Not the Tor but Burrow Mump (Photo: W. Lloyd MacKenzie) Last weekend we took the opportunity to drive south to Exeter (to help our daughter move) and took the more direct and scenic route across Somerset. It reminded us how beautiful and varied the landscape is around here. Across from the Mendips to the Polden Hills with Glastonbury Tor to our left. We stopped at the Somerset Crafts centre by Westhay reserve (with the great little Eco Bites cafe), and this time we actually bought some lovely art work (for the cottage see the next blog for more on this).
One thing came clear as we talked with people. It seems that across the UK the extraordinary flooding in the South Somerset Levels has meant that visitor numbers are down this year. Bizarrely the extensive news coverage in February (understandable at the time) has resulted in many people thinking that the county is still under water months later. But of course with the rain easing, and the flooding receded fairly quickly, and the land has recovered remarkably fast. Ultimately the levels are designed for this and Mother Nature is remarkably resilient.
Of course for those (relatively) few whose homes were flooded the recovery continues and our hearts go out to them. But we care too that many running tourist and visitor activities and attractions, this is now proving a tough year.
Moving onwards our journey now took us towards Taunton through Burrowbridge - pretty much the epicentre for some of the flooding, in this case blocked the main A361 for weeks at the time. For us Burrowbridge is famous for two things: firstly the famous Cider Bus, a long-standing Glastonbury Festival institution serving up loads of lovely Burrow Hill cider and cider brandy to thirsty festival goers. The other more long-standing feature (literally) is Burrow Mump (as seen in the picture here). An ancient earthwork, with ruined St. Michael's church on top, it looks like a miniature Glastonbury Tor. And indeed both Tor and Mump lie on the St. Michael Ley Line - a proposed ancient straight line connecting natural and man made features from St. Michael's Mount on the Cornish coast to Bury St Edmund's Abbey in Norfolk and beyond and taking in Glastonbury Tor, Avebury stone circle and Burrow Mump. The name of the line comes from the remarkable number of churches dedicated to St Michael that dot the line.
Anyway for anyone thinking of visiting Somerset, whether or not your thinking of staying at Gorge View Cottage, rest assured it is alive and well and certainly kicking with natural beauty. And it is certainly not flooded!
One thing came clear as we talked with people. It seems that across the UK the extraordinary flooding in the South Somerset Levels has meant that visitor numbers are down this year. Bizarrely the extensive news coverage in February (understandable at the time) has resulted in many people thinking that the county is still under water months later. But of course with the rain easing, and the flooding receded fairly quickly, and the land has recovered remarkably fast. Ultimately the levels are designed for this and Mother Nature is remarkably resilient.
Of course for those (relatively) few whose homes were flooded the recovery continues and our hearts go out to them. But we care too that many running tourist and visitor activities and attractions, this is now proving a tough year.
Moving onwards our journey now took us towards Taunton through Burrowbridge - pretty much the epicentre for some of the flooding, in this case blocked the main A361 for weeks at the time. For us Burrowbridge is famous for two things: firstly the famous Cider Bus, a long-standing Glastonbury Festival institution serving up loads of lovely Burrow Hill cider and cider brandy to thirsty festival goers. The other more long-standing feature (literally) is Burrow Mump (as seen in the picture here). An ancient earthwork, with ruined St. Michael's church on top, it looks like a miniature Glastonbury Tor. And indeed both Tor and Mump lie on the St. Michael Ley Line - a proposed ancient straight line connecting natural and man made features from St. Michael's Mount on the Cornish coast to Bury St Edmund's Abbey in Norfolk and beyond and taking in Glastonbury Tor, Avebury stone circle and Burrow Mump. The name of the line comes from the remarkable number of churches dedicated to St Michael that dot the line.
Anyway for anyone thinking of visiting Somerset, whether or not your thinking of staying at Gorge View Cottage, rest assured it is alive and well and certainly kicking with natural beauty. And it is certainly not flooded!
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