Somerset – Holiday Review

Blue Anchor - Somerset

Posted by on 14th September 2018

In the last week of August 2018 we spent a few days in West Somerset.  Its not an area we’ve visited before, but have driven through in the past on the way to Devon or Cornwall. It was about time we stopped by for a break and discover a little gem at the gateway to the west country.

Resort

Beach at Blue Anchor

Beach at Blue Anchor

Blue Anchor is a small, quiet seaside village situated between Minehead and Watchet, on the edge of Exmoor National Park. There are a couple of pub/restaurants within walking distance plus a seaside cafe open during the day. More restaurants and amenities may be found in the neighbouring towns about a 10-15 minute drive away. Minehead has a Tesco, Lidl and Morrisons, all next to each other and 2 Co-op Food stores in Watchet.

The beach is mainly pebbly, and being honest, at the time we were there the sea looked a bit murky. The tide does go quite far out, so its possible to go for a walk and see if there’s anything interesting to find. Its very popular with dog walkers, and in the evenings when the tide is in, the promenade is lined with people fishing. On a clear day, it is possible to see South Wales across the other side of the channel, and the sunsets are spectacular.

Accommodation

Hoburne Blue Anchor

Hoburne Blue Anchor

It had been a fair few years since we stayed in a caravan park, but we decided to try one out, after reading its positive reviews and seemed to have the facilities to suit us. Hoburne Blue Anchor is located directly across the road from the village’s beach and backing onto the West Somerset Railway with stunning views of the countryside.

We managed to check-in about an hour early which gave us time to relax and head down to Minehead to buy a few groceries. Upon entering the holiday home we were delighted by the spacious, modern layout. The kitchen area is fully equipped with a wall mounted oven, hob, microwave, an american style fridge freezer with water dispenser, washing machine, kettle, toaster and plenty of utensils sufficient for our stay. Next to the dining table is a breakfast bar which leads onto the open plan lounge area. This has an L-shape sofa and TV. There are doors leading out to a patio area with chairs. It was really nice to have a bit of outdoor space to sit out plus an ideal space for drying swimming clothes/towels etc.

Back inside there are 2 bedrooms. The master has an ensuite shower, and a small walk in wardrobe. There is a twin bedroom and a family bathroom with a spa bath. We loved the way the home has been very cleverly designed to give maximum space plus feeling luxurious. The beds were made up for us plus towels provided. We only brought along our own tea towels, and pool towels.

The park has many different types of homes with different facilities, so enquire at the time of booking to see which one suits best.

Hoburne Blue Anchor

Hoburne Blue Anchor

There’s an indoor pool in the main block by the reception. The pool is open up to around 5pm. Afterwards it is exclusively open for a couple of hours for additional activities that the kids can pre-book and take part in. They include Kayaking, Aqua Roller and Paddle Boats. There is also a jacuzzi, sauna, steam room plus a small room with some gym equipment. Outside there are 2 playgrounds, one small one behind reception and another larger one towards the centre of the park. A new attraction to the park is a lovely 9-hole mini golf. It costs £10 for a family of 4 or £3.50 individual cost. We had fun having a go on the course and enjoying the sea views. There is a new cafe next to the reception for some snacks.

Hoburne Blue Anchor

Hoburne Blue Anchor

Attractions

West Somerset Railway Blue Anchor station is just a 5-10 minute walk from the Hoburne Blue Anchor. We booked the Family Rover ticket (2 adult 2 children) plus an additional child ticket in advance. This is the longest standard gauge heritage railway in England so would have taken us most of the day to go from one end to the other if we were hopping on and off. We weren’t sure if some of the attractions would be open at some of the stations, so we decided to play it safe and travel down to Minehead, then back up to Watchet, before returning to the holiday park. It is really lovely day out.

West Somerset Railway

West Somerset Railway

At Minehead we walked up to the promenade to enjoy the sea views. You can see Butlins at one end and beautiful headland views to the other side. Going inland, there is a beautiful tree lined avenue with some shops, bars and restaurants. Wish we had more time to spend there, but we had to get back on the train.

Minehead

Minehead

We travelled back along the line to Watchet. Its a very pretty small town, with a harbour marina. There’s cafes along the marina front. We had lunch there at the Corner House Cafe. If we had more time there’s a couple of attractions to visit including the Market House Museum and the Watchet Boat museum (linked with the Watchet Visitor Centre).

Watchet

Watchet

Torre Cider Farm & Shop, Washford – About a 10-15 minute drive from the park. Its a nice place to spend a morning or afternoon. We enjoyed walking through the huge apple orchard and visiting the cider shop that not only sold their own cider, but other local produce including jams, cheese and gifts.  They offer free cider tasting and you can pre-book a tour of the cider making facilities. There is a children’s play area and are some farm animals.  Cleeve Abbey is just a few minutes drive from the Farm. A family ticket for 2 adults and 3 children is £16.90 but also offer free entry to English Heritage pass holders.

Torre Cider Farm & Shop

Torre Cider Farm & Shop

Dunster Castle – Its about a 10-15 minute drive from the park. Dunster is at the gateway towards Exmoor National Park. It is a pretty but hilly village. We just drove around it one afternoon, and parked up near Gallox Bridge where there is also a children’s play area close by. We decided not visit the Castle on this occasion as our time was limited. National Trust pass holders may gain free entry to the Castle and the Watermill.

Dunster

Dunster

Flip Out, Taunton About a 45 minute drive from the Hoburne Blue Anchor on the outskirts of Taunton. We booked a jumping slot for the kids in advance so when we arrived we just showed the booking with the signed waiver, pretty much similar to many of the trampoline parks we have visited before. We watched the safety video the kids went off to jump. The kids enjoyed the trampolines, dodge ball and Ninja course. There is a seating area and a small cafe. We then drove into Taunton centre and had a look around. Its a pleasant town with lots of high street shops, restaurants and amenities.

Taunton

Taunton

Clarks Village, Street – This was about 1 hour 15 minutes drive from the holiday park. A bit of a trek to get there plus we visited on one of the rainy days. Once you are at the village, there are some covered areas, but we still managed to get soaked! It was a nice day out, with many interesting shops to browse. Some familiar high street stores, and designer outlets. We enjoyed going to the Lindt store and treating ourselves. On a good day kids can enjoy the outdoor playground area. There are some restaurants at the entrance to the village. Nice place, maybe needs some more facilities for the kids, maybe something indoors for rainy days and might be nice to see some more dining choices.

Eating Out

Sunset at Blue Anchor

Sunset at Blue Anchor

Golden Bowl, Watchet – The night we chose to eat from here there was a festival on in the town, so I don’t know if it had any impact on this. We ordered our takeaway meal and waited over 30 minutes and had to chase it up before being told it would be a few more minutes. It was extremely busy with telephone orders that seemed to have been prioritised. We felt that there should have been some more staff on to help. The food was quite average, and not very good value. It is one of the only Chinese takeaways in the area, so disappointing that the quality and service was a let down. Maybe there are better choices in Minehead.

Andrews Fish & Chips, Watchet – Service was very quick with friendly staff. We had the usual cod and chips and one of the kids had a spicy chicken burger which they loved, and compared it to a well-known fast food outlet’s one!

Brewers Fayre, MineheadIts a typical pub restaurant chain with a good choice of food and drinks and a separate kids menu at reasonable prices. Recommend you visit on a week-day for deals, just after the lunch time rush and before dinner when its quieter.

Driftwood Cafe, Blue Anchor – We tried their ice-creams. They were really delicious and many flavours to choose from. There is indoor and outdoor seating.

The Corner House Cafe, Watchet – We loved this little place. In a prime position overlooking the marina and museum. They do lunches, snacks, delicious cakes and even cream teas!

Toms Fish & Chips, Minehead – This has a restaurant attached to it so we expected a high standard. We were not disappointed.  The service by the staff and the quality of the food were all fantastic. The fish tasted very fresh and loved the batter. Very much recommended.

 

For more accommodation ideas in the Somerset area for a family of 5 +visit our Somerset page.

Prices quoted correct at the time of publication – August 2018
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  1. Linda Flack
    27th September 2018

    Thank you for this Helen been to Minehead a few times never to Blue Anchor definitely worth a look the restaurant reviews are very helpful

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