Lined with centuries-old stone cottages and some fantastic pubs, here locals greet you with a smile, but instead of your usual pint of beer, Somerset is cider country – and it makes some of the world’s best. According to the travel guide, this is the season for apple picking and pressing, and when autumn rolls around, the town is a hotspot for apple lovers.
Condé Nast wrote: “When South African Koos Bekker and his wife Karen Roos turned Hadspen House into The Newt in Somerset, planting 267 varieties of apple trees in the process, it was destined to become a hotspot for cider (or cyder as it is known here).”
For those looking to stretch their legs, visitors can wander along the River Brue, explore the independent boutiques on the High Street, or stop for a warming coffee, tea or even something stronger at one of the town’s artisan cafés.
The town’s restaurants and inns make the most of Somerset’s seasonal produce; think hearty stews, fresh cheeses with Cheddar Gorge only around the corner, and the best apple crumble you’ll ever taste.
And for those who love exploring, nearby villages like Castle Cary and Batcombe offer even more postcard-worthy scenes.
It’s also easily accessible by train from London, with the quickest services taking just over an hour-and-a-half. Bruton also has an impressive list of notable residents, from former Chancellor George Osborne to fashion designer Stella McCartney and TV presenter Sarah Beeny.
After the Covid pandemic, Bruton even became known as the “new Notting Hill” as an influx of Londoners looked to escape the capital for the countryside.
