
had an hour this morning wallowing in hot
water and sweating in blankets …’
The following spring, he stayed for the
second half of April on Cathedral Green at
Wells, calling it ‘a delightful little city and
I shall leave it with sorrow at the end of the
week. The cathedral here is wonderfully

‘His talk was one long grumble
about farm life and the injustice of
people and the nature of things’
He had just been to the morning service
in the cathedral. He was fond of a stirring
sermon and a rousing choir. ‘There was
Bishop Kenyon in the pulpit. I had not heard
nor seen him for nine years, and he looked the
same as of old – the likeness of a good solid
British working man – and not much older,
tho’ greyer about his mutton-chop whiskers.’
While in Bath he found the house of two
ladies who were to type his notes. ‘They were,
I fancy, somewhat startled at the apparition
of so big a man in their small interior – one
whose head came within an inch of two of the
low ceiling: they seemed timid and troubled
and anxious in their minds when I gave
them my scrawl to decipher and copy… and
they gratiied my De Quincey-like craving
to know everything about the life of every
person I meet…’
In February 1908 he was once again
writing from Bath, conlicted. ‘I must make
up my mind whether to go to the morning
service or for a walk. I want to do both and am
like the donkey between two bundles of hay.’
‘I’ve been strolling about in the rain – now
it is ine again – picking up old threads, or

beautiful … it is so richly decorated that
over two hundred jackdaws ind comfortable
nesting holes behind the statues’.
Hudson made a pilgrimage to Glastonbury
at midsummer in 1910. He spoke of ‘the
sympathy I have always cherished for the
Mystics of all times and religions… who
take us out of this material world.’ There
was something of the mystic in Hudson.
His close friends often remarked on
his magnetism. It owed much to his
mysterious origins.
‘The tribes of the pampas had – one cannot
say have – a sort of supernatural religion
& set of beliefs about the future life of the
soul...’ Hudson wrote. ‘They believed in a
passage from earth to a spirit world by way
of certain lakes – a lake, any laguna, which
served as a passage to a ghost...’
Hudson lived to the age of 81. Right to
the end he was working feverishly to inish
two books, one about Britain’s lost birds.
Many of the losses he lamented have since
been restored, thanks in large part to the
conservation movement he helped to create.
He would take a lot of comfort from that.

BOOK TALK

above:

Hudson explored
The Quantocks in the
spring of 1895
Photo: Acceleratorhams, Getty

right:

The oil painting of
W.H. Hudson which
adorns the walls of the
RSPB Headquarters.
Courtesy: Conor Jameson

Conor is giving a talk at St Andrew’s Community Church in Combe
Down, Bath, on April 17. Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.
(RSPB members £3.50/ non-members £4.50) Conor’s talk will trace
the ield naturalist’s path through a dramatic and turbulent era: from
Hudson’s journey to Britain from Argentina in 1874 to the unveiling by
the prime minister of a monument and bird sanctuary in his honour
50 years later, in Hyde Park, London. At its core, this extraordinary
story reveals Hudson’s deep inluence on the creation of his beloved
Bird Society by its founding women, and the rise of the conservation
movement. Finding W.H Hudson - The Writer Who Came to Britain to
Save the Birds is published by Pelagic Publishing and available to buy
for £17.99 from pelagicpublishing.com

April 2024

far right:

In April 1909, Hudson
stayed in Wells and
noticed how jackdaws
found comfortable
nesting holes behind
the statues at Wells
Cathedral.
Photo: Chris Dorney, Getty

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April 2024

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April 2024

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SECRET WORLD
Pauline Kidner, founder of charity Secret World Wildlife Rescue in East Huntspill

L ET’S TA L K A BOU T:

Nature’s Miracles
he start of spring sees the miracle
of life taking place all around us
– often without us being aware. A
chrysalis emerges from the soil as a
butterly. Hedgehogs and dormice come out of
hibernation ready to mate. Aquatic creatures
emerge as insects – and in turn feed all kinds
of wildlife. We depend on many of them to
pollinate our food.
Spring mornings begin with the sounds
of diferent species of birds singing and
protecting their territory. Birds will also be
inding food for their mate who is probably
sitting incubating the eggs in the nest.
When we used to rear rare breeds of poultry,
I was fascinated by incubation, whether it was
eggs under a broody hen or in an incubator.
The fact that there is everything in an egg
to become a chick – from the calcium in the
shell to the protein, minerals and vitamins in
the albumen. As the incubation continues it

Somerset Life

is noticeable that the shell becomes thinner
as the chick absorbs the calcium as it grows.
Domestic poultry and wild birds such as
moorhens or mallard ducks have a yolk that is
bigger than the garden birds. This is because
the chick absorbs two thirds of it into its
stomach as it hatches. They can therefore
survive for at least two days as they learn to
feed themselves, although still dependant on
their mothers for warmth.
Garden birds, as an example, have a
small yolk in their egg and it is all used up
for the development of the chick. When it
hatches it will be very vulnerable as it will
not have grown any feathers and will be
totally dependant on the parents for food.
The incubation period is much shorter as they
don’t have to develop so far, and this will only
be 11-12 days in comparison with 20-22 for
the moorhen or 28 days for a duckling. With
really brightly coloured beaks they gape to

above: In spring we see signs of
new life all around us. Photo: Getty

attract the adults. It means the chick is the
kind of creature that only its mother would
love rather than a lovely lufy one! The chick
is tightly curled with its head underneath its
wing. At the blunt end of the egg is an air sac.
Eventually the chick ills the shell and pierces
the air sac with its tiny egg tooth on the tip of
its beak. The chick now changes from living
in luid to breathing air. The neck starts to
vibrate so that the chick makes the irst hole
in the shell. Rotating its body very slowly it
continues to pierce the shell until it has gone
right around the egg and the top will come of.
The chick will climb out of the eggshell and,
exhausted, it will lie as it dries. Life begins.
We need to value and be fascinated by the
world about us.

April 2024

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WA L K

Ahoy there!
Explore the sand dunes
& shipwreck of Berrow
ROUTE DEVISED BY:

The SS Nornen shipwreck
at Berrow can be
seen at low tide.
Photo: Margaret Clavell, Getty

above: The conservation
area and pond provides
habitats for wildlife
right: Riders take

advantage of the lat
sands at low tide
below: St Mary’s Church

used to be white-washed
and acted as a beacon
for sailors. Photos: Isobel Pring

errow beach sits in the middle of
seven miles of sandy beach between
Brean Down and Burnham-on-Sea
and is backed by dunes. Because of
its remote beauty, it has become a favourite
for ilm and television companies, most
recently in the Channel 4 drama Truelove.
The walk begins at the Berrow Dunes Local
Nature Reserve, which has been protected
since 1993. Dunes like these contain a wide
variety of coastal habitats that support a
diverse range of lora and fauna but are
becoming rarer in the UK.
The nature reserve is explored in the
Berrow Dunes Storywalk and it can be used
to navigate your way in and out of the Dunes
while discovering more about the nature,
history and conservation of this unique area
englandcoastpath.storywalks.info

From the Conservation Area car park,
take the path to your right as you face
the dunes. Follow the hard path until
you reach a turning on your left. Take this
path until you reach an open grass area.
Turn right onto the wide grass pathway and
follow it to the end and take the left fork up
the hill. Coming down the other side you’ll
see another open grassy area. Turn left and
walk across this area to the white topped
post ahead of you. Stay on this track until
you reach two more white topped posts,
where you turn right and follow the track
to the beach.

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WALK

COMPASS POINTS

START POINT:
Berrow Dunes Conservation Area
car park. It’s also possible to start
at St Mary’s Church, Berrow.

DISTANCE:
4.6 miles (7.5km). Allow 2.5
hours. The ground is lat with a
few sandy slopes in the dunes.

MAP: OS Explorer Map 153
(Burnham-on-Sea & Clevedon)

REFRESHMENTS:
There are refreshments and
shops to the north of the
Conservation Area and on Coast
Road. During the summer months
Berrow church offers cream
teas for visitors every Sunday.
PRACTICALIITIES:
The number 20 bus route between
Weston-Super-Mare and Burnhamon-Sea passes both start points.
This walk is best on an outgoing
tide or at low tide, to see the wreck
of the Nornen clearly. Check
tide times at tidetimes.org.uk

When you reach the beach turn
left and you’ll see the wreck of the
Nornen, a Norwegian barque, ahead
of you to the right. The Nornen was spotted
in distress in the early hours of March 3 1897.
The lifeboat from Burnham was dispatched
at irst light and pulled alongside just as she
was being driven onto the mudlats later
that morning. All 10 crew members and
the ship’s dog were successfully rescued
but attempts to reloat her failed and she
was sold for scrap. If the tides allow it is
possible to walk out to the wreck BUT only
go if the tide is past the wreck and going
out and ensure that you stay on hard sand.
Looking out to sea you can see Steep Holm,
an uninhabited island in the middle of the
Bristol Channel, and Wales in the distance.
To the south is Hinkley Point Power Station
– the irst new nuclear plant to be built in the
UK in 20 years and the largest construction
site in Europe.

After the wreck, continue along the
beach until you see a warning sign
for soft sand and mud. Turn in to
the dunes here and you’ll see a sandy track.
Follow this track inland where you cross the
golf course and can see the church ahead of
you. Take note of the signs that indicate the
direction of play.
After the golf course you’ll see a small path
to the left with a seat at the top. Take this
path, which leads to a gate where you can

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enter the church yard of St Mary’s Church.
This 13th century church nestles amongst
the sand dunes and was once whitewashed
and acted as a beacon for sailors. If it is open
during your walk head inside to admire the
beautiful stained glass windows.

Leaving the church yard turn right
towards the main road but follow
the footpath to the right just before
reaching it. After a short distance turn left
onto a wooded path that continues next to
the golf course for some distance. At a fork
in the path turn right onto Wellington Way.
Continue on this path past Berrow Green
and the children’s play area on your left,
until you reach a short section of quite road.
At the end of this, pass through the gate on
the right to the golf course. Burnham and
Berrow Golf Club opened in 1891 and its
irst professional player, John Henry Taylor,
went on to win the Open championship
ive times. Your path is across the golf
course aiming for the inger post that you
can see on the hill ahead of you. Again,
take note of the direction of play and stay
on the foot path as you cross the fairways.
To your left you can see the top of the now
inactive High Lighthouse in Burnhamon-Sea and views across to Hinkley Point.
Follow the footpath signs towards the
sea, which take you from the golf course
to a boardwalk, where you pass through
the reed beds.

The path brings you out on to the beach
next to a tall wooden post and a short
post with the number 13 on it. Turn right
and walk along the beach taking in the views to
Brean Down ahead of you and Exmoor National
Park in the distance behind you. Once past the
wreck of the Nornen continue until you reach
the row of wooden posts heading out to sea.
Turn in towards the dunes, the Berrow Beach
sign and the waste bin and take the right fork
away from the beach and into the Dunes. If
you’re using the Berrow Storywalk you can pick
it up again here. Continue along the sandy track
into the dunes until you see a small concrete
post ahead of you where the path rises to an
open grassy area. Fork left into the grassy area
and head towards the information panel ahead
of you. Stay on the path and pass to the right
of the information panel to reach a pond and
bench seat on your right. Follow the path round
to the right and turn right at the white post.
Keep right at the next white post and follow
the path back to the car park.

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CU T OU T AND K EEP

WALK

WA L K

Wellington Basins
Walking around the town of Wellington in April promises
a fusion of natural beauty, history and community spirit
WORDS:

ellington is the home of
Somerset Activity and Sports
Partnership (SASP) charity,
and it’s a community we are
proud to be a part of. SASP works closely
with a number of Primary Care Networks
in Somerset and is pleased to be working
in partnership with doctor surgeries in
Wellington and the surrounding areas.
Our health and wellbeing coaching
service supports people with long term
conditions to access physical activity to
promote and protect their health, with new
opportunities being provided for those in
Wellington in the past year, including the
popular sessions, ‘Womens Wellness.’
This is a programme designed to support
women to move more and to have a greater
understanding of both the physical and

Somerset Life

Joseph Madge and Georgina Hainsby

above: The Wellington Basin is a local
nature conservation area. Photo: Sarah Crossley
left: The SASP community welcomes all ages
and all abilities to join the walks. Photo: Joseph Madge

mental health beneits that being active can
bring. We want to help women to move more
in ways that suit them, but also break down
the barriers women in Somerset are facing.
We create a supportive community that
contributes to a sense of belonging. As
women break stereotypes and defy agerelated expectations, they find joy and
fulilment in their commitment to a more
active lifestyle, proving that staying it is a
timeless pursuit with countless rewards, and
the Somerset Health Walks programme can
also contribute.

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WALK

GOOD TO KNOW
Following paths and
well-trodden tracks
Parking is ample
Paid refreshments available
at the Garden Coffee House
in the Cleve Hotel

This route is dog-friendly –
be aware of the water!

Slight incline during the walk –
complete at your own pace

PHOTOSARAHCROSSLEY

There are two ponds separated by
a walkway, set in several acres of
open countryside to explore

THE WALK
Each week in the Wellington area, walkers
have an option to join a Level 1 walk or a
Level 3 walk on a Monday or Thursday.
The Level 1 walks can be up to two miles
with lat or gentle slopes, no stiles and
ideal for those able to complete 30 mins
with minimal stops. The Level 3 walks
are slightly lengthier at 3 - 4 miles often
with ields and hills, moving at a quicker
pace and with possible stiles – these are
considered intermediate walks, ideal for
those with good walking itness and able
to complete 60 - 90 minutes with minimal
stops. Around 30 walkers and walk leaders
meet just before the start time, register and
listen to the safety brieing.
Wellington Park is a sprawling green
space that provides a serene escape from
the hustle and bustle. The park’s wellmaintained paths wind through meadows,
ofering a tranquil setting for your walk.
When the walkers have decided what
distance and pace they would like to walk,
the trained walk leaders set of, supported
by back and middle markers, this ensures
no one is left behind and all wearing SASP
and Somerset Health Walks high viz.
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1
2

The Level 1 route leaves Wellington
Park at the main gate. Walk down
the track past the secondary school.

Next take the path with the school on
your left and the recreation ground on
your right. At the end of the footpath,
turn right and walk along the pavement of
Exeter Road towards Rockwell Green.

Turn right up the lane opposite, Hilly
Head, and go through the gate on the
left and follow the path across the
ield, going through the next gate in the wall
and follow the path over the hill and down
the hill towards the trees. Cross over the
small footbridge with the houses on your
left and continue along the footpath that
leads to the right, keeping the stream on
your right-hand side.

Continue along the path, making two
crossings over the water. Go through
the gate and take the path straight
ahead between the Basins, and then turn
right into the path between the skate park
and the sports centre.

Continue on the path into the nature
area, follow the path through the
area as it curves around to the left
and through the trees into the recreation
ground. Walk along the left-hand side of
the ground towards the steps and go up
into the park. Take the path through the
park towards the gate at the top to inish.
The route is just over a mile and a half
with average moving time of approximately
45 minutes with extra stops to take in
the views across Rockwell Green and
Hilly Head.

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EXPLORE EXMOOR
Your monthly update from our very special National Park

The Exmoor Coast
- Britain’s Best
Kept Secret?
WORDS:

Laura Williams

Exmoor’s rich and varied landscape includes
some of the most photogenic, yet often
underrated, coastlines in the UK.
Covering around 35 miles of South West
Coast Path it includes the highest coastline
(433m at Culbone Hill) and the longest
stretch of coastal woodland (Foreland Point
to Porlock) in England and Wales.
It has many stories to tell – spanning
people, nature and climate, past, present
and future. From historic tales of sheltered
harbours once bustling with trade now
popular with tourists, to the ‘Wild Exmoor’
project creating important coastal corridors
for wildlife and Exmoor National Park
Young Rangers ‘extreme beach cleaning’
at Glenthorne Beach. Exmoor’s coastline
overlooks the Bristol Channel, which has
one of the highest tidal ranges in the world.
This can pose a few challenges. Take Porlock
Marsh for example. In 1996, Hurricane Lili
took its toll on the bay, with the rough sea
breaching the sea wall pushing the shingle
ridge inland. Instead of restoring the wall,
an early nature recovery ambition was
realised and delivered by the land managers
(including National Trust, which cares for
over half of the Exmoor coastline), Exmoor
National Park Authority and Natural
England. The wall was not reinstated, but
nature was allowed to take hold. The result?
A world-renowned haven for wetland wildlife
and an increasingly popular spot for walkers,
photographers and visitors.
Want to experience the Exmoor
coastline? Join Exmoor National Park
Rangers for a rock pool adventure!
Hunt for anemones, crabs, sea sponges and all
sorts of marine critters, just across the border
on Lynmouth beach. With knowledgeable
Exmoor rangers as your guide, learn more
about diversity of life on our shores and gain
skills to get the most out of rock pooling
in your own time. All equipment provided,
including identiication guides, nets and
buckets. Remember suncream and water
bottle (free illing station in Lynmouth near
the toilets). Sandals or waterproof shoes are
useful. Everyone welcome!
Meet outside Lynmouth National Park
Centre April 13 14.30-16.30.

Somerset Life

Enjoy Beach fun and coastal charm
WORDS:

Emma Thomasson

As we head towards Easter, the Exmoor Coast
is the perfect destination for enjoying the
great outdoors and having fun. With a blend
of natural beauty, things to do and vibrant
culture, there’s something for families, friends,
and solo explorers to immerse themselves in
its unique charm.
Scenic Journeys: Hop aboard the Exmoor
Coaster or the West Somerset Railway for
breath-taking views and easy access to the
region’s coastal gems.
Explore Kilve Beach: Enjoy the Kilve
Beach Natural History Storywalk Trail.
This shoreline, featured in Bryan Adams’
(Everything I Do) I Do It for You video, is
mostly rocky with many little rock pools to
explore at low tide.
Cultural Discoveries at East Quay:
Watchet’s East Quay ofers a cultural adventure
for all ages. From contemporary art galleries
to creative workshops, it’s a hub for artistic
exploration. The East Quay Kitchen adds a
lavourful twist to your visit.
Family Fun at Blue Anchor: Enjoy the
shingle beach, stretching for miles. It’s dogfriendly and perfect for family afternoons of
cricket, sandcastle building, or just soaking in
the sea views, with the convenience of a nearby
West Somerset Railway station.

Dunster’s Historical Wonders: Take
a few minutes to head inland and visit the
medieval village of Dunster. Experience the
history of Dunster Castle, enjoy a meal at the
Luttrell Arms, and wander through a village
steeped in history.
Active Outdoor Adventures: Take to
the waters! Try kayaking, paddleboarding,
ebikes, and more with Channel Adventure
in Minehead and Exmoor Adventures in
Porlock Weir.
Discover Bossington’s Coastal Charm:
In the Holnicote Estate, Bossington is a hamlet
with a walk to Bossingtons pebbly beach and
panoramic views from Hurlstone Point. The
village’s thatched cottages ofer a snapshot of
Exmoor’s picturesque heritage.
Local Tastes and Tales: Sample the inest
local produce at shops along the coast, like
Stuart Lowen Quality Butcher and Farm Shop
in Minehead. It’s perfect for gathering picnic
supplies or learning more about Exmoor’s
food culture.
This April, let the Exmoor Coast be your
inspiration. There’s plenty to suit a short break
or a day trip; a great way to embark on Easter
holiday adventures. It’s the ideal place to create
lasting memories.
visit-exmoor.co.uk

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Somerset Life

THE MENDIPS

Mendip roads lead to Rome
Thousands of years of history connect the Mendip Hills
with many distant parts of the ancient world
WORDS:

Andy Chamberlain, ranger and volunteer coordinator, Mendip Hills National Landscape

early 2000 years ago, in AD49, the
Roman Legions, within six years
of invading, headed to what is
now known as the Mendip Hills
National Landscape. They were searching for
the lead upon which their empire depended.
Lead and its associated silver were mined all
over these Somerset hills but signiicantly
around the Charterhouse and Priddy areas.
This lead, which was sent all over the Roman
Empire as far as Georgia and North Africa,
started its journey down The Cheddar Yeo,
then the River Axe from Cheddar to the port
at Uphill near Weston-super-Mare, where
boats took it further than any locals could
imagine. Mendip lead has been found in the
Colosseum in Rome and the ruins of Pompeii.
The lead in our Mendip Hills has now mostly
gone, with Victorians reworking much of
the Roman mining in the mid-1800s with
varying degrees of success.
Today, the marina at Uphill is not used for
exporting lead but is now the starting point
for The Mendip Way, a 50-kilometre longdistance footpath stretching across the hills
towards Frome in the east. It’s a fantastic
way for the more energetic to see the hills
and take in some of the best views in the area

Somerset Life

over a long weekend, with a halfway break in
Wells. The plentiful footpaths give you the
opportunity to visit this unique landscape
which forms an area of 200 square kilometres.
At the tip of mainland Mendip sits Brean
Down, a limestone promontory protruding
into the Bristol Channel. Surrounded by clifs
and some of the iercest tides in the area,
this has, like the Somerset island of Steep
Holm, been used as a defensive outpost far
back in history. The fort on the tip dates back
to Napoleonic times but was repurposed
during the Second World War to defend the
Bristol Channel against possible invasion.
On top of the down, the remains of a Roman
temple have been discovered – showing the
signiicance of the area, or were they just
ensuring their lead got on the right boats in
the harbour below?
At the end of last year, the new Mendip
National Nature Reserve was declared, with
a plan to link the management of over 1,400
hectares of diferent habitats, mainly along
the southern slopes, in order to protect and
enhance the nature of the Mendip Hills into
the future. On visiting the Mendip Hills
the views across the Somerset Levels are
far-reaching. See the water-shaped hills such

above: Mendip lead has been found in

the Colosseum in Rome and the ruins
of Pompeii. Photo: Frederic Prochasson, Getty

as Nyland and Glastonbury Tor as well as
Wedmore Ridge which alludes a glimpse back
in time to when the ancient sea would have
covered the area, with much of the southern
slopes of Mendip having been the coast.
Hundreds of millions of years ago, the hills
themselves were born out of the sea, with
the limestone being created by the remains
of ininite sea creatures and mud settling on
the bed of a tropical ocean somewhere of the
coast of what is now Argentina! Somerset’s
connections are far-reaching whether we
are connected by the waves of water, or the
waves of trade and people that have come
and gone over millennia.
To download walks or more
information about the Mendip Hills
visit mendiphills-nl.org.uk

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The most
famous race
in the world
In anticipation of The Grand National,
Richard Walsh chats with racehorse trainers
Martin & David Pipe

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Somerset Life

HORSE RACING

o followers of Jump racing the
month of April means just one
thing and that’s the Grand National
Steeplechase. The most famous
race in the world, it has taken place almost
annually since 1839 at Aintree Racecourse on
Merseyside. Run over a distance of four miles
517 yards the race is a test of skill, strength
and stamina, during which the horses cover
two laps of the course and jump 30 fences.
In order to ind out more about the Grand
National I headed to Pond House, high up
on the Blackdown Hills above Wellington,
from where both Martin and David Pipe have
enjoyed winners of the biggest race in the
world. Martin was born in Taunton, the son of
local bookmaker Dave Pipe, and from a young
age the Grand National has featured in his
life. When he left school Martin went to work
for his father. ‘It’s one day’s racing but the
whole world watches and it’s really exciting.
As the son of a bookie it was the biggest day
of the year and when I was working in the
betting shop people would queue up outside
from 7am just to get a bet on. Everybody bet
on the race. It was a thrill to be working in
the betting shop on the Grand National day.
It was really hard work but very exciting
and whatever people were doing, everybody
stopped to watch the race.’
In addition to working in the betting shop
Martin learned to ride and harboured dreams
of becoming a jockey. He rode in point-topoint races but didn’t enjoy too much success
and after sustaining an injury decided to try
his hand at training his father’s string of
point-to-point horses. Based at Pond House,
which Dave Pipe had initially purchased
as a run down pig farm and converted into
stables, Martin gained his trainer’s licence
in 1974 and enjoyed his irst winner a year
later when Hit Parade triumphed at Taunton,
ridden by Len Lungo.
On his own admission Martin knew
nothing about training horses but was a
quick learner and studied the way in which
some of the leading trainers of that time went
about the task. He went on to develop his
own method of working, based on thorough
preparation, meticulous record keeping, diet
and itness levels, as well as regular blood
testing to ensure his horses were in peak
itness before they ran. Using this unique
way of training, Martin became increasingly
successful and in 1988-89 won the irst of his
15 champion trainer titles.
However, despite being a champion trainer
Martin had never won the Grand National.

PHOTO:GETTY

Somerset Life

‘I’d always dreamed of having a runner in the
Grand National and in 1981 we had Three of
Diamonds, one of Chester Barnes’ horses run
ridden by Paul Leach who was my irst stable
jockey. We were really excited just to get there
and to take part in the biggest race in the
world. However once you’d been there and
had the irst runner you want more, you want
to take part and you think “how can I win it?”
although you never dream of winning… Just
to take part in the whole day is so exciting,
the build-up, looking after the horse, making
sure it’s prepared to the best of your ability,
which wasn’t very much at the time, and to
try and get him to run a good race.
‘I wanted to win the Grand National but
how do you go about preparing a horse for
that race? I didn’t know anything about it –
we had to build fences for the horses to jump
– some couldn’t get over them and others
wouldn’t jump, so they couldn’t take part!
It’s a long race so you have to have one with
stamina – I didn’t know how to go about it
and had to learn by trial and error. It seemed
like a lifetime before I achieved my dream
to win the race but just to take part was the
biggest thrill, it really was.’
All that was to change in 1989 as Martin
explained: ‘Freddie Starr, the owner, phoned
me up one day in 1989 and asked if I would
train Miinnehoma for him because he’d like
to win the Grand National. I said: “Hang on
Freddie, he’s got to learn how to jump irst.”
It was amazing that he wanted to win the
Grand National and incredible that ive years
later it came of.
‘Miinnehoma came to me in 1989, was
well bred, he was a good stayer and had a
good preparation, he’d won a few races and
had run in the Gold Cup a few weeks earlier.
He was only 16-1 and we thought we had
a chance. If he’d been trained by a proper
trainer then he would have been shorter odds.
Miinnehoma travelled up the day before and
we stayed with him overnight. We walked the
course in the morning as we always did – and
it was very exciting to see the jumps, but we
worried about the horses and whether they
were going to get round. Miinnehoma was
always fairly prominent and I can remember
him turning for home and he was really going
well but there was still a long way to go. The
horse was travelling really well and we were
hopeful but he just sat there patiently. They
reached the last and he pulled out and won
nicely. It was very, very exciting and a dream
come true. Winning the Grand National was
the highlight of my training career.’
>
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David Pipe (left) and
Martin Pipe pictured with
the John Smith’s Grand
National trophy after
Comply or Die
won in 2004

PHOTO:AINTREERACECOURSE.

‘There is a buzz about the whole day
and the atmosphere is electric’
Martin added: ‘I was very lucky to win the
Grand National which took me a lifetime to
achieve – then when David started training in
2006 he won it in his third season on Comply
or Die, which was marvellous.’
Martin had numerous runners in the
Grand National but was only victorious once.
Former jockey Gerry Supple, who is still
involved at Pond House, has ridden in two
Grand Nationals for Martin: ‘I rode Manx
Magic in 2002 and Burlu the next year – both
outsiders. It was just brilliant and I couldn’t
believe I was going to get paid just to ride
in the race. There were only 40 jockeys in
the country who got the chance to ride and
I was one of them.
‘The excitement starts to build up when
you’re getting changed and ready with the
other jockeys and then suddenly before
you know it’s the Grand National, you get
called out and they take the pictures. It’s
just amazing, the adrenalin starts to get
going with the parade and walking round
at the start. The rules at the start are much
better now but back then it was just crazy
and everyone was trying to canter in and it
was diicult to get it started.
‘I spoke to plenty of people before I rode
and watched lots of races – although it’s a
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April 2024

diferent race now, the fences and the drops
are much smaller. They jump of very fast and
you just want to get over the irst fence and
then the irst few and ind yourself a little slot.
Money couldn’t buy that feeling. The fences
were bigger and it was the drops the other
side that caught you out – it’s a massive thrill
though to have ridden and certainly one of
the highlights of my career.’
Martin Pipe retired in 2006 and handed
over the reins to his son David who continued
the family tradition by winning the Grand
National in 2008. David said: ‘I was very
lucky to have an amazing horse in Comply or
Die so early on in my training career.
‘It’s not rocket science, you need a horse that
jumps and stays the trip. The Grand National
is the biggest race in the world, it’s the race
that’s watched by the whole nation and it’s the
one you get recognised for winning outside
our little bubble. It’s the race that every jockey,
trainer and owner would love to win.
‘Comply or Die was coming back from injury
that season and we sent him up to Newcastle
where he won the Eider Chase, so we knew we
were going there with a realistic chance. One
of our current owners is Professor Caroline
Tisdall and it’s the race she wants to win
more than any other. She has been very lucky

to have had Vieux Lion Rouge who ran in
six Grand Nationals before he retired but
never won. However she wants another one
but they don’t just appear overnight and are
hard to come by.’
Being the grandson of a bookmaker David
was well aware of the Grand National from
an early age and as he grew up learned about
the business, before eventually taking over
at Pond House.
‘The coverage of the National was diferent
then, it was always on the BBC with Des
Lynham and there was a great buzz. It’s the
Liverpudlians’ race and it’s watched all over
the world by millions of people.
‘There is a buzz about the whole day
and the atmosphere is electric. The fences
were diferent back in 2008 and the racing
authorities have done right in my belief in
modifying the fences.
David added: ‘It’s still a challenge although
perhaps not as much of a challenge as it was,
but despite this it is still the one race that
every owner, trainer and jockey wants to win.
To win the Grand National is the highlight
of my training career so far and I would love
nothing more than to win it again!’
The 2024 Grand National takes place
on Saturday April 13 at 4pm.

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117

HOME LIFE
Interiors inspiration and property advice
LET’S TALK KITCHENS

BACK TO SCHOOL

We chat with a designer who creates
the ultimate heart for your home.

Will you feel nostalgic over this
old School House near Frome?

PHOTO:MEGLOVELL

TREASURE HUNTERS
What will you discover in these
top reclamation yards?

PROPERTIES OF PAPER
Ele Grafton creates bespoke paper artwork, that beautifully
captures the spirit of a family home or a special building. Whether
a thatched cottage, a country manor or an elegant church, Ele
produces each heirloom piece using vintage books, sheet music,
maps or other sentimental documents. Each unique commission
is evocative and entrancing, telling its own very personal story –
making each piece a beautiful memento or a very special gift. Ele

Somerset Life

also creates stunning and timeless fairytale cottages and castles,
captured in frames or inside domes, made from copies of vintage
children’s story books and patterned fabric or paper. Ele works
from her home studio, surrounded by the glorious and inspiring
Somerset countryside. elegrafton.com
@ele_grafton_studio
Ele Grafton Studio

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119

of the best

RECLAMATION
YARDS
From bricks to garden statues, you’ll ind what you’re looking for - and more for those springtime projects at these popular reclamation yards
WORDS:

Andrea Cowan

GLASTONBURY RECLAMATION
This well-established yard specialises in reclaimed building
materials, alongside a veritable treasure trove of intriguing
decorative pieces for the house and garden.
Their customers are local builders and period
homeowners, but the showroom is also gaining a reputation
amongst set designers and prop buyers with items inding

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April 2024

their way on to major ilms and TV series. Probably the most
eye-catching item in the yard amongst all the garden pots
and planters is the 16ft diameter water wheel, salvaged from
a mill in Wells. It’s not for sale at the moment, but £12,000
will buy you an equally quirky rare tripod cheese press.
glastonburyreclamation.co.uk

Somerset Life

RECLAMATION YARDS

CASTLE RECLAMATION
Conveniently positioned just off
the A303 in Martock, both trade
and public customers flock to this
yard for its stock of traditional
reclaimed materials such as roof tiles
and bricks.
You will also ind new items such as
natural Blue Lias lagstones and a range
of oak, elm, ash and pine looring.
On top of this there is also a selection
of unique, vintage items to peruse and
discover including, at the moment, a
Victorian jardinière, a Dorchester town
sign and a large Portland stone with
rainbow leaded glass.
Prices range from a Double Roman
roof tile for £2 to a large stone ireplace
for £7500.00.
castlereclamation.com

WELLS RECLAMATION
Established in 1985 this family-run business is set over an
impressive ive and a half acres. As well as the extensive
outdoor yard, there is an indoor emporium with an everchanging stock of antique and vintage furniture.
Customers include architects, ilm companies, garden
and interior designers, as well as the general public. It’s
a fascinating place to browse – cofee in hand from the
on-site café – with large, unusual statues including a
life-sized Russian Cossack on horseback and a gold lady
standing over 15 feet high. On a more practical level,
gardens statues, urns, benches and planters are popular
for spring. wellsreclamation.com

FROME RECLAMATION
Another family-run business, this yard is
as reliant on word-of-mouth for sourcing
products as other means, which comes
down to its reputation.
Amongst the traditional building
materials, rooing is a speciality, from
Welsh slates to clay tiles.
There is also an extensive range of
architectural salvage and antique items
which over the years has included arcade
video games, taxidermy sharks, barbers’
chairs and prisoner stocks.
Prices start from 35p for a roof tile and
the sky’s the limit with regard to garden
statuary. Beware – there’s every chance
you will go in looking for a tile and leave
with a dovecot.
fromerec.com

PHOTOS:GLASTONBURYRECLAMATION/WELLSRECLAMATION

BATH RECLAMATION
This is a heavy-duty yard specialising in
all types of reclaimed traditional building
materials such as Bath Stone Ashlar,
Pennant and York flagstones, Bath
and Cotswold lagstones, local walling
stone, bricks, rooing and looring. Most
of the stock is sourced from within a
100-mile radius, although limestone has
sometimes been purchased from Egypt
and lagstones from India.
There is also a stock of salvaged
interior features and whilst you are
unlikely to ind doorknobs or decorative
objets d’art here, you’ll discover a range
of ireplace surrounds and cast-iron
grates.
Visiting is by appointment only, but
most products are listed on the website.
bathreclamation.co.uk

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The

MEET... Kıtchen Designer

We are joined in conversation with Anthony Barker , the professional
kitchen designer from South West Design located in Priston, near Bath.
Tell us a little about you:
Having graduated from university with a
philosophy and geography degree, I applied to
work as a designer for C.P. Hart. Within a year,
I knew that design was my passion. I moved
to manage a Poggenpohl kitchen studio in
London, where I gained my expertise in
kitchen design. When the premises became
available in Priston, just outside the beautiful
city of Bath, my business partner and I saw
the opportunity to open South West Design
as the irst independent Poggenpohl design
studio in Somerset. Being 10 minutes from
Bath city centre means we have space to park,
bring the dogs and we even have a TV lounge
area for the children.
Why do your kitchen
designs suit this area of the
country in particular?
Somerset is a beautiful county with elegant
townhouses and country homes as well as
stunning contemporary properties. We have
designed our showroom to cater to a wide
range of architectural styles, whether you are
looking for a farmhouse kitchen with hand
painted doors, or an opulent modern style
with a statement island for entertaining, or if
you are seeking something truly minimalist
and handle less. The one combining aspect
is that all our Poggenpohl kitchens feature
state-of-the-art storage solutions, which is
paramount in any kitchen, large or small.
Can you tell us more
about Poggenpohl?
Poggenpohl is an iconic brand that, in my
view, represents the best quality and creative
solutions for the kitchen and the home.
Working with the company for the past 25
years, I have had many repeat clients over
that time who only ever want a Poggenpohl
kitchen. It started as a family business in 1892
with an aim to ‘make the kitchen better’ and,
130 years later, it is now the leading brand
for luxurious kitchen architecture made in
Germany. In addition, because its cabinetry
and ittings are so well-thought out, I have also
designed utility rooms, boot rooms, cocktail
bars, home oices and itted bedrooms using
Poggenpohl furniture.
What are your top tips when
selecting a new kitchen?
The kitchen is often a multifunctional space
used for cooking, entertaining and socialising
with family and friends. It is the most used

Somerset Life

Anthony Barker is passionate about design. Photo: Gary Askew

room in the home so you need to ensure
that your new kitchen suits your lifestyle,
relects the architecture of your home and
that it makes you happy. Planning is crucial
– how the kitchen is going to be used, the
functionality, diferent zones, from cooking
to cleaning to refrigeration all need to be
thought through carefully. Next comes design,
and this is where a designer, like me, will
incorporate our client’s personality into the
project including the colour palette and the
styling. Budget is also a consideration, so
selecting materials and appliances to match
our client’s budget is always a consideration
throughout the process.
Kitchens tend to follow trends.
What style and colour scheme are
you recommending for 2024?
Kitchen islands remain perennially popular,
and the Poggenpohl +MODO version features
a worktop that sits on a platform above the
cabinetry to provide a loating appearance.
Ideal as a statement piece, it suits the current
trend for industrial kitchen styles. Because
the kitchen is often used as a social hub,
there is a trend toward including a bar area

that is concealed behind pocket doors that
fold into side recesses when entertaining,
but is otherwise hidden and we have one on
display at our showroom. Regarding colours,
earth tones are ever popular, with rich dark
greens and reds, which are right on point in
2024. These are matched with natural wood
inishes including walnut, nut tree and oak.
Why should we choose our next
kitchen from South West Design?
We ofer a complete service from the irst
visit to the showroom, throughout the design
process all the way to installation. We like
to think that this, coupled with our honest
and open pricing, gives our client a great
overall experience when working with South
West Design.
How do we get in touch?
Poggenpohl by South West Design
Unit 6, The Dairy
Priston
Bath BA2 9EQ
T: 01225 433 277
poggenpohlsouthwest.com
Open by appointment Monday to Saturday.

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Lounge

LIZARDS
Create a personal sanctuary that makes you smile
COMPILED BY:

Kate Houghton

CLASSIC STYLE
For a long time the Chesterield
was considered the epitome of
leather sofa style, but we rather
love this mid-century spin on
the design, creating a piece that
its neatly into any space and
decor scheme.
Stockholm sofa, £599.99,
furniturechoice.co.uk

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INTERIORS

Conversation circle

TREASURE IT

Research has shown that staying in with friends is
the new going out, so what better way to encourage
conviviality than creating a curvy conversation zone in
your sitting room. It’s pretty perfect for home cinema
nights, too. Otto cinema corner, £10,750, arloandjacob.com

We all have that much-loved
armchair, that just...works. Sadly,
much-loved often translates to
worn out, but reupholstery can
revive even the saddest seats,
and is, of course, a big tick in
our living sustainably box.
Poetry collection fabric,
£33.60, prestigious.co.uk

STATEMENT PIECE

SO USEFUL

Soft tones and relaxing neutrals make for a calming living room, but
adding a blast of colour and pizzazz will bring a smile every time you
enter the room. Add a spot of personality with brave shape or fabric
choices and prepare to grin.
Esk chair in Rapture & Wright Moorish Maze Palm, £1,599,
thefootstoolworkshop.co.uk

Nesting tables have proven their worth for generations,
providing versatile rests for hot cups and cold glasses, and
handy for games nights with friends. Find a set that works
with your scheme and prepare to entertain.
Romsey natural solid oak nest of tables, £229.99,
oakfurnitureland.co.uk

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SHOW OFF
A home with books in is a home indeed, so why not
demonstrate your erudition by putting your favourites on
display? Also perfect for air-purifying plants and photos of
your best ever days.
Honey gold Balmoral two-drawer single bookcase,
£850, next.co.uk/laura-ashley

SET THE SCENE
Your living room should wrap its arms around you and ofer you a
needful escape. Create the necessary ambience with lighting. The
centre light is there purely for vacuuming – instead, dot around table
lamps and loor lights, to cast a warming glow, and light up your
reading. Jameo loor lamp, £395, with Romneya lampshade,
£175, oka.com

Curves are
so this year
With interior trends moving
away from geometrics into
bringing more curvy, natural
shapes into our home,
designers are combining
trend with practicality, and
this useful but elegant cofee
table perfectly sums this
up. Avani wenge cofee table,
£299.99, my-furniture.com
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INTERIORS NEWS

COME INTO
THE GARDEN
Clarissa Hulse has added new
colourways to two of her botanical
mural designs, Enchanted Vale
and Tania’s Garden. Two new
colourways have been introduced
to the beautiful canopy mural,
Enchanted Vale, which highlight
the intricate layers of leaves and
vines tumbling down across
a luminous ombre sky. Three
new colourways have also been
introduced to the Tania’s Garden
mural. This stunning mural evokes
a wildlower meadow at irst light
and is illed with an abundant
tangle of cardoons, teasels, dill
seed heads and verbena
From £42/m2,
clarissahulse.com

VINTAGE INSPIRATION
Designers Guild has launched two
beautiful new tableware collections,
Ikebana and Porcelaine de Chine,
taken from two of the brand’s
most popular wallpaper and fabric
patterns. Infused with the reined
yet dynamic spirit of the ancient
Japanese art of lower arranging,
Ikebana celebrates the beauty of
this loral artistry and the lowers
within. Porcelain de Chine has
quintessential British appeal.
Detailed and intricate paintings of
trailing lowers and birds have been
gloriously reimagined as a series of
tonal patterns, in a subtle palette of
indigo and eau de nil, interspersed
with pops of rose pink.
From £20, designersguild.com
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April 2024

Colour collab
Homewares and lifestyle brand Sophie Allport has
launched its irst capsule collection of paint colours,
made by B Corp certiied COAT Paints. The carefully
curated compilation of 12 shades has been custom-made
speciically, with each colour found in Sophie’s natureinspired watercolour designs. Sophie Allport says: ‘We
wanted to produce a paint collection that would draw on
the natural beauty of the great outdoors and help to bring
the outside in. The result is a palette that is a celebration
of colour, inspired by nature.’ The paints are solvent-free
and almost odourless, water-based and vegan, and made to
order and produced in the UK. £57 2.5l, sophieallport.com

of the best...STATEMENT ARMCHAIRS

Demi velvet wing armchair,

Wentworth loveseat,

St Moritz Yeti armchair,

£1,579, peppersq.com

£2,219, bridgman.co.uk

£395, peppermillinteriors.com

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PHOTO:CHRISCOOPER

Best in class

PHOTO:CHRISCOOPER

It’s time for ‘show and tell’ in Marston Bigot near
Frome as we explore School House. Could this
property ofer you the happiest days of your life?

DREAM HOME

PHOTO:KNIGHTFRANK

s you approach the
Grade II-listed former
School House via the
large double wrought
iron gates, you’ll be able to
appreciate the peaceful and
rural position of such a stunning
home. Dating back to 1857,
School House exudes its heritage
and local importance through a
recessed stone plaque with the
inscription: ‘For the Beneit of
the Poor and in memory of his
father Edmund 8th Earl of Cork,
Richard Boyd Rector of Marston
who built this school.’
The current owners completely
refurbished the property in 2018,
installing underloor heating,
new wiring and a new slate roof.
Gothic arched stone mullioned
windows, stained glass windows
and Pugin tiles in the entrance
hall all reairm the quality of

this home. The main living
space exudes the wow factor
with a vaulted ceiling, wooden
panelling and a fabulous SimsHilditch/Neptune kitchen with
central island four oven AGA.
For those who enjoy the
outdoors, the mature gardens
comprise of formal level lawns
which enjoy unspoilt parkland
views, a wild garden, tennis
court, and a ‘nut walk’ which
creates a magical space for
children to explore. Outbuildings
include a separate lodge with
bedrooms and open plan
kitchen/living/dining room,
as well as the additions of a
summerhouse and a stable.
School House, Marston
Bigot, Frome, BA11 5BP is
on the market with Knight
Frank for a guide price of
£1,400,000.

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PROPERTY VIEWS
David Wild, director of Savills Bristol, updates us with
the very latest news in the Somerset property market

IMAGE:SAVILLS

WHAT’S HAPPENING
IN THE MARKET?

Mary Berry’s
childhood home

Somerset Life

more than three decades, its current owners
are moving on, ofering up the opportunity
for a new family. Mary described the house,
which is unlisted, as ‘imposing’, and, from
the outside at least, it’s easy to see why. Set
within large gardens and arranged over four
storeys, the ashlar limestone building is as
grand as it is elegant and beautiful. Inside
it has a similarly impressive, yet warm and
comfortable feel – indeed, from the moment
you step through the door, it is clear that
South Lawn is a well-loved family home.
With period character in abundance,
including high ceilings, sash windows, arched
doorways and a particularly lovely staircase, it
has also been signiicantly extended in recent
decades, with a large two-storey extension to
the rear, and a swimming pool and garage.
South Lawn is located within a stone’s
throw of two of the best schools in the city,
Kingswood and Royal High School Bath. And
with schooling being such a pull-factor for
families who are looking to move into Bath,
when homes here come to the market they
can generate quite a stir.
South Lawn is on the market with Savills
Bath for a guide price of £2,800,000.

PHOTO:GETTY

ational treasure Mary Berry has
a long and proud association with
Bath. It was the city within which
she was born and grew up. It was at
Bath High School that she learnt to bake – her
irst creation being a treacle sponge pudding –
and later at Bath College of Domestic Science
that she honed her craft. Mary’s childhood
home was South Lawn on College Road in
the suburb of Lansdown. Speaking to The
Times back in 2015, Mary recalled growing
up at South Lawn – a magniicent mid-19th
century Bath stone villa – during the Second
World War. Her memories included hiding in
the cellar during blackouts and turning the
substantial gardens over to grow fruit and
vegetables and keep animals during the years
of rationing. She also recollected a celebratory
family tea party held on the front lawn on VE
Day, where she apparently had her irst taste
of a Victoria sandwich. Mainly she spoke of
the ‘wonderful’ space and freedom of the
house and its grounds.
Mary and her family moved from South
Lawn in 1950 and it was later divided into
two homes. It has changed hands only twice
since. Now, having enjoyed living there for

Good schooling has long been a
key driver of demand across the
prime housing markets of the UK,
particularly amongst growing
families.
The Covid-19 pandemic caused
some shifts in buyer priorities;
living close to family and green
spaces became more important than
proximity to work and train stations.
But one aspect that never faltered was
being near to good schools. Schooling
is undoubtedly one of our city’s most
important attractions, so it comes as
no surprise that Savills residential
research ranks Bath as one of the
top education hotspots in the South
West – with homes here commanding
an average premium of 55 per cent
above the regional average. The most
popular areas for families are closely
aligned to the most sought-after
schools, with Lansdown, Bathwick
Hill and Widcombe Hill being notable
hotspots. The most prestigious and
nationally renowned schools are, if
anything, becoming more competitive
to get into, and many families look to
secure their place irst before making
a move.
This part of the market is hotting
up now, with families keen to target
a summer move, giving the children
time to settle into their new home
before the start of the school year.
I have been in this position myself
and speaking both professionally and
personally, I would advise those who
are looking now to be patient while
also being ready to act quickly.
More often than not, supply
of suitable homes in Bath falls
considerably short of demand, with
good quality family properties
remaining in ownership for many
years. Enlisting the help of a good
agent will stand you in good stead.

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greatbritishlife.co.uk/advertising

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FAMILY
From the very young to the young at heart
MARVEL IN THE MUSEUMS

TAKE A DIP

Searching for top indoor activities?
Here’s our pick in Bath

Explore the health beneits of
Clevedon’s marine pool

PHOTO:RACHELMEAD

SPIN YOUR WHEELS
We recommend family-friendly
and buggy-friendly walks

MEANDER AROUND MINEHEAD
Our coastal town of Minehead is well known by many as the oicial
start (or end) of the 630-mile South West Coast Path. These huge
metal hands holding a map can be found along the seafront. Whilst
you’re taking in some sea air it’s also worth keeping an eye out
for silver shells embedded in the promenade. The Maritime Mile
Heritage Trail tracks you through our history whilst revealing

Somerset Life

myths and legends from Minehead’s past. Suitable for little legs
as well as being wheel-friendly, this route features an open air
gallery of images and information. The trail is downloadable from
mineheadbay.co.uk and if you take your completed quiz sheet to
the tourist information centre younger visitors can also win a prize.
You could combine this walk with a visit to the Minehead Museum.

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KIDS, THESE DAYS
Join Angharad Paull as she explores the best places to entertain children in Somerset

Brean Down to Weston-super-Mare. Photo: Siddiqui Media and Super Weston

WHEELY WONDERFUL:
try these buggy-friendly Somerset walks
aving some good buggy-friendly
walks up your sleeve is one of the
best parenting hacks for those with
young children. Somewhere you
can escape to when you need to get out of
the house with a newborn, a place to meet
up and regain your sanity with other adults,
or a chance to nap the baby while your older
children burn of some energy. Plus, lots of
fresh air supposedly helps babies sleep better…
so it’s worth a try! Even if you don’t want to
bring the pushchair along, all the walks I’ve
selected have well-maintained paths, making
them easily doable with youngsters in slings
or on foot.From a commanding castle with
sensational views, to a lockside stroll in rural
countryside surroundings, a serene nature
reserve with a rustic playground, to a peaceful
riverside stroll on the edge of the city and a
fabulous North Somerset coastal walk, get

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April 2024

your buggies at the ready for these delightful
wheel-friendly adventures.
Running alongside the 14.5 mile
Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, the
level tow path connects the two towns
from Bridgwater Docks to the River Tone
at Taunton. Predominantly rural, the canal
makes a wonderful strolling spot for wildlife
enthusiasts and those looking for a wheelfriendly countryside amble.
One of the canal’s highlights is the
Somerset Space Walk, a scaled model of
the solar system (1:530,000,000, meaning
that 1mm on the ground equates to 530km)
created by Tauntonian inventor, poet and
astronomer, Pip Youngman. This cosmicthemed canalside journey is a fun way to
encourage any reluctant walking kids
accompanying you. Planets run in both
directions from ‘the sun’, which can be found

at the canal’s mid-point, Maunsel Lock –
a great place to start or end your stroll, as
Maunsel Lock Tea Rooms have great cofee
and big slabs of cake – the perfect reward
for walkers. Somerset Boat Centre’s The
Lock Inn is also nearby and has a dreamy
pub garden for sunny days (check ahead for
seasonal opening times). The towpath can be
accessed from most road bridges that cross
it - Bridgwater Docks (TA6 3HR), Kings
Lock (TA7 0BG), Maunsel Lock (TA7 0DH),
Charlton Engine House (TA3 5PF), Creech
St. Michael (TA3 5PZ), Bathpool (TA2 8BZ)
or Firepool Lock (TA1 1AJ), all of which have
a car park nearby. Keep your eyes peeled
for grey herons, kingishers, semi-aquatic
grass snakes and, if you’re really lucky, the
occasional otter. Best saved for drier days
with buggies, as sections of the towpath can
get muddy. canalrivertrust.org.uk

Somerset Life

KIDS, THESE DAYS

PHOTO:ANGHARADPAULL

The National Trust’s
Dunster Castle
Sitting atop a tor, surrounded by colourwashed, medieval thatched cottages, tea
rooms, cobbled streets, spectacular grounds,
rolling countryside and sea views, the red
stone Dunster castle is straight out of a
fairytale. As with many National Trust
properties, accessibility for rolling wheels
and families has been well-catered for here,
path suitability is marked on a map and
there’s plenty to see for a full family day out.
A walk around the gardens takes you through
four diferent microclimates and it doesn’t
really matter which order you explore them
in, but making your way up to the South
Terrace via the hard surfaced Vine Walk will
bring you out near the castle. On a sunny
day, it’s easy enough to feel like you’ve been
transported to tropical climes - the area has
a Mediterranean feel thanks to its balmy
(for Exmoor) micro-climate. Spiky palms
line the pathway, framing views that reach
as far as the Bristol Channel. It’s planted in
the Victorian style, with spring bulbs and
vibrant summer bedding plants painting
the terrace with a riot of colour in season.
From here you can wind your way up to The
Keep garden, the highest point in the Dunster
landscape with views looking down on the
castle turrets and green Somerset hills. In
1721, this area was levelled and turned into
a bowling green, with the Octagon Tower
built to ofer shade to guests. If you have
small children on foot, you’ll want to head
towards the River Garden at some point, this
area is wild and wooded and its lush, native
microclimate seems to make everything grow

SNUFF MILLS
Snuf Mills gets its name from the
old mill onsite whose waterwheel
can still be seen churning away. It’s
part of the Frome Valley Walkway,
an 18-mile long path which can be
picked up in Bristol’s Castle Park, and
followed all the way to the Cotswold
Hills. You don’t have to go that far
though. Park at postcode BS16 1DL,
then follow the River Frome through
a beautiful rocky valley. Cross over
Halfpenny Bridge and continue past
the weirs until you get to a fork in the
path. Turning right here will lead
you uphill to Oldbury Court Estate,
a lovely park with a fantastic kids’
playground.
visitbristol.co.uk

BREAN DOWN WAY

Dunster Castle Gardens

seemingly that much larger. Redwoods tower
over the rustic log play area, while gigantic
rhubarb leaves loom over visitors. Down here,
the River Avil runs through the gardens,
lowing under the characterful Lovers’ Bridge
and made use of by the working water mill,
which produces six tonnes of lour a year
to make its own bread. It’s labelled on the
map as unsuitable for some buggies, but is
manageable unless it’s extra muddy.
nationaltrust.org.uk

The Brean Down Way, an eightmile trail (part of Sustrans route
33), links The Grand Pier in
Weston-super-Mare to the tip of the
stunning natural pier, Brean Down.
The route takes keen walkers and
cyclists through Uphill, passing
The Boathouse Cafe, the Great Bird
Screen of Brean (which protects
roosting birds on tidal mud lats),
sluice gates and the Walborough
Nature Reserve on the River Axe
estuary, all the way to Brean Down
Fort. You’re not obligated to cover
the entire eight miles - the Weston
seafront stretch or charming Uphill
marina are excellent abbreviated
sections.
breanbikehire.co.uk/breandown-way/

Chard Reservoir

PHOTO:ANGHARADPAULL

Situated on Chard’s north eastern fringes, this peaceful nature
reserve is made up of native woodlands, wildlower meadows, and
a reservoir. Ideal for buggy ramblers, thanks to good-surfaced
pathways, there are three trails to choose from, leading of from
the main car park at Oaklands Avenue. Visitors can tailor their
walk’s length, pottering the 1.5km from one end of the reservoir to
the other on the woodland path, or you can extend your stroll by
walking along Chafcombe Road, joining the Sustrans cycle route,
and then heading left along the old railway cycle route back to
Touches Lane (3.3km). Whichever you opt for, be sure to include the
woodland play zone and shoreline bird hide. visitsouthsomerset.com/
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SEND EDUCATION
in independent schools
From smaller classes to specialist facilities, the
independent sector has a lot to ofer SEND children
WORDS:

hoosing the right school for your
child can be one of the most
stressful elements of parenting; no
matter how many visits you make,
prospectuses you read, and feedback you get
from other families, the proof of the pudding
is in your child lourishing, progressing
well, and being happy, with all their needs
met. And families might feel that inding
the perfect placement can be even more of
a challenge if their youngster has SEND –
special educational needs and disabilities.

C
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Kelly Rose Bradford

Special educational needs and disabilities
can impact a child’s education in many
ways. The Department for Education cites
both the social and academic setbacks that
a SEND child can face, from struggling to
make friends because of behavioural issues
through to diiculties with reading and
writing (for example, because of dyslexia),
or the ability to understand or concentrate
if they have conditions such as attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
In the private education sector, the

Independent Schools Council (ISC) says
almost a ifth of pupils attending ISC schools
– more than 100,000 children – receive some
form of SEND support, with the 2020 ISC
census – the last one to be published before
the start of the pandemic – showing that
87,338 pupils attending ISC schools were
identiied as having SEND.
The ISC census also identiied a 29 per cent
rise last year in the number of pupils in its
schools with an Education, Health and Care
Plan (EHCP). This, says ISC spokesperson

Somerset Life

EDUCATION

Emily Roberts, is ‘testament to the trusted
range of SEND provision available within
independent schools.’
‘Families often choose independent
schools because of the smaller class sizes,
or the specialist support they provide,’ she
explains. ‘Independent schools are
often better equipped to support
pupils with SEND, both with
their learning and through
the process of diagnosing
certain conditions.’
Some of these children
– an estimated 29,000 –
will have EHCPs, and have
their places funded via their
local authority, but the ISC
says there are 90,000 children
receiving SEND support in the
independent sector without an EHCP.

DO YOUR RESEARCH
Dr Katharine Sharpe is head of learning
support and assistant head (pastoral) at an
independent school in Surrey and SEND
subject advisor for IAPS. She urges parents
to really do their research when looking for
a school for their SEND child, and to not be
afraid to ask questions.
She says local forums and online
communities can be a good source of
information about the processes involved in
getting your child a diagnosis, and inding out
more about the provisions available in your
area: ‘You can get the most incredibly rich
information from families who are already

navigating these systems. I’ve worked with
lots of parents who have found them to be
incredibly supportive and have signposted
them to all sorts of things that they hadn’t
thought about, or hadn’t found out about.’
Katharine also suggests parents familiarise
themselves with Section 41 schools –
independent special schools that
have been approved by the
government for children who
have an EHCP, and where
places are funded by the
local authority.
And while individual
schools w ill have a
diferent approach to their
SEND provisions and their
admissions process, Dr Sharpe
points out that all schools have to
operate in line with the Equality Act of
2010, and make reasonable adjustments for
children with diagnosed special needs.
‘One of the things about the independent
sector is obviously that they can have their
own admissions criteria,’ she says, ‘but they
all have to follow the legislation which applies
in this area.’

PRIVATE ASSESSMENTS
Michelle Catterson is executive head at
Moon Hall School in Surrey, part of the
Moon Hall Schools Educational Trust. A
member of ISA, she says early intervention
and assessment is key if you suspect your
child may be struggling. The school has its
own assessment centre so that families who

‘Almost a
ifth of pupils
attending ISC
schools – more
than 100,000
children – recieve
some sort of
SEND support’
have concerns about their children do not
have to face lengthy waits for them to be
assessed and diagnosed.
‘In our local area, if a child is in a state
mainstream school and they need an
education psychologist, it’s a minimum 12
month wait,’ she says. ‘And if you cannot
get the assessment, and you cannot get the
diagnosis, then you ultimately you don’t get
the support that’s required and needed.’
At Moon Hall, the maximum amount of
time a family would wait is six weeks, and
because the assessments are means tested,
they are available to all, regardless of their
inancial situation. ‘It means that those
families who are maybe going through the
educational healthcare plan process and
trying to apply for funding don’t have to
wait,’ she explains. ‘They can get a private
assessment done within a quick period of
time at a rate that’s afordable for them.’
The centre is open to all families, and they
don’t have to be interested in their child
attending Moon Hall or live in the area.
‘We’ve had families driving for four hours
to come for assessment because there’s just
nothing available for them locally,’ Michelle
says. And, she points out, what brings a child
to the centre for assessment (or indeed any
assessment facility) isn’t always down to their
learning capabilities.
>

far left: Adapting lessons to meet
children’s needs is paramount.
Photo: Monkeybusinessimages/iStock/Getty Images Plus

left: Parents should not be afraid to ask

questions. Photo: FredericMichel/iStock/Getty Images
circle: Dr Katharine Sharpe urges parents to

do their research when looking for a school
for their SEND child. Photo: Dr Katharine Sharpe

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149

EDUCATION

While feedback from teachers, or a
youngster not grasping context as quickly
as other children, is often the cause for
investigation, physical manifestations can
also be an indicator of SEND, such as a
general reluctance to attend school,
or having physical symptoms.
‘They could wake up in the
morning with tummy pains
or anxiety symptoms, or
not go to bed at night
or be able to get into a
sleep routine very easily,’
Michelle explains.

A LIFE-CHANGING
EXPERIENCE
Once a child is in the right setting and
getting the support they need, Michelle says
it is ‘transformational’, and that the change
in them can be evident from day one.
‘I’ve had parents say it’s the irst time their
child has actually talked about their day
or spoken passionately about something
they’ve learned. Of course, it takes longer
for some, but I would say for the majority of

above: Michelle Catterson says early

intervention and assessment is key.
Photo: Michelle Catterson

bottom: Smaller class sizes often means
more support in independent schools.
Photo: monkeybusinessimages/iStock/Getty Images Plus

our pupils, as soon as they come here, school
is completely diferent for them.’
For some of Michelle’s students, their
previous experience of school was quite
negative, and left them feeling misunderstood
or unable to access the learning.
‘For a number of them, when
they then come to a special
school it is the very irst time
that they’re not seen as the
daydreamer, the naughty
kid, or the kid who won’t sit
still, because the teachers
around them are familiar
with their needs and how
best to support them,’ she says.
Moon Hall School follows the
mainstream national curriculum,
and does the same GCSEs, but focuses the
way they learn around the pupil and their
needs. The children also spend their time
in the classroom in the way they feel most
comfortable – perhaps standing up, or while
using idget toys.
‘One thing that we really push at Moon Hall
is to be aspirational for the children because
quite often their skills can be downplayed, or
they can be masked or hidden behind their
diiculties or their diferences. We try to ind
what they really excel in, and support it as
best we possibly can,’ Michelle says.
‘And that really is the change maker for the
children; when they are inally understood,
and inally have their needs met.’

NEED TO KNOW:
ABBREVIATIONS
AND TERMINOLOGY
SEND
Special educational needs
and disabilities.

EHCP
An education, health and care plan
(EHCP) lays out the educational, health
and social support children and young
people (aged up to 25) need when they
require more than what is available
through special educational needs
(SEND) support.

SENCO
In schools, the special educational
needs coordinator (SENCO) is
responsible for ensuring students who
have special educational needs or
disabilities get the support they need.

Section 41 schools
These are independent special
schools which have been approved by
the Secretary of State under section
41 of the Children and Families Act.
Parents whose children have a EHCP
have a right to request this type of
school in the same way they can a
maintained school.

IN ASSOCIATION
WITH:
The ISC represents more than 1,400
independent schools in the UK and
overseas. isc.co.uk
The ISA brings all types of
independent schools together under
its membership; specialist, arts, faith,
bilingual and more, educating all ages.
isaschools.org.uk
IAPS represents around 670
preparatory schools and is a member
of the ISC. iaps.uk

FIND OUT MORE:
Moon Hall Schools Educational Trust
moonhallschoolreigate.co.uk

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The right setting can be
transformational.
Photo: Ridofranz/iStock/Getty Images Plus

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AMERICAN MUSEUM
& GARDENS

museums
to visit
this spring

Somerset Life

MARY SHELLEY’S
HOUSE OF
FRANKENSTEIN

PHOTO: HOUSEOFFRANKENSTEIN

As April welcomes the Easter holidays
(and its customary short sharp showers!)
why not take this opportunity for a
family trip to marvel at the exhibits
on show in these Bath museums

PHOTO:CASPERFARRELL

Showcasing American decorative
arts and recreating periods of
American history, Anglo-American
couple Dallas Pratt and John Judkyn
created this museum to dispel
stereotypes of American culture.
Expect exhibitions of fashion, music,
folk art and maps. Outside, there are
125 acres of landscaped gardens to
explore including an arboretum,
amphitheatre, children’s garden
as well as trails and parklands.
americanmuseum.org

Whilst living in Bath, Mary Shelley
wrote the world’s irst science iction
novel – Frankenstein. Set in a Grade IIlisted building, this museum promises
to be an immersive experience for all
visitors. Uncover Shelley’s history
before confronting the formidable
8ft monster that Mary imagined
through her writings. There’s
mystery aplenty with two escape
rooms set up to test your problem
solving skills – do you have what it
takes to solve the gruesome clues?
houseofrankenstein.com

April 2024

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PHOTO: RACHELMEAD

ROMAN BATHS
Book your slot online, pop in your
headphones and wander at your own
pace among the steaming pools and
ancient artefacts. Be sure to keep a
look out for the gilt bronze head of
the Roman goddess Sulis Minerva
which was discovered in 1727. It was
a very rare ind and is believed to be an
original object from the irst century.
romanbaths.co.uk

With a collection dating back to 5000
BC, the museum’s comprehensive
displays include exhibits of ceramics,
bronzes and jade, as well as bamboo
and wood carvings. Keep an eye
out for the tea ceremonies which
run once a month on a Thursday.
Set in a tranquil gallery space, the
demonstration introduces you to
cultural traditions surrounding the
Japanese tea ceremony and the chance
to have a cup of authentic matcha tea!
meaa.org

HOLBURNE MUSEUM
The ifth baronet of Menstrie in Scotland, Sir William Holburne inherited the family title
and a modest fortune. After completing a grand tour of Europe, a lifelong interest in art
was formed and an enthusiastic collection of sculptures, porcelain and Dutch landscapes
was gathered in his home in Bath. His wish was for his collection to be left to the City of
Bath for all to enjoy. holburne.org

THE JANE AUSTEN
CENTRE

MUSEUM OF BATH
AT WORK

A visit to the Jane Austen Centre
immerses you fully into an educational
and entertaining journey through the
Regency era. Warmly welcomed by
costumed guides, you’ll be invited to
write with a quill pen and ink before
you head to the Regency Tea Room
to experience ‘Afternoon Tea with
Mr Darcy’. Expect exquisite cakes,
inger sandwiches and fresh warmed
scones, all served with exceptional
quality of service.
janeausten.co.uk

Step back in time as you enter
the reconstructed workplaces of
ironmongers, engineering works and
even a izzy drinks factory! Buy your
entrance ticket at Mr Bowler’s shop,
featuring original Victorian shop
ittings. Then explore the display of
Bath’s working life through the ages.
Exhibits include an original ‘Bath
Chair’ for those who were carried to
the healing baths, and an early car from
the Horstmann Car Company of Bath.
bath-at-work.org.uk

In conjunction with Bath BID

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PHOTO:HOLBURNEMUSEUM

PHOTO:MEAA

THE MUSEUM OF
EAST ASIAN ART

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NUTRITION KNOW-HOW
Top Nutritionist Pauline Cox MSc, author of Hungry Woman
and owner of Sow & Arrow, answers your health questions

Dear Pauline
I have heard great things about cold water
swimming. I live in Clevedon and have access
to the wonderful Marine lake. I am 47 years
old, a competent swimmer but have never
ventured into cold water swimming before!
I know you are a keen cold-water swimmer, I
would be grateful to hear some of the beneits
of cold-water swimming, as well as any advice
you may have. Thank you, Emily
Dear Emily,
I am indeed an avid cold-water swimmer!
Whilst the thought of immersing in cold
water may send chills down your spine,
there are many physical and mental health
beneits. There are certainly some safety
considerations, which I will cover, however,
irstly let’s begin with the top ive beneits of
cold-water swimming:
1 Immune System Support
Cold water swimming, which is deined
as swimming in waters below 10
degrees Celsius, is reported to boost
white blood cells, which helps to ight
of infections and other diseases.
2 Reduces Inlammation
Cold water can help to reduce inlammation
as well as serve as a natural pain-reliever.
Long-term inlammation damages
our delicate tissues. A reduction in
inlammation can be helpful for those
with general aches and pains.

PHOTO:PAULINECOX

3 Increases Metabolism
Immersing in cold water results in a
reduction in core body temperature. Over
time the body adapts to this practice by
converting white body fat (the type we
may want to be trying to get rid of!) to
a more metabolically active brown fat.
This brown fat increases our metabolic
rate, helping us to burn more calories.

Taking the plunge into
cold water swimming
them to contract and relax as a result
of rapidly changing temperatures.
Improved blood low supports healthy
tissues and tissue regeneration.

STAYING SAFE WHILST
COLD-WATER SWIMMING

Whilst there are many beneits to cold water
swimming, it is also important to follow safety
precautions.
a) Always swim with company.
Swimming with company ensures if
one of you needs help, the other can
be called upon for support. Swimming
with a group is even better! Find a local
cold-water swimming group, such as The
Bluetits Chill Swimmers, where you will
ind swimmers of all experience levels.

4 Improves Mood and Reduces Anxiety
When we immerse in cold water,
initially there may be an increase in
anxiety and much trepidation. However,
following this, there is a large boost
in our feel-good hormone dopamine.
This resultant dopamine spike helps
us to feel motivated and energised.

b) Be aware of your surroundings
Knowing the area you are swimming in
is extremely important. Is it tidal, what
is the depth, are there objects under the
water that you are not familiar with?

5 Blood Flow
Our blood vessels contain tiny
muscles, helping them to contract
and relax. Cold water exposure helps
to exercise these muscles, causing

c) Choose the appropriate clothing
Warm clothing before and after will help
you warm up quickly and safely. Wearing
wetsuit booties, gloves, appropriate swim
wear and a hat is of great importance.

Somerset Life

d) Don’t get in too quickly!
Ease yourself into the water. The
cold water can cause your breathing
to increase and muscles to tense
up. Easing in and slowing your
breathing down will help to transition
into the cold temperature.
e) Enjoy some post-swim comfort!
Bring a hot lask full of tea, a hot water
bottle and some tasty nibbles to help
warm you up and fuel you after the
cold. A warming cup of turmeric chai
(my favourite!) and some delicious
chocolate coconut macaroons are a
tasty and healthy way to warm up and
fuel up after your swim. For a range
of healthy nibbles and plastic-free
teas, visit sowandarrow.com or visit
the physical store at 15 Old Street,
Clevedon. Open Tuesday – Saturday.

The information in this article is
not ofered as advice, but as a guide.
Always consult an expert before
starting any new sports such as coldwater swimming. To learn more from
Pauline, follow her on Instagram
@paulinejcox or read her latest book,
Hungry Woman – Eating for Good
Health, Happiness + Hormones.

April 2024

159

FASHION

SHADES
of spring
Get ready for brighter days with an array of
fresh neutrals and subtle pops of colour
COMPILED BY:

Beth Windsor

3
2
1

6
4

1. Dazzling cardigan, £3,995, shop.brunellocucinelli.com 2. Spring Gardens hand beaded bag, £65, joebrowns.co.uk
3. The Hemley fedora in cream, £79, hicksandbrown.com 4. White Greta trousers, £950, connollyengland.com
5. Fakenham shirt in pale pink, £79.95, schoffelcountry.com
6. The Finchley trainer in white leather, £145, fairfaxandfavor.com

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WHAT IS IT?

F I R ST DR I V E:

Lexus LBX
Lexus enters new territory with the
LBX - but can this small SUV come out
on top in a very congested market?
WORDS:

Jack Evans PHOTOS: Lexus/PA

Lexus occupies quite an interesting space in
the UK’s motoring landscape. It is known, of
course, for its premium models which tend to
revolve around larger, more high-end body
styles. Take the full-size RX SUV, for example,
or the comfort-focused ES. But even Lexus
can’t ignore the growing demand for smaller
SUVs and crossovers, which has prompted
the creation of this – the LBX.
It’s built with a little help from Toyota – the
LBX shares a platform and engine setup with
the irm’s Yaris Cross – but has been tweaked
to give it some of the hallmark features which
people expect from Lexus, such as a higherquality interior and improved reinement.
But in a segment as cut-throat as the one for
crossovers, can the LBX stand out?

WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?
The engine setup in the LBX is one thing
which remains largely unchanged against
the Yaris Cross. It’s a standard ‘self-charging’
hybrid setup which uses a 1.5-litre threecylinder engine at its core, linked to a new
‘bipolar’ hybrid battery which aims to bring
more power compared with a traditional
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MOTORING

battery but with far lower weight. In fact,
weight is a big factor with the LBX, as at
1,350kg it’s remarkably light compared with
many of its rivals.
Eiciency-wise, this hybrid system pays
dividends. Lexus claims you could get up to
62.7mpg combined alongside CO2 emissions
of between 102 and 108g/km depending on
wheel size. Power goes to the front wheels
via a CVT automatic gearbox and, if you’d
like a little extra traction, an all-wheel-drive
version will also be available.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?
All of the major driving characteristics in
the LBX are positive. It’s a light car and this
transfers through to the way it drives as it
manages to feel nimble and agile through
the bends, while the steering has a nice bit
of weight to it. With a zero to 60mph time
of nine seconds dead, it isn’t what you’d call
fast, but the electric assistance that you get
from a dead stop means it feels a little bit
sharper away from the lights than the igures
might suggest.
Though Lexus is known for its hushed cabin
the LBX does sufer from some prominent
wind and road noise – particularly when
you’re travelling over rough surfaces – but it
isn’t too bad and is largely what we’d expect
from a car of this size. The CVT gearbox,
as is the case with nearly all cars using it,
is loud and raucous if you really press on
the throttle – but drive the LBX in a calmer
fashion and it feels far more suited to the
job. It’s ideal for around-town driving; it’s
only when you need to join a motorway that
it really becomes noisy.

WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?
Lexus always aims to take its cars down
a more premium route than others in the
market and, in most places, this is the case
with the LBX. Smart stitching, nicely damped
buttons and a good it and inish help to
elevate it above rivals, though there are some
scratchier plastics placed here and there, with
the large glove box being a noticeable area
where things don’t feel quite so top-end.
Rear-seat space isn’t too bad, though if the
driver is taller than the person sitting behind
them it’s going to feel quite squashed. Though
there’s the capacity for three-abreast seating
in the LBX, it really does feel like this would
be best suited to occasional use – it’s far too
small to be seen as a reliable ive-seater. A
402-litre boot is decent for this class of car,
too, and you can extend it to 994 litres with
the rear seats down.

WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?

The LBX range kicks of at a competitive
£29,995, with entry-level ‘Urban’ grade cars
getting plenty of equipment from the of –
there’s 17-inch wheels as standard alongside
LED headlights, front and rear parking
sensors and a 9.8-inch touchscreen with all
the smartphone mirroring systems you need.
At this price point the LBX makes for quite
good value, too, and though you can move
through the ranks – and rise as high as the
£40,545 Takumi Design speciication – it
feels as though this Lexus delivers more than
enough equipment without having to trouble
the upper echelons of the trim list.

FINAL SAY
It takes quite a lot to stand out in this crowded
market, but we reckon the LBX has done just
enough to put its head above the parapet. It’s
a ine alternative to cars like the Audi Q2,
which is now starting to feel its age, with the
LBX’s well-speciied interior and eicient
powertrain setup making it a choice which
both feels a little bit special and yet still
economical to run.
We’d argue that at higher speciications
the LBX becomes a little too expensive to
recommend, but in lower grades – and at that
all-important sub-£30,000 price tag – this is
quite a convincing small crossover.

TECH & SPEC
Model: Lexus LBX
Price: from £29,990
Powertrain: 1.5-litre hybrid
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 185Nm
Max speed: 106mph
0-60mph: 9.0 seconds
MPG: 62.7
Emissions: 102-108g/km

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JANE TOWNSON OBE
The CEO of the Homecare Association, who has extensive experience
in the social care, health, housing and technology sectors

aring for family or friends who
are ageing or unwell gives rise to
complex and mixed emotions, such
as love, afection, frustration, anger,
grief, sadness and guilt.
Carer guilt is a common experience among
those caring for loved ones, particularly in
cases of chronic or terminal illness such
as cancer or dementia. This can stem from
a variety of sources, including feelings of
inadequacy, resentment, feeling overwhelmed
and a belief they are not doing enough
for their loved ones. Lack of information,
training and guidance can also worsen guilt
if carers are unsure of how to perform tasks,
such as providing care, treatment planning,
and treatment decision-making. This may
increase their sense of powerlessness,
adding to distress.
Research focused on carers of people
with dementia identiied seven categories
of guilt derived from: a carer’s own actions;
their sense of limitation; feeling negative
emotions; changes in the relationship with
the person cared for; neglecting other areas;
actions of the person cared for; and guilt
induced by others.
Researchers explored the dynamics of guilt
in family carers of cancer patients. They found
that stress processes, contextual factors,
and the progression of the patient’s illness
heightened guilt. The study also suggested
a strong link between feelings of guilt and
distress, implying that guilt can contribute
to the development and maintenance of
depression among carers.
Evidence suggests that carer guilt can lead
to poorer coping mechanisms and health
outcomes. All too often, for example, a sense
of guilt delays or stops family carers seeking
help from professional care providers. Many
view this as abandoning their loved one or
failing to provide everything themselves. In
reality, part-time or full-time professional
care may be the kindest and most beneicial
solution for all involved. If carers struggle
on alone and damage their own health,
they may have to reduce or cease caring.
Beneits of drawing on professional care
services include:
• Rebalancing relationships: When
a carer is partially or fully relieved
of caring responsibilities, they can
return to being daughter, son, partner,
friend, rather than carer. Many say
they feel more comfortable and able
to enjoy the company of their loved
one when caring work is no longer the
focus. It is very common to hear people
say: ‘I wish I’d sought help sooner.’

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April 2024

PHOTO: RIDOFRANZ/GETTYIMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO

Hardships of care
• Skills and experience: Goodquality, regulated care agencies
train professional caregivers to
provide high standards of care. Their
experience of caring for older and
disabled people gives them expertise
most of us lack. Some care needs for
certain health conditions require
specialist training and supervision
and are best met by professionals.
• Safety: People with memory loss,
limited mobility, or impaired judgment
beneit from professional support
and supervision. This keeps them
safe and gives carers peace of mind,
as none of us can be on duty 24/7.
• Respite: Professional respite care
lets carers take breaks to rest and
renew. This helps to sustain energy
needed for caring over long periods.
• Companionship: Loneliness is
detrimental to emotional health.
Professional caregivers provide
meaningful social interaction when
a family carer cannot be present.
Supporting carers and understanding and
easing feelings of guilt are thus vital for the
wellbeing of all involved. Some strategies for
managing carer guilt include acknowledging
the emotions; adjusting expectations; and
understanding that needing help or taking
time for oneself does not relect a lack of care
or love for the individual in need.

TIPS TO MINIMISE
FEELINGS OF GUILT:
1. Have open conversations with
your loved one about care options.
Include them in decisions
2. Educate yourself on services
like homecare, live-in care, respite
care, adult day services, and care
homes. Know your options
3. Recognise your limits. You
cannot address complex or
round-the-clock needs alone
4. Let go of perceptions of yourself as the
only one who can care for your loved one.
This is unrealistic and adds pressure
5. Focus on quality time with your
loved one when you are not caregiving
6. Express your feelings of guilt
to supportive friends and family
who can ofer reassurance
7. Make self-care a priority every
day through healthy eating, rest,
exercise, and relaxing activities
8. Relect on the positives and feel
proud of yourself for supporting
your loved one despite challenges
Providing care for a loved one is an
enormous responsibility. Normal feelings
of guilt can arise, but must not prevent you
from seeking help. Prioritise self-care and
know that supplementing your care with
expert help is wise. With the right balance
of care and support, both you and your loved
one can beneit.

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NEXT ISSUE

Turn to
WHAT’S ON
for four pages of
great events taking
place
this month!
P75-78

Adam Henson
The BBC Countryile presenter is visiting Wells
to talk all things farming and media

DON’T
MISS THE
May issue

on sale
April 19

SOCIAL
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RED ALERT

HIGH ADVENTURE

Artist Kirstie Macleod welcomes us into
her Castle Cary studio ahead of
The Red Dress exhibition in Somerton

Innovative Somerset product designers
Latitude Tents invite us to road-test a
rooftop tent on Exmoor

Find us on Facebook
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Snap with us on Instagram
@somersetlifemagazine

April 2024

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01823 365013

Please recycle
this magazine

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THE CRUCIVERBALIST
NOUN. A person who enjoys or is skilled at solving crosswords

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Somerset Life

30 It’s a whiter version
of ‘squirm’! (6)

DOWN
1 Ogle at open rebellion
in all the population’s
blueprints (4,4)
2 Rescue to be attempted
with lullaby (8)
3 Stone cross, with ebony
end as frontispiece (4)
5 Cry out in admiration at
playwright’s device (8,5)
6 Fly Emirate of into
genealogy (6,4)
7 Mean to use tinned
ingredients (6)
8 Lizards are a match
for 100,000 egos (6)
10 Purr in an alternate way
for the para-normal (13)
14 Ecologically sound
discussion document? (5,5)
17 It’s what your sporty
baby can wear, maybe (8)
18 Sort of front
surface font? (8)
21 Bad state of mind that’s
ok for a mushroom! (6)
22 Response? Eat up a cocktail
with bad manners (6)
26 Gets a robust chunk
for the monarch (4)

QUICK CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 Elaborate (6)
4 Swings (4)
7 Argument (3)
9 Be on cloud nine (5)
10 Clamour from many
people (3,3,3)
11 Gang (4)
12 Scheme (4)
13 Allocation (5)
15 Varnish (7)
16 Bog product (4)
17 In the past (3)
20 Gemstone (4)
21 Chicken (7)
24 Native American tent (5)
25 Pig meat (4)
26 Fruit (4)
28 X-ray medicine (9)
29 Bedlam (5)
30 Rowing gear (3)

31 Considered (4)
32 Arrival (6)

DOWN
1 Cloudy (8)
2 Made impotent (8)
3 ‘Goodbye’ (2-2)
5 Turn away (5)
6 Essential (Latin) (4,3,3)
7 Calculate (6)
8 Ambush (6)
10 Spiral (7)
14 Worn out (7,3)
16 Depict (7)
18 Stand still (8)
19 Toy (5,3)
22 Two-sourced (6)
23 Arachnid (6)
25 Picture (5)
27 Dart (4)

CRYPTIC ANSWERS: Across: 1 Gibbon, 4 Edifying, 9 Nervy, 10 Pragmatic,
11 Peel, 12 Sera, 13 Lingo, 15 Observe, 16 Iota, 19 Bean, 20 Ideally, 23 Lap
up, 24 Toot, 25 Byte, 27 Stag party, 28 Scuba, 29 Drearily, 30 Writhe.
Down: 1 Gene pool, 2 Berceuse, 3 Onyx, 5 Dramatic irony, 6 Family tree,
7 Intend, 8 Geckos, 10 Preternatural, 14 Green paper, 17 Playsuit, 18
Typeface, 21 Closed, 22 Uptake, 26 Tsar.
QUICK ANSWERS: Across: 1 Ornate, 4 Yaws, 7 Row, 9 Exult, 10 Hue and
cry, 11 Crew, 12 Plot, 13 Quota, 15 Shellac, 16 Peat, 17 Ago, 20 Opal, 21
Rooster, 24 Tepee, 25 Pork, 26 Ugli, 28 Radiology, 29 Chaos, 30 Oar, 31
Took, 32 Advent. Down: 1 Overcast, 2 Neutered, 3 Ta-ta, 5 Avert, 6 Sine
qua non, 7 Reckon, 8 Waylay, 10 Helical, 14 Clapped out, 16 Portray, 18
Stagnate, 19 Train set, 22 Stereo, 23 Spider, 25 Photo, 27 Scud.

ACROSS
1 Ape to play bingo
with a blockhead (6)
4 Feign DIY incompetence,
to be uplifting (8)
9 Tense diner, vying
for a half portion (5)
10 Pam? Tragic type,
but practical (9)
11 Ring bells, but scrape
elbow in amongst (4)
12 Laser action, reducing
blood luids (4)
13 Oh the language at
a failed log-in! (5)
15 See how it can
be verbose (7)
16 Tiny bit of a preparation
I have to take (4)
19 Mr Legume, eh Rowan? (4)
20 In a perfect world
of concepts? (7)
23 Happily take in a
Pulp Fiction (3,2)
24 Honk also at casual shirt (4)
25 Bystander who darns away
for the computer unit (4)
27 Said to be a dear equivalent
of a hen party? (4,5)
28 Taken from cub,
as ‘Tin Lung’ (5)
29 Dismally, things are
drily presented (8)

For more
free puzzles from
Professor Rebus
please go to
Pitcherwits.co.uk

April 2024

177

The world according to

CADBURY
This month: The arrival of woolly intruders

ear Reader
You might recall that my most recent column
dwelled on my hidden insecurities and that
I was consumed by the green-eyed monster,
jealous as I was of the preferential treatment received
by the Labrador. Far be it for me to labour the point any
further than it should be laboured. However – if you will
humour me a little more – you will bear witness to an
increase in Spaniel Neglect, which began with the arrival
of four woolly gatecrashers on Good Friday. Timely, some
might say, for a glorious Easter Sunday feast. However,
these intruders (or orphan lambs as they were referred
to from above) were NOT destined
for the table as I had anticipated
expectantly. A sad state of afairs
indeed, given that the meat-andbone remains of a roast dinner
often make their way down the food
chain to my Labrador friend and
me – Easter being only second to
Christmas in the Leftover Stakes.
No, these uninvited guests
disembarked to much fanfare from
a trailer and were warmly invited
to step over the metaphorical – and
physical – threshold into a cosy stable pen lined with
straw, like some ridiculous (and festively mis-timed I
might add) Biblical scene. Everyone crowded round and
made a huge fuss, picking each one up and discussing
absurd names for them. The Labrador was somewhat
perplexed as she did not have the athletic ability to stand
on her hind legs and peer over the wooden pallet structure
as I did, and so had to rely on glimpses through the gaps
and a running commentary from my vantage point. There
was much bleating and a pervading stench of sheep. I was
distinctly unimpressed by this latest invasion.
When it became hurtfully clear that our presence
was not welcome – and when one too many jokes had
been cracked about my admittedly longer-than-usual-

for-this-time-of-year lufy coat and how I might be
‘mistaken’ ha ha ha for one of the lambs – we sloped of
in disgust, united for once in our mutual jealousy. Later
that afternoon, some guests arrived for the weekend
and they were ceremoniously led in the direction of the
stables to greet the newcomers. Two days later (and with
total lack of awareness at the irony I might add) a distant
relative of these orphan lambs was laid on the dining table
in all its rosemary-and-garlic-infused glory and greeted
with ravenous enthusiasm, all the while observed by
yours truly. And if I was confused, you can only imagine
how the Labrador’s brain was coping with this U-turn in
the human mindset. From stable to
table, just like that.
Now, twice a day, bottles of milk
are prepared for our new guests –
the animal ones, not the human –
and wolfed down with a greed that is
embarrassing to observe. The yard
is covered in wisps of straw and
wool and conversation is dominated
by their arrival. Frankly, I am at a
loss as to the attraction. Their recall
is non-existent, they are unable to
retrieve (even the Labrador can
manage this simple task when her arthritis allows) and
they have sharp and angular hooves that prevent the sort
of proper physical afection that a dog allows.
I am therefore consoling myself with the thought that
this ‘agricultural’ fad is unlikely to last as long as a simple
cat or dog arrangement. Moreover, though I am loathe
to admit such sentimentality, I do confess to enjoying
the bond it has brought to the more normal animal
members of the house as a result. Although the cats are
not particularly bothered by any upending of the status
quo. Come to think of it, the cats are not particularly
bothered by anything. Oh to be a cat, now that April
is here.
Love, or what you will, Cadbury

‘Everyone crowded
round and made a
huge fuss, picking
each one up and
discussing absurd
names for them’

WORDS:

178

April 2024

Kate Robinson

Somerset Life

April 2024

179