How to spend a winter escape in the West Country

A place of Celtic myth and legend, famous for its unspoilt villages and impressive coastline, the West Country is home to many of the iconic images of picturesque England. Castles, cathedrals, beautiful villages, river valleys and ancient towns can all be found here, it covers the two famous cities of Bath and Bristol, hundreds of quaint towns, acres of lush green countryside and absolutely stunning beaches.

Some of the West Country – mainly Bath and Cornwall – are globally famous, Bath for its outstanding architecture and Cornwall for its tropical-like beaches. While they are both very deserving of this fame, the West Country has so much more to offer!

No. 1 Royal Crescent
Distance from THE PIG-near Bath 8.3 miles

The Royal Crescent is considered one of the finest achievements of eighteenth- century urban architecture. This impressive Georgian townhouse was built between 1767 and 1774 and was the first house to be built in the Crescent originally providing luxury accommodation for aristocratic visitors who came to enjoy the social season. Spend the day exploring the uniquely authentic rooms of the house and admire the beauty of the house with a stroll on the green.

Lacock village and countryside
Distance from THE PIG-near Bath 21 miles

Visit the quintessentially English village of Lacock part of the National Trust, the streets today still look much like they did 200 years ago. There’s lots to discover in the village; quaint traditional stone cottages, the old workhouse, the medieval tithe barn, the old lock-up and the village church. There have also been a few famous faces in Lacock village, the most famous appearances include ‘Downtown Abbey’, the BBC’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Cranford’, and ‘Harry Potter and the Half- Blood Prince’.

Somerset Cider Brandy company
Distance from THE PIG-near Bath 38 miles

Take a trip to one of our suppliers from our 25-mile menu! There is plenty to explore including the orchard walk among the 170-year-old vats in the cider house with drinks to sample, and guided tours through the whole process from harvesting the apples to distilling and maturing the brandy can be arranged. Fun fact the Somerset Brandy company have visited us at our festivals Smoked & Uncut and you might have spotted them at Glastonbury!

Thermae Bath Spa
Distance from THE PIG-near Bath 8.3 miles

Take time out to unwind at Bath’s natural thermal waters, day and night you can enjoy the indoor Minerva Bath and open-air rooftop pool with stunning views over the city of Bath. Bathe in naturally warm, mineral rich waters just like the Romans and Celts did over 2,000 years ago.

Durdle Door
Distance from THE PIG-on the beach 17.8 miles

One of the Jurassic Coast’s most iconic landscapes – Durdle Door! This impressive landscape is a natural arch, formed from a layer of hard limestone standing almost vertically out of the sea. You can walk the South West Coast Path which offers spectacular views across the Jurassic Coast, if you walk to the east of Durdle Door you’ll pass the famous Lulworth Cove and Stair Hole.

Exeter Cathedral
Distance from THE PIG–at Combe 16 miles

Dating back 900 years, Exeter Cathedral is one of England’s most beautiful medieval cathedrals famous for its two Norman towers, impressive west front carvings and longest unbroken stretch of Gothic vaulting in the world. Based in the centre of Exeter, the cathedral is a short walk into the town if you fancy exploring!

Wiltshire White Horses
Distance from THE PIG-near Bath 23 miles

Discover Wiltshire’s oldest White Horse chalk caving whilst taking in breath taking views of the Wiltshire countryside. With the oldest dating from 1778 at Westbury, white horses were created by removing the grass on the hills to reveal the white chalk underneath. Originally, it was thought there were 13 horses carved and 8 can still be seen today, the most recent one at Devizes completed in 1999 to mark the millennium. Other white horses can be found at Alton Barnes, Cherhill, Hackpen, Marlborough and Pewsey.

River Exe
Distance from THE PIG–at Combe 22 miles

The River Exe carves its way through the Somerset and Devonshire landscape, from its source at Exehead, the river flows across the rural Exe valley landscape, through Exeter and finally reaches the sea at Exmouth. This beautiful corner of the world offers stunning scenery, wildlife and is a great space to be explored. The riverside valley park is seven miles long and is a lovely walk, to treat yourself at the end there is plenty of Riverside pubs and cafes to grab a well-deserved bite – yay!

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