Finding My Way Back to My Body: Sauna for Wellbeing in Somerset
Curious about the benefits of sauna for your wellbeing? Discover the rise of Finnish-style saunas in the UK, the mental and physical health benefits of heat and cold therapy, and how one Somerset sauna changed everything.
Why would anyone step into a hot sauna on one of the warmest days of the year?
That was my exact thought as I stood outside a bright orange door on a sun-baked industrial estate in Somerset. But beneath the surface of that contradiction was a deeper search for something. A reset. A moment of connection with my body. A pause in the chaos of modern life.
And I found it — not in a spa, but in a converted graffitied truck with steam billowing from its seams.
The idea of seeking out a sauna for better everyday wellbeing first took root while reading How to Winter by Kari Leibowitz. Her writing on Scandinavian winter rituals — particularly the reverence for sauna — felt oddly timely, even as I read it in the full bloom of British summer.
Did you know that in Finland, there are over 3 million saunas for a population of just 5.5 million? That’s one sauna for every two people. It’s not just a wellness trend there — it’s part of everyday life, deeply embedded in the culture. Saunas are where people slow down, open up, and sweat out more than just toxins. As Leibowitz writes:
“The sauna is an escape, both physical and mental. It’s a time to slow down, pause, and connect: with ourselves, with our bodies, with each other.”
In the UK, we’re catching up. According to the British Sauna Society, there were only 45 Finnish-style saunas across the country in 2023. By the end of 2025, that number had leapt to over 200. And in Somerset alone, new community saunas are popping up in forest clearings, rewilded farms, and, in my case, just behind the local bakery.
My first visit to Wildcat Sauna was part nervous curiosity, part midlife experiment.
The etiquette was unclear — was this a silent retreat? Were my unpainted toes allowed? But what I found instead was kindness, community, and a warm welcome. A mix of regulars and holiday-makers shared tips about 15-minute sauna cycles followed by cold plunges, and somehow, without ceremony, we all eased into it together.
I chose the hottest sauna first — a bold but not-for-me move — before relocating to the cosier wooden barrel. I found my rhythm slowly: heat, breathe, plunge. Repeat. In the cold plunge, I didn’t last long, but I lasted longer than I thought I could. There was pride in that. Progress.
And more than that — I found a kind of presence I hadn’t realised I was missing.
This small, steamy ritual has now become one of the most grounding practices in my week. I can reconnect with myself in a way that’s both physical and emotional. And I’m not alone.
Sauna offers proven health benefits:
Lowers blood pressure
Reduces stress and improves mood
Enhances circulation and immune function
But perhaps just as importantly, it offers a pause. A way to step outside the noise of everyday life and listen to yourself again.
And there’s something special about the communal nature of it too. Unlike a spa, this is a space for locals, regulars, conversations. As the Swedish Sauna Academy puts it: “In saunas, there is truth.”
There are now public or wild saunas nearby at Vallis Farm, The Glove Factory, Campwell, and more arriving each season. The trend is rising, yes — but so is the call to reconnect with ourselves.
So here’s my gentle nudge:
Have you tried a sauna for your wellbeing? Would you?
Whether you’re curious about the heat, the cold, the community, or just curious in general — this might be the warm, unfamiliar, lovely reset you didn’t know you needed.
Let me know if you sauna (and where!). I’d love to know which places are helping you feel more at home in your own body.
Sending you warmth and curiosity,
5 Places to Try Sauna in Somerset and Beyond
4. Campwell, Winsley, near Bath
5. Somerwhere Sauna, Dartington Estate
Where would you add? Let us know so we can add more saunas to our guide to life.
Vallis Farm
Seek out this farm in Somerset centered on learning and creativity, exchanging skills and ideas, while connecting you with the healing properties of nature. It’s truly a place to grow.
Go here if
You are looking for a beautiful space to share and swap skills, learn, grow and be in nature.
What is it?
Vallis Farm is a home for learning and creativity, for exchanging skills and ideas, a place to grow.
Why you need it
Nature has healing properties and this farm offers something special. Not only is the landscape stunning, the house warm and inviting but the people are welcoming and friendly.
What they offer
A range of workshops, supper clubs, weekly events such as yoga and pilates. They also encourage people to volunteer on the land to learn about their approach to sustainable gardening while being in the most healing of environments - the great outdoors!
What makes it different
Vallis Farm is a rather special place. The old Georgian farmhouse is warm and beautifully decorated with lots of spaces available to use depending on your needs.
The outside is even more stunning, just under 10 acres of rolling hills and woodland, a market garden using no-dig methods to grow local produce, a beautiful kitchen garden and roundhouse as well as shepherd’s huts that you can stay in. It's a truly restorative place to spend time.
What else do you need to know
You can book a range of spaces — whether that’s rooms in the house or the whole farm site — by the hour, for a half day or a full day, depending on your needs and budget.
Vallis Farm also welcomes people to pop up to have a look around. There is always someone there to say hello and show you this amazing place.
In their own words
Vallis Farm is led by an evolving collective of highly experienced craftspeople, compassionate educators and committed stewards of the land.
“We started Vallis Farm as a place to provide affordable spaces to local people. We have areas that have permanent tenants who are artisan craftspeople in their own right. We want people to know they will always be welcome to come and share their skills and knowledge with others. We truly are a place to grow and learn.”
Where inspires them
“It's proven time and again that nature has huge restorative effects. Not just on our mood but also on our memory, cognition and executive functions. We believe that being outside repairs the soul. If the weather is not our friend, our beautiful house has green views from every window which are also proven to help repair and restore our mental health. Having a place to just "be" is the most inspiring thing for us.”
Distil Coworking Somerset
Discover Distil Coworking Somerset—an inspiring rural coworking space set in a restored mill with gardens, café and community. Ideal for creatives, freelancers and small business owners looking to feel more connected and work well in beautiful surroundings.
Perfect For
Creatives, freelancers, small business owners, remote workers — or anyone craving a more inspiring alternative to working from home.
Why You’ll Love It
Housed in a beautifully restored former mill, Distil Coworking Somerset offers a calm and inspiring place to work with beautifully restored wooden floors, abundant natural light and views out to a landscaped courtyard. It’s the kind of place that makes you exhale as soon as you walk through the door.
Whether you're a small business owner looking for an inspiring workspace for your team, a parent looking to be super productive around the school run or you want a change from the commute to the city — Distil Coworking Somerset is designed to make your working day better.
With plenty of free parking, choose the scenic route and work from a beautiful location in the heart of the Somerset countryside.
What Makes It Special
Set within the wider Kilver Court development, Distil offers more than just a desk. Booking a coworking space here includes access to the lush 3.5-acre gardens — perfect for stretching your legs between meetings, taking a walking call or a giving yourself a moment of pause under the trees.
You’ll also find fashion and homeware outlets like Toast and Mulberry and a newly renovated café with a wellbeing-focused menu. It’s all part of what founder Sam Cunningham envisioned when he transformed this site: “a thriving creative business ecosystem that drives growth, sparks innovation, and encourages collaboration.”
Whether you're looking for a quiet corner to enjoy a warm cup of tea, to scribble ideas in a notebook or simply to close your eyes and let the gentle rustle of leaves spark fresh inspiration, this is garden coworking.
The If Lost Take
We often think of coworking spaces as urban hubs — but Distil is part of a growing movement to bring creative, connected workspaces to rural settings. While countryside living has its charms, working from home in remote areas can sometimes deepen feelings of isolation and disconnection. Spaces like Distil shift that story — offering a place to come together, connect and work alongside fellow creatives, freelancers and entrepreneurs who also call Somerset home.
Founder’s Go-To Wellbeing Advice:
“You spend a third of your life at work — choose environments that nurture your wellbeing and people who help you thrive. The right environment can do more than just support productivity; it can restore calm, spark creativity, and invite genuine connection.”
Some Practical Details
Book a desk, meeting room or the podcasting studio. Facilities include free parking, superfast WIFI, private call booth, shower and kitchen with coffee and tea.
During every booking, receive 10% off at the café and access to the stunning Kilver Court Gardens — the perfect place to recharge during the working day.
Distil Coworking will soon have an events programme up and running, including the option of remote attendance at some events. For anyone visiting the area, they also offer day passes as well as the option of booking by the hour.
Kilver Court, Kilver Street, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5NF, United Kingdom
hello@distilcoworkingsomerset.co.uk
If Lost Reader Benefits: Use code 'InnerCircle' for 10% off your first month when signing up to a monthly membership.
If you prefer to book on a pay-as-you-go basis, use code InnerCircleHotDesk for 20% off your first day pass.
Frome Boulder Rooms
Frome Boulder Rooms is a modern, inclusive bouldering centre offering climbing for all levels, from beginners to experienced climbers. With a welcoming community, strength training areas, and expert coaching, it’s a place where movement, confidence, and connection come together.
Perfect For
Anyone who wants to move, build strength, and challenge themselves in a fun, supportive environment—whether you’re an experienced climber or just looking for a new way to move your body and clear your mind.
Why You’ll Love It
Frome Boulder Rooms is a climbing gym that encourages movement, strength, and connection.
Designed for all levels—from complete beginners to seasoned climbers—this state-of-the-art bouldering centre offers a welcoming environment where you can challenge yourself, learn new skills, and build confidence one climb at a time.
Whether you’re here to push your limits, train with friends, or just have fun on the walls, this is a place where movement and community come together.
What Makes It Special
A modern bouldering facility – Thoughtfully designed walls with routes for all abilities, from easy climbs to serious challenges.
More than just climbing – Strength and conditioning areas, coaching, and movement classes to support every aspect of your training.
A welcoming space – A friendly, inclusive atmosphere where you can climb at your own pace, whether you're here for fitness, fun, or flow.
The Story Behind It
Founded by a team of passionate climbers, Frome Boulder Rooms was created to make climbing more accessible, more social, and more fun.
With a mission to build a space where movement meets community, they designed a centre that isn’t just about strength—it’s about mind-body connection, confidence, and progression.
Whether you’re tackling your first climb or working on advanced techniques, this is a space where everyone is encouraged to learn..
Something Else We Love
The friendly, community-driven vibe—Frome Boulder Rooms isn’t just about scaling the walls; it’s about sharing the experience. Whether it’s a social climbing night, a women’s session, or coaching for all abilities, this is a place where support and encouragement come as standard..
The If Lost Take
We love Frome Boulder Rooms because it proves that climbing isn’t just about reaching the top—it’s about the process. Whether you’re here for fitness, focus, or fun, this space reminds us that every challenge can be tackled one move at a time..
Sherlock & Pages
Sherlock & Pages in Frome is an independent bookshop specializing in nature writing, conservation, and environmental sustainability. It serves as a magical (and a little mischievous) hub for those passionate about reconnecting with the natural world.
Perfect For
Anyone seeking books that inspire a deeper connection with nature, those interested in locating meaning in their lives, and anyone looking to support independent book shops.
Why You’ll Love It
Nestled in the heart of Frome, Sherlock & Pages is a tiny bookshop — of just 1500 titles — with a big ambition. Co-founder Luke Sherlock has said “My dream as a person is to have the most beautiful, soulful bookshop surrounded by stories and community.”
True to his promise, together with his partner Agathe Cavicchioli, he has created somewhere magical — and sometimes mischievous — that holds a carefully curated collection of books that mostly celebrate nature, but also bring in other areas such as conservation, folklore, history and pilgrimage.
This truly charming book shop invites you to embark on journeys — sometimes physical, sometimes of the mind and spirit, all while fostering a deep connection to the natural world.
What Makes It Special
Nature-Centered Collection – Specializing in books about nature, conservation, and environmental sustainability, Sherlock & Pages offers readers a chance to reconnect with some of the best writing about the natural world.
Community Reach – In a town that believes in maintaining its independent spirit, Sherlock & Pages foster a sense of community and shared values. They are always happy to recommend the latest titles or beloved reads when you stop by. But don’t worry if you’re not local, you can also check out their YouTube Channel
Personal Touch & Advocacy – The people behind it have created not just a platform for cherished reads, but also for the story of the joys and difficulties of running a bookshop. Making literal space in the world for the things we love can be extraordinarily hard and rewarding. Their campaigns, and honesty, around this have highlighted how important it is to support the independent spaces in our community because when we don’t, we lose them too.
The Story Behind It
Luke Sherlock and Agathe Cavicchioli, both with backgrounds in climate action and sustainability, founded Sherlock & Pages in October 2023. After experiencing an intense bout of climate anxiety, Luke sought to create a positive space for community building and discussion on conservation, including what’s past and what’s to come.
Their shared passion for nature and literature led them to establish a sanctuary where readers can explore themes of nature, conservation, and history, anything that helps us connect with the world around us in restorative ways.
The shop's tagline, "Long Live the Hedgerows," reflects its dedication to conservation and the natural world.
The If Lost Take
We love Sherlock & Pages because it’s more than just a bookshop—it’s a beacon for environmental consciousness and a kind of nature-led self-exploration. It’s clear focus feels refreshing, as it brings together stories that inspire action and reflection, encouraging us all to become stewards of the world around us, even if that means that we just start noticing it again.
Something Else We Love
Luke has also created an avid following on Instagram through his account @englishpilgrim for his pilgrimages to churches, and has written his own book on the subject: Forgotten Church: Exploring England’s Hidden Treasures.
Some Practical Details
Frome, Somerset, UK
P.S.
If you visit, make sure to pop next door to independent shop Seed and the gorgeous florist Bramble & Wild.
42 Acres
Explore 42 Acres, a 173-acre regenerative estate and nature reserve in Somerset offering transformative retreats and nature-based experiences. Swim in the lake, meditate in the treehouse, or nourish yourself with farm-to-table food grown on-site.
Go here if: You’re looking to get into nature, reawaken your deep-rooted instincts and nourish yourself.
What is it: Set over 173 acres of wild land and ancient forest, 42 Acres is a regenerative estate and nature reserve where you can reconnect with nature, yourself and others.
Explore the self-guided and led retreats, often in partnership with world-renowned practitioners and aligned with nature, that encourage you to dream, grow, learn and rest. Stay in a restored 13th-century former hermitage, converted barge or under the stars in a luxury bell tent. Swim in the lake, meditate in the treehouse, sauna in the woods and nourish yourself with food grown on the land.
Why you need it: 42 Acres was first conceived in 2015 by siblings Lara and Seth Tabatznik as a home for personal, social and environmental change after having been deeply inspired by some powerful personal retreats and workshops in their own lives. Both Seth and Lara are strong advocates that outer change in the world starts with the self, or to quote Gandhi: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world”.
What they offer: At its core, 42 Acres invites people to reconnect with nature, self and others but has now grown to offer so much more including a range of wellbeing and nature-based experiences and events, a regenerative farm and an abundant nature reserve.
What makes it different: Living within an ancient forest, host to a variety of wild meadows and vast open fields and the source of four different rivers within a stone’s throw, this is a place for planting your dreams.
What you need to know: You can visit 42 Acres in several ways — as a guest on a day experience, workshop or energy exchange or by visiting them on retreat. All booked guests are free to roam the estate, swim in the lake and explore. Food, accommodation and experiences need to be pre-booked on their website.
In their own words:
“Our vision is to grow and consume in a way that serves the health of people and the planet. Our market gardens and regenerative farm use and permaculture and biodynamic-inspired principles. We grow, forage and wild-tend to create wholesome, nutrient-dense food. As we cultivate and restore health in our earth, we restore the worlds within ourselves.
We use our deepest intuition, ancient tools and shared knowledge to establish regenerative spaces, curate transformational experiences, and foster opportunities to learn, heal and grow.”
42 Acres is a 173 -acre retreat centre, regenerative estate and nature reserve in Witham Friary, just outside of Frome, Somerset
All images courtesy of 42 Acres.
Where to stop on the way to Devon & Cornwall
Here's our curated list of the best places to stop en route to Devon or Cornwall.
Every year around this time we google the same thing: “Where to stop on the way to Devon / Cornwall.”
What we’re looking for is somewhere independent and interesting, that isn’t too far from the main road (and doesn’t take us down more tiny roads). We need somewhere the kids can run and we can refuel. And we’re hoping for a feel-good stop that makes the journey that much easier (and memorable in a positive way).
Like a National Trust that feels magical and like we’re in a movie. Or an incredible bakery that makes the best sourdough (we would probably drive anywhere for a bakery). Or a cute countryside pub with a beer garden and great food.
Here’s our round-up of the best places that we’ve found to stop on the way to Devon or Cornwall. Hopefully, these will help you feel like your holiday has already started or hasn’t yet ended.
Wiltshire
Stourhead
Stourhead
The Boot Inn
The Boot Inn
This is a great antidote to the Stonehenge traffic. Dating back to the 17th century, this charming pub has a gorgeous beer garden to stretch legs and classic country pub fare made from locally sourced ingredients if car snacks aren’t cutting it.
Stourhead (National Trust)
One of the UK’s most enchanting places Stourhead is just off the A303. Though it’s not a quick stop, the stunning 18th-century landscape garden complete with classical temples, tranquil lakes, and vibrant floral displays, is a welcome respite from a long car journey. You’ll need to be a member or buy a day pass to wander the grounds and take in the estate's historic Palladian mansion, but you can also take a route beyond the perimeter that goes through picturesque woodlands. Another find Alfred’s Tower is worth a look too but its more of an effort to get to (think more narrow lanes). You can eat in the cafe, The Spread Eagle pub in the village or picnic on the lawn with gorgeous views.
Somerset
Teals
Montacute House
Jordan’s Courtyard
Fleet Air Museum
We often get stuck in traffic on the A303 right around here, so if you’re looking to replace your frustration with some wonder divert to the Fleet Air Museum. Aviation history comes to life with an impressive collection of over 100 aircraft. Our kids particularly love the interactive exhibits and flight simulators that offer a hands-on experience (though these would appeal to all ages). There are more than enough stories of naval aviation to keep you interested (including the largest collection of Royal Navy aircraft in Europe.) Not a quick stop, but a fascinating one, that will either start or keep going those holiday vibes.
Teals
An easy stop directly off the A303, Teal’s has become one of our go-to places for taking a quick break. Offering farm-fresh groceries, locally sourced treats, and artisan goods you can shop for your picnic or that first night meal. Or stay a while in the cafe (which has a lovely outdoor seating area). You can also stretch your legs by wandering some of the countryside pathways (Teals is based on one of Somerset’s famed ley lines).
Lytes Cary Manor
Another charming National Trust property, step back in time at Lytes Cary Manor. Explore the medieval manor house, stroll through beautiful Arts and Crafts inspired gardens, and treat yourself to the tearoom. For the kids, there’s a Natural Play Area. If you need a longer stay, you can also book an overnight here.
Montacute House
Situated in a gorgeous village (the kind you expect the family of the lead from a rom-com to live) Montacute House is a gorgeous Elizabethan mansion. Wander through the grand house, admire the impressive collection of portraits, and relax in the stunning gardens. Owned by the National Trust, Montacute offers a blend of history, art, and natural beauty.
The Kitchen at Jordans Courtyard
Offering a menu of fresh, locally sourced dishes in a relaxing setting, The Kitchen at Jordan’s Courtyard is a great food stop. Sit inside the light-filled cafe or on the terrace. Perfect for travelers and food enthusiasts alike. While here also check out The Pastry Bench bakery and wellness and yoga options (maybe one will coincide with your journey).
The Flintock Inn
Nestled on the Somerset/ Devon border and just off the A303, the Flintlock Inn is a charming countryside pub offering hearty meals and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Enjoy locally sourced dishes, real ales, and the kid-friendly pub garden.
Devon
Buckfast Butterfly Farm
Dartington Estate
Hog and Hedge
Darts Farm
Darts Farm has over the past 50 years evolved from a farm shop to an award-winning lifestyle and dining destination. Shop the food hall full of fresh, local produce and artisan food (we particularly like the ice cream and baked goods). The Farm Table has been named one of “Britain’s 100 Best Local Restaurants’ in 2024. There’s even Vineyard Tours and a Maize Maze. Set within the beautiful Devon countryside, there are also some easy walks. Just check the traffic before turning off your main route as it can get busy around here.
Castle Drogo
While not the quickest detour, the majestic Castle Drogo (run by the National Trust), perched above the Teign Gorge, will make your journey memorable. The last castle to be built in England — in the twentieth century by renowned architect Sir Edwin Lutyens — is captivating. The walks up to it and the views around it are well worth a visit. If you need a longer stop, you can also take scenic walks in the surrounding area.
Hog & Hedge
Not your usual service station, Hog and Hedge (an easy find just off the A30) offers fresh, locally sourced food and specialty hand-roasted coffee. A place with a mission, Hog and Hedge promote low food miles, supports small suppliers and uses packaging made from plants and not plastic. Enjoy a homely atmosphere while helping people and the planet.
Dartmoor Otter Sanctuary and Buckfast Butterfly Farm
We don’t know quite why otters and butterflies go so well together but they do. Wandering through the butterfly house can feel magical as they fly around you; while there is something so fun about watching the otters outside get playful. Try to time your stop for one of the otter feedings.
Dartington Estate
We’re never quite sure what we’ll find at Dartington Estate. On our last visit, we stumbled on a summer literary festival. Dartington offers a perfect blend of culture, nature and relaxation. Check out the packed calendar of events, eat at The Green Cafe, or shop at The Cider Press Center. There’s even a Barn Cinema. Our kids also love to run around here and spend time on the nature-inspired playground. There are also many options to stay over — from glamping to cabins — if you need a longer break.
Almond Thief, Dartington
One of our favourite bakeries is located in an unassuming setting, tucked away on an industrial estate. Savour artisanal bread, pastries, and fresh coffee in a welcoming, if stripped back, setting. A great spot to refuel and indulge in some of the tastiest baked goods around.
Cornwall
Coombeshead Farm
Tre Pol & Pen
Da Bara Bakery
Coombeshead Farm
This takes a little more to seek out: there are some twisty lanes and you’ll need to double-check opening times, but Coombeshead Farm feels like an idyllic retreat before continuing your journey. A charming guesthouse, bakery, and working farm nestled in Cornwall's serene countryside, you’ll find farmhouse comforts, freshly baked goods, and the beauty of 66 acres of meadows and woodlands. You can also stay overnight on the farm with dinner, bed and breakfast provided.
Tre Pol & Pen
An award-winning farm shop and restaurant in the Tamar Valley, we loved the striking design, charming countryside setting, and indoors/ outdoors feel of Tre Pol & Pen. The cafe and farm shop offer fresh Cornish produce, delicious meals, and unique gifts, plus there’s room and a playground for the kids to run around. It’s a slightly longer detour but down pretty straightforward roads.
Da Bara Bakery
Where to stop can be all about timing. How soon or late in the journey do you make a detour? Sometimes we arrive here just as we’re leaving Cornwall and though it can feel early in our road trip we’re drawn by the cinnamon rolls and wholewheat molasses. Offering freshly baked goods that showcase local flavors and expert craftsmanship to eat in or takeaway, this is an easy comfort stop just off the main route.
Places open and close, they change hands or menus. We once drove 30 minutes out of the way to find a highly recommended coffee grindery and cafe closed (though the next-door winery wasn’t so that was a bonus).
If you’re planning to stop at one of these places check directly with them on their socials or website for the latest details.
Let us know where you would add. Reach out to us here or on socials. Or if you run a place you’d like us to feature in our guidebook, get in touch too. We’d love to hear from you.
Browse our online guidebook for more people-positive places.
The Frome Kindness Festival
How a small town in Somerset is trying to be kinder
“Frome is already full of kindness, but there’s always scope for more – particularly towards the people that we don’t feel close to.
The scientific evidence is that simply watching someone else doing something kind can set a ripple of positive change in motion. As Aesop said: No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.”
Go here if: you would like to be a kinder person, you would like to have more kindness in your life, or you would like to make where you live and work a better place
What is it: Brought to you by The Good Heart, a local non-profit, this week-long festival aims to make Frome, a market town in Somerset, the kindest place on earth
Why you’ll love it: When else do you get to put kindness front and center in your life, and the lives of others? And how often is kindness even the aim that we have for the communities in which we live and work?
What you need to know: Now in its second year, The Frome Kindness Festival takes place from 5th to 11 March, 2023.
Each day of the Festival has a kindness-related theme, and events range from a Caravan of Kindness to a West Country afternoon tea with Radio 4 presenter Claudia Hammond.
There will be a debate about Kindness in Social Media, a film extravaganza, and clothes swaps for children and adults, including a catwalk where eco-conscious shoppers can be photographed in their new outfits.
On the streets, there will be live music, pop-ups and a flash mob featuring a specially commissioned Kindness Dance. The Boyle Cross in the centre of the town will be decorated with a super-sized hat that encourages passers-by to “put your kindness hat on.”
At heart: “the Festival aims to bring together young and old to celebrate, practice and explore the power of kindness to improve mental and physical health, transform relationships and strengthen communities.”
Something to do: Join the Kindness Challenge, where local individuals, groups, businesses and organizations have the opportunity to give back. You’re invited to do something kind, imaginative, special and down-to-earth.
Even if you can’t sign up for the Kindness Challenge, you could bring in acts of kindness wherever you are. See some ideas for how to do that here.
Read The Compassionate Project, a great book about how Frome turned to human kindness to solve the problem of loneliness.
Bath City Farm
How a suburban farm in Bath is raising our spirits along with the animals.
What is it: A working farm in a residential area of Bath.
What you need to know: The southwestern city of Bath is known for its hills and skyline views, but one of the most unexpected viewpoints is at Bath City Farm. Overlooking the west end of the city, Twerton and Bath Football Club ground, the farm is virtually hidden in the residential Whiteway neighbourhood. Sprawling across grassy hillsides, its 37 acres include pens for Gloucester Old Spot pigs, sheep fields, Shetland ponies, Dexter cattle, Pygmy goats, and chickens and ducks.
What they offer (online and off): Bath City Farm helps hundreds of people every year by running nearly a dozen social and educational projects, including Roots to Health, which supports adults with complex health and social needs. For local families, it’s a great spot to visit with young children and get to know more about farm animals. There’s also a café and a farm shop selling produce, jam and meat.
Why we think it matters: In a time when many of us live in cities, being around farmyard environments, seeing animals and experiencing the daily and seasonal rhythms of farms, can be hugely grounding for many different communities. Bath City Farm isn’t just a plucky working farm, it provides vital therapeutic activities and emotional and social support to hundreds of families and individuals in an under-resourced area of Bath.
In their own words: “When I was signed off work 18 years ago, the mental health team tried to get me into quite a lot of different things. Bath City Farm is the only place that got my interest. It’s made me much better coming here. I’ve learnt how to clip goats’ hooves, mend fencing and do lots of mucking out! It gives me something to look forward to every week. I love what I am doing here. It suits me down to the ground.” — volunteer, Bath City Farm
One piece of advice for where you are: Stop by to see the animals and pick up some fresh groceries, drop in for a cup of tea and a flapjack, or (if you’re looking for a community to join) sign up to be a volunteer. If you’re not based within reach of Bath, keep an eye on their Facebook page for news—recent updates include the arrival of a rare Large Black pig and new kids for a momma goat named Biscuit.
Mr. B’s Emporium of Reading Delights
This month, we’re finding awe and wonder in our independent bookstores. First up for booklovers and the curious, Mr B’s Emporium.
This week, in the middle of winter and at the start of a New Year that’s feeling decidedly same-y, we’re seeking wonder in the everyday. We need an antidote to All This (gestures to COVID, politics, BREXIT, homeschool, laundry, Tuesdays in January).
For us, one of the easiest ways to access awe is through bookstores. As holders of the imaginary, of knowledge and curiosity, these special places out in the world give us access to lives that we might otherwise not know and avenues in our own worlds that we currently may be unable to tread. Even during the harshest of lockdowns (hello, UK), the doors of independent bookstores may be closed, but what they contain can still be made available to us.
Over the next week, we’re going to focus on a handful of independent bookstores that help us find our way in uncertain times. Like a great café or bakery, a local dive bar or a music venue, we’re aware that we each have our go-to independent bookstores, so let us know what yours are, so we can bring them into our guide and into other people’s lives.
Mr. B’s Emporium of Reading Delights
“Book lovers — welcome to your spiritual home.”
What is it: How bookstores look in movies, Bath’s Mr. B’s Emporium has all the delight, whimsy, and charm of a highly idiosyncratic world created especially for bibliophiles. A dream conceived on a honeymoon by newly married lawyers Nic and Juliette Bottomley, since it opened in 2006 Mr. B’s Emporium has twice been named best UK Independent bookstore and The Guardian has named it as one of the top ten bookstores in the world.
Why you’ll love it: For us, it’s the friendly staff who have an exhaustive knowledge of books and aren’t afraid to share it — every time we’re there we eavesdrop on excited conversations about much-loved recommendations — while also kinda apologizing when it feels like they may be upselling us as they get enthused about something. It’s also the magical kid’s section, with its fairytale tree and park bench corner. It’s The Imaginarium, an in-store spot for visiting writers-in-residence. It’s the fine touches: the wall of comic book pages, the winding staircase, the fireplace, and claw foot bath (book filled, of course). It's maybe also the fact that Mr. B’s Emporium is set off the main street, down an alleyway, so it feels like a find, though other book lovers have been lured this way before.
What you need to know: It’s so much about reading here: about opinions on books and chatter on authors, about bringing into your world books you may not have previously considered. The staff will gently guide you through but also leave you alone if you are more of a private browser.
How to bring this into your life wherever you are: For At-Home Times, go with their specially tailored to you Reading Subscriptions, which are like a through-your-letterbox monthly bibliotherapy session. One to save for Later (which we are), the Reading Spas – meaning a cozy tea and cake moment in the bibliotherapy room with a pile of books chosen especially for you. During All Times, watch storytime on the YouTube channel or listen to their podcast with more recommendations and meandering chats, Talking to Book People.
Why we think it matters: Books are personal but sometimes the way they are sold feels nothing of the sort. Book buying becomes transactional, with stores that pile it high, discount massively, and rotate them fast. Reading lists become bestseller lists. At Mr. B’s Emporium book-finding feels more person to person, one world brought into another, a love shared and passed on. Here books are restored as the wonders that we, and they, believe them to be.
In their own words: “Mr. B's is a beautiful, energetic and innovative bookshop on John Street in the heart of Bath. It's a bright labyrinthine space where book-related chatter and advice seems ever-present and you never know what you might encounter next, from claw-foot bath book displays to toilets illustrated by Chris Riddell.”
Something to do when this is all done: Take a bookshop tour of wherever you are (you could even attempt this virtually). See Louise Boland’s Bookshop Tours of Britain for inspiration.
While local: We recommend Landrace Bakery and Colonna Coffee, and If Lost featured places: Meticulous Ink and Magalleria.
The Compassionate Frome Project a.k.a. Health Connections Mendip
How a small town in England is teaching us the value of community.
“Across the country, and across the world, people of good heart and goodwill are quietly working on imaginative projects to improve the quality of their own lives, the lives of those around them, and the world in which they live. Many such initiatives happen in relatively obscure places through the actions of ordinary people outside the usual centres of power who are motivated by that active concern for others which is the hallmark of compassion. Beyond the immediate benefits accruing from their work, those small committed groups may, consciously or unconsciously, be preparing the ground for radical change in the way society as a whole conducts its affairs. They are, in a real sense, encouraging us all to be more fully human.”
What is it: A different way of responding to the modern life ailments that present themselves at the doctor’s office, this experiment in connection as a remedy in the rural town of Frome has lessons for us all and has now been captured in the book The Compassionate Project: A Case for Hope & Humankindness from the Town that Beat Loneliness by Dr. Julian Abel and Lindsay Clarke.
What you need to know: People show up at their GP for reasons that go beyond the realm of medicine —social isolation amongst the elderly, loss of motivation due to developing an illness, fear stemming from changes in environment or lifestyle, a loss of self-esteem following a career or relationship shift — but they are often looking for an antidote that lies more in the realm of compassion.
Led by Dr. Helen Kingston, a GP in Frome’s Medical Practice, and Jenny Hartnoll, a local community development worker, the Compassionate Frome Project makes connections between people who need something to help their situation and the existing community resources that might respond to that need. Where gaps in initiatives exist, Health Connections Mendip develops new ones with the local community. The project has also established supportive infrastructure (such as arranging lifts and even accompanying clients shy of going alone) where there were issues of access.
Between 2013 and 2017, the Compassionate Frome Project led to a reduction in the rate of ER emergencies across the town by 15% at a moment when the county of Somerset in which Frome is located registered an increase of 30%.
Why you’ll love it: Those ten minutes you get with your doctor start to look very different within this model. Rather than prescribing a cure for loneliness, sadness, anxiety, or loss in the form of pills, another avenue is opened up that leads into the community, into interest groups, into motivations and connections of a different sort.
Why we think it's different: What we put into our lives — just as with food — has impacts on how we are able to live those lives. We now know that the quality of our social connections affects our health. Chronic loneliness increases by 20% the risk of early death. Good social relationships have been found to have more positive impacts on hypertension than medication, reduce inflammation, and minimize the risk of death more effectively than “losing weight, improving diet, and stopping smoking or drinking.” As authors Abel & Cole note in their book: “Though we identify ourselves as individuals, we actually live in the plural. We are interdependent beings cared for by the people around us who form those networks of relationship that provide us with support, companionship, and the basic necessities of life.”
The Compassionate Project has become a model for how we can improve our own situations by reaching out to the community around us and how we can attempt to resolve some of the modern conditions that are on the rise such as our sense of isolation, a growing lack of purpose, and a pervasive unease at our uncertain world, together. This idea is gaining ground: A Compassionate City Charter is being developed by the Welsh government and has been adopted by the towns of Plymouth and Inverclyde in the UK.
Something to do inspired by this project: Care for relationships in your life. Often we skim over the people in our lives, and invest our time elsewhere, like our careers or Netflix. Spend 15 minutes each day talking to someone you care about (from one of our favorite thinkers Dr. Vivek Murthy); write a letter, text, or WhatsApp message to someone you may have neglected; say hello to someone on your walk; put the phone away in the queue when you collect take-out or coffee, be aware of those around you. Even causal interactions impact how we feel and can lighten our days.
Remedies at Apothe-cary
A modern-day apothecary to help with modern-day ailments deep in the Somerset countryside.
What is it: A modern take on the apothecary, this tiny independent in the Somerset town of Castle Cary feels like a cabinet of curiosities for wellbeing.
Why you’ll love it: For serious roaming and rabbit-hole potential. Densely packed with remedies for modern life, with useful signs to help you navigate and owner Nell to lead you to what you need.
What you need to know: We now know that it's complicated, what we buy. Even as we think we’re making good choices, sometimes we inadvertently support the thing we don’t want to. A cruelty-free product owned by a non-cruelty free abiding parent company, a reduced waste product that is part of a complex production chain, a supplement that has lost all its goodness by the time it makes it back to your kitchen.
Here they’ve done all the work for you of tracing a product and making sure it's all the things you hope it will be: like wildcrafted, organic, vegan, cruelty-free, and sustainably sourced. Remedies at Apothe-cary makes it easier to find the most holistic version of whatever snacks or skincare, supplements or scents, you need to restore some equilibrium in your life.
What they offer (online and off): We love The Dispensary – weighing out therapeutic teas or naturally mined salts. There’s something of the child in us about seeing those glass jars opened for our grown-up treats. The store is currently building up its online shop so check back for developments.
Why we think it matters: We’ve all been goopified to some extent. We know by now that what you put in your body, affects not just how you look but how you feel. A packet of Karma Bites might do more for you than a pack of Cheetos, a bath in Epsom salts more restorative than one in Mr. Matey (though got to love those bubbles). Everything is connected, and having a holistic understanding of the impacts of what we consume helps us feel better within those bodies and minds of ours.
In their own words: “Our interest in health and wellness embraces the traditional and medicinal role of plants, herbs, and earth minerals, including ancient Ayurvedic principles - as well as the evolving science of nutritional medicine. We have researched to find the acclaimed, from award-winning organic and food-grade health supplements to decoctions, balms, essential oils, and flower essences.”
To find out more: Website / Instagram / Facebook
If you’ve visited Remedies at Apothe-cary or you know other modern wellness places let us know about it. Things change all the time and we want to make sure we’re bringing you the most up to date information and the latest places to go to help.
Hauser & Wirth Somerset
In the unlikeliest of places — outside a small village, on a working farm — sits one of the most well-regarded galleries of contemporary art in the world.
“Hauser & Wirth Somerset is a pioneering world-class gallery and multi-purpose arts center that acts as a destination for experiencing art, architecture, and the remarkable Somerset landscape through new and innovative exhibitions of contemporary art. ”
In the unlikeliest of places — outside a small village, on a working farm — sits one of the most well-regarded galleries of contemporary art in the world. Maybe it's the giant bucket at the entrance that gives away the fact that something different is afoot in these fields.
Opened in 2014 Hauser & Wirth Somerset joins the esteemed network of galleries launched by founded Iwan & Manuela Wirth (with Ursula Hauser) in Zurich and which now includes such places as Hong Kong, New York, London, and Los Angeles. You can see why Somerset sits oddly within this company.
But the Wirths, though globally roaming, are now locals and they have cultivated the once derelict 17th-century Durslade Farm into a hugely popular arts destination in an area known more for cows than culture (though that’s all definitely changed — see also The Chapel, The Newt and favorite local brand Selfish Mother).
That they did this not just by continuing to focus on the high-end art that is the heart of their business, but by bringing in other values to make that heart beat, namely education, conservation and sustainability, is probably the most striking aspect.
Yes, here are the shining lights of the visual arts and architecture — the derelict buildings were renovated by French architecture firm Laplace into white-walled galleries (albeit in barns) and a six-bedroom Kinfolk-worthy renovated 18th-century farmhouse available to rent (note vintage furniture next to a Pipilotti Rist installation). The gardens were landscaped by Piet Oudolf of New York’s High Line, who has crafted an abundant yet tempered (though in ways you won’t expect) version of an English landscape, dotted with a changing display of outdoor sculptures, like Franz West’s incredible talking heads.
The striking pavilion by Smiljan Radić was brought in space-ship like from the Serpentine Gallery and is a liminal place of imagination and learning for grown-ups and kids alike (note — running up that ramp, also note the talks series). Even restaurant Roth Bar & Grill is art-orientated, with a site-specific bar by Björn and Oddur Roth, the son and grandson of artist Dieter Roth. And that’s all before you get into the galleries themselves, that show the kind of artists you’d find in a MoMA or Tate: you know Louise Bourgeois, Martin Creed and Phyllida Barlow.
But with Hauser & Wirth Somerset, the Wirths haven’t just plopped a little bit of the art world into the countryside. Even as it exhibits its bonafide visual arts roots, it also blazons its community, local Bruton village leaning, credentials. There’s an active education and events program that brings in schools and the local community — see ArtHaus, Open Source Salons, Family Saturdays, seasonal Pumpkin Festival and Summer Party. There’s also a permanent library and learning center built into those barns.
And if that’s not quite enough to shift the cultural landscape in this part of Somerset, in 2018 the Wirth’s opened Make Hauser & Wirth Somerset in the heart of the village, exhibiting works of contemporary makers, emerging and established, available to purchase. This storefront also offers workshops like charcoal drawing or spoon carving. And they haven’t abandoned completely the farm on which the gallery is situated; this autumn Durslade Farm Shop will open, stocking produce from it’s still working 1000+ agricultural acres.
Where we least expect it, though maybe also most need it, Hauser & Wirth Somerset proves the point that culture can go anywhere, and be for anyone. Its barn doors are open to whoever chooses to cross its threshold. Though you might want to leave your muddy boots at the entrance.
RISE
Somerset’s RISE is both a place to come together and a modern day twist on traditional church.
“A place to relax, play, work, eat. A place to be together”
Above the entrance is a simple sign that says ‘Rise’. This sets the tone for all that goes on inside: a café, bakery and play space, an active calendar of workshops, events and activities, office space for socially-minded businesses, and a contemporary art gallery that shouts out local and national talent. Here, in a sensitively converted church, are all those components that once made this space so appealing to the congregation it previously housed: community, positivity, hope and connection.
Three years ago, Io Fox and Ed Roberts, a former teacher and nurse, bought this church, originally built in the early 1800s. It had fallen in recent years on its own hard times. The congregation of the United Reform Church had been dwindling for a while, so much so that the building was put on the market. But rather than shape this space into luxury apartments or private offices, the new owners did something remarkable. They shifted the emphasis to a wider purpose, giving a modern spin to the architecture, history and ideals this church once offered. Through their renovations, they weren’t intent on erasing what had once past, but rather building on it. Everywhere there are traces of what the building was before: etched arched windows, stone plaques, a working organ that dominates the main space. Keeping the look and feel of the place, they acknowledged its abiding history, and even embraced its former community and intent (a couple has since got married here).
They also did this, they allowed the community in which it sits in Frome, a small town in Somerset known for its creativity, a say in how this project evolved. They kept those long-time hallowed doors open to whoever needed them in maybe a different way, inviting in businesses, practitioners, parents, and charities who were seeking space to develop initiatives of their own. They welcomed everyone, with the aim of similarly nurturing people within its walls, so that Rise could truly reflect the community in which it is situated. And the local people that it served, answered the call, creating a new sense of life in this space, forming and shaping its content, giving this building new and more relevant purpose.
Three years on, Rise is now a buzzing multi-use space. The central atrium has been given over to Rye Bakery which runs a friendly café incorporating local suppliers, simple food and organic sources where possible. On Friday it hosts community building pizza nights. There’s also a play space (Alfred’s Tower) for the little ones, which has a handmade feel to it, a nice antidote to the bright plastic that usually comes with the kid’s area, and a sweet reading space. Most laudable though is the stunning woven nest space, a semi-private huddle for nursing moms and for smaller gatherings.
The mezzanine space where the congregation would once have sat, has become an increasingly well regarded contemporary art gallery, The Whittox Gallery, curated by Sara Robson. It shows local and national contemporary artists and designers in an exhibition program that roams across all media.
Sort of behind the scenes, The Old School and The Sun Room, have become spaces to hire by anyone, for private and public events. The downstairs offices and work spaces have been rented out to socially-minded organizations, like OpenStoryTellers, a charity that aims to empower people with learning disabilities and autism.
Across all these spaces are an active range of classes, workshops and events for all ages, abilities and backgrounds such as yoga classes, wellbeing sessions (like one on unleashing creative genius), exercise groups (see the popular Mojo moves and hoop dances), art and science clubs. A therapeutic choir just started in the space.
Rise is a modern-day church without really being a church at all. It works within that rich history of places where people gather, connect and believe, and gives those very fundamental human needs a thoroughly modern-day twist. In its name and its mission, Rise uplifts those who work here, engage here and play here. There’s a reason churches were once the heart of the community, and there’s a reason why Rise has become a space that local people flock to again.
The Newt
The Newt is a chic kind of Arcadia. A 300-acre Somerset estate transformed into nature pristine, the English landscape given a contemporary makeover.
“The Newt in Somerset is a country estate with magnificent woodland and gardens. The core is Georgian, with limestone buildings the colour of burnt orange, the seat of the Hobhouse family for more than two centuries. Innovative design is paired with the freshest produce from our gardens, beautiful country walks, superb service and a world-class spa – wrapping you in a sense of wellbeing.”
The Newt is a chic kind of Arcadia. A 300-acre Somerset estate transformed into nature pristine, the English landscape given a contemporary makeover. From the walk along a wooden platform that takes you up through the woods from the car park, through to the stunning Threshing Barn that marks its entrance (note the waving ceiling sculpture), to the open courtyard dotted with apple press, Cyder Bar (which serves 6 different varieties of ciders produced on the estate) and Farm Shop, you are cossetted in a dreamy version of the natural world.
That’s before you even get to the gardens themselves, which is the real reason you are here – though you might think that’s lunch at the stunningly situated Garden Café where you get to enjoy food created from the bounty of what’s around you and in-house charcuterie, breads and pastries (also check the covetable chef notebook style menus).
But it is the landscaping that is supposed to be the main draw – the 30 acres of finely crafted gardens that recently opened to the public after years of work. They serve as a serene escape from it all, as well as taking you through a carefully constructed horticultural history that reaches back two thousand years (and The Newt shows this through the plants, trees and design itself rather than any non-immersive signage).
Highlights include the walled Parabola gardens conceived to function as a maze once it gets going and that also contains apples from every county in England and the sensory delight of a walkway made of crushed sea shells. We had soft spots for the fantasy of a Victorian greenhouse dotted with ferns and the joy inducing woven egg sculptures that the kids curled up in by South African designer Porky Hefer. The woodland walks contain hidden interventions in nature, including a spiral pathed heap of a hill, with views down the valley from its perfectly placed telescope. And there is an abundance of apple motifs - one ambition of the place is the have the best apple collection in the UK. It’s worth booking a daily tour by one of the estate’s gardeners to get a true understanding of the complexity contained with it.
The startling thing is this is oh but Phase 1 of The Newt, which only just opened to the public earlier this year. This August saw the opening of the country house at the center of the estate, Hadspen House, restored into an inviting hotel with all its Georgian glory in tact, The Stable Yard to bed down in similar luxury, and a stunning, ‘garden-scented’ Spa for soaking away worries. Later phases include a gardening college and museum, a succulent garden, as well as a lake inspired by King Arthur (!) amongst other ambitions for the site
The Newt—named after the four-legged amphibious creatures who cross the estate—is the lavish imagining of South African billionaire Koos Bekker and his wife Karen Roos. From the moment they bought the estate in 2013, they have used their means and have found the ways—enlisting French architect Patrice Taravella and gardeners and chefs of a similar pedigree—to make real their ambitious vision for the place, and then share it with us.
But the key here, and we kept forgetting this as we wandered around and the kids played in the fountains, is that this is a working farm and a sustainable enterprise in which much of the produce grown here is served here, even the deer provide venison for the restaurants, the roaming hens eggs and the grazing water buffalo mozzarella. The Newt prides itself on careful cultivation, not just of craftsmanship and artisan practices, but across the whole project. It’s a finely conceived ecosystem of its own. And they have designed a place for you in it.
Lose yourself at The Newt for a day. Slow down here. And lean into the magazine spread beauty that is England, utopian.
Find out more: Website www.thenewtinsomerset.com/ Facebook @theNewtinSomerset / Instagram @theNewtinSomerset / Twitter @theNewtSomerset
Top tip: The Newt can be a little pricey - when we were there, we were able to convert our day pass into a season pass through the app Candide – it’s worth asking if this offer is still current.
The Sheppey
The Sheppey rewards those who seek it out with character in abundance, and music to pay attention to, thoughtful rooms to suit your different moods and barrels of cider on the bar to blurry away your day.
“Five minutes from Glastonbury and ten minutes from Wells, England’s smallest city, The Sheppey is a pub out in a world of its own, amongst the peat beds and murmurating starlings of the Somerset Levels. We offer brilliant modern European food, a constantly changing roster of beers and ales, and a bar covered in casks of local ciders that’ll knock your socks off.”
Sometimes when it feels like there is nothing there, we stumble on something. Driving down narrow single lanes across the Somerset Levels, the feeling is very much of absence – of being lost on the flatness of it all, of peet moors and dairy farms and not much more. But then you arrive, at an unassuming white fronted building and you are here, in someplace. Which here means a location of eccentricity and bustle, and a pub called The Sheppey.
We’re huge believers in the good ole English pub to hold us as people, but it takes a special kind of pub to hold us beyond the pint. The Sheppey rewards those who seek it out with character in abundance, and music to pay attention to, thoughtful rooms to suit your different moods and barrels of cider on the bar to blurry away your day.
There’s whimsey to be found here: the fish wallpaper, signs declaring LOVE, the plastic horror dolls (or is that just our reading of those things!), the vintage finds, retro furniture and Hockney prints. You get to self-select where you want to be: cute cubbies for lounging, a more traditional pub bar, an outside courtyard to soak in the hoped for sun and a more grown-up light filled indoor space conducive to conversation. And let’s get back to that music which is built into the tongue-in-cheek DNA of this place: the DJ sets, the different music for different decades (yes, that includes an 80s dance party where you get to dress up in that rara skirt you’ve been holding onto) and an eclectic line up of live bands ranging from folk, soul, jazz funk and, err, poaching music.
Bought by Mark Hey and Liz Chamberlain in 2010, The Sheppey has been lauded for a while as one of the best of the west, its pull equivalent, maybe, to that famous site of pilgrimage, The Glastonbury Tor, that sits within its sights. Ok, maybe that’s going too far, but this is a place that has draw. We came with kids and cousins, and probably wrongly used the flea market toys on display to distract them while we munched on our ale battered fish and chips on the sun-filled balcony beside a round shiny ball that said appropriately ‘Globe’. For an afternoon, seated beside a river, with food and family, that was our whole world. That was enough.
By pouring their commitment and personality into this space, Hey and Chamberlain have created a context where magic of a different kind can happen too. Yes, they have manifested a situation of welcome and hospitality, a context that invites joy and relationships, an environment that is cosy in its crammed arrangements. But when this all gets out of the way, when you are seated or dancing or eating amongst its glory, there’s that other spark that can happen, the one where we come together as people and help make The Sheppey sing too.
To find out more: Website www.thesheppey.co.uk / Facebook @sheppey
[Oh and if you need more of this and want to stay longer, there are three bedrooms on site and two cottages close by.]
The Chapel
The Chapel pulls people together, over food, over wine, over conversation, over ideas. That is does so in a space long held for purpose and meaning, gives the idea of the communal a modern finish.
“Warm and friendly place to shop, meet, drink and eat the very best seasonal, local food. ”
This was not the place that we thought we’d find in a gorgeous village in Somerset. But then Bruton is not defined by its countryside location or its picturesque look. There’s a lot going on within these country lanes. You might even, sometimes, think a tiny piece of London has just got off the train. Hey, even John Steinbeck said of Bruton: ‘I feel more at home here than I have ever felt in my life in any place.’
So maybe it makes sense to find The Chapel right at the center of it all. We want to write lots of naff sentences saying things like worship at the culinary altar of the chapel, or bread is our gospel, or a church for modern life, but though it threads a desirable religiosity through its space, the Chapel is very much to the side of that. Yes, it’s a serene update of a Grade II Listed, 19th-century space, which is itself a remodel of an 18th century former congregational chapel. And yes, you very much sense that history within its walls. But it’s also much less ethereally focused in its update of the purpose for these spaces: it now contains all the things we need to build the modern good life.
There’s the artisan bakery headed by Tom Hitchmough using a traditional long fermented process. We’re bread believers: bakeries can be the souls of our communities. Just think about the hours involved in creating a loaf, that nighttime toil, the scents and bustle created around the storefront, the taking home of packages of warmth, and the mindful in the moment-ness of breaking bread.
Then there’s the award-winning all day-restaurant which though is buzzes with conversation and contemporary needs (a bar where the altar would be) somehow manages to instill tranquility (and even quiet our kids) with its high ceilings and windows, streaming natural light, and figurative sculpture looking down on the dining congregates. It holds us in our days: somehow moves from loungey to kitchen table to posh restaurant, and from solo coffee to dinner for two to group dining, depending on where you are seated, what you need, and the time you are there.
More behind the scenes are the clubhouse, a private resident’s lounge from which to work (free Wifi) and relax. And the eight bedrooms that offer a tranquil pause. Oh, and there’s a carefully curated wine store that focuses on local producers.
But the thing we’re struck by is that The Chapel also offers this, public events for the curious that attract some big names and introduce some life-changing ideas: like a talk by Ed Bullmore, author of The Inflamed Mind, connecting the mind and the body through inflammation, an evening with Martin Shaw, a storyteller of ancient myths for modern times, and a film screening with campaigner Nimco Ali discussing female genital mutilation.
The Chapel pulls people together, over food, over wine, over conversation, over ideas. That is does so in a space long held for purpose and meaning, gives the idea of the communal a modern finish.
Website www.atthechapel.co.uk / instagram @thechapel / Facebook @thechapel / Twitter @thechapel
While you are here: For that creativity piece, head to Hauser & Wirth, an internationally renowned gallery that brings major art world players to a converted rural farm. For Nature + Wonder, visit The Bishops Place, where history is being interwoven with play in the cathedral town of Wells. And for spirituality of a pagan kind, walk to the top of Glastonbury Tor, and allow the legend and views to sweep over you. And you can do this from anywhere, buy a Mad Girl / Mad Boy sweatshirt by Bruton based Selfish Mother in collaboration with Bryony Gordon / Mental Health Mates.