If you're looking to venture out of the city, then Wrington is a picture-perfect spot to explore in style. Just a 30-minute drive from the city in north Somerset, this former market town offers a blend of old-fashioned rural charm, a thriving community and plenty of places to entice food and drink lovers.
From its quaint cottages to the beautiful 14th-century, All Saints' Church is packed with history with evidence indicating it's been inhabited since Roman times. The church, which has 13th-century foundations, is Grade I listed and well worth a visit to marvel at its gargoyles and buttresses.
High on the list for visitors is a trip to The Walled Garden, a carefully-restored Victorian kitchen garden with orchards originally built for Henry Herbert Wills and his family in 1901.
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The complex is home to artists' studios with creatives producing ceramics, glassware, enamel and more.
The artisans regularly open their studio doors so that members of the public can visit before exploring the vegetable gardens and orchards. If all that activity works up a thirst, then you sample some of the estate-grown cider and apple juice at the onsite Cider Barn, which is open every weekend throughout the summer.
For those feeling peckish, then a booking at The Ethicurean is a must. First opened in 2010, it is known for its ethically-conscious approach to food which has earned it a green star for sustainability from the Michelin guide. Its produce is responsibly-sourced, much of it from within the garden.
It's not cheap, and a set lunch is priced at £75 per person. Spread across two-and-a-half hours, it includes freshly-baked bread, ferments, and sweet treats, such as duck with hedgerow berries and cabbage shiso leaf taco or pear pastille with candied beetroot.
For something more informal in the village, head for The Plough, an olde-world village inn offering gastro-fare and real ales amid oak beams and real fires.
Examples of starters include pork rillette, kohlrabi remoulade, toasted sourdough and gherkin gel while the mains menu has venison chilli, black pudding crumb, crispy sage, pickled red cabbage with fragrant rice amongst its offerings.
And there's a cosy traditional pub in The Golden Lion. Popular with locals, it offers cask ales, lagers, wines and local ciders. Expect a warm welcome and a busy programme of events, including a Sunday meat raffle and regular screenings of rugby, football and cricket matches.
Wrington has an active community with lots going on year-round. Coming up next month is one of its most popular occasions, the Wrington Beer Festival. From Friday March 10 to Saturday March 11, the event will host at least 24 different beers and six ciders from local breweries.
There will be locally-produced wine available for sale by the bottle as well as food and live music to keep you entertained. All profits will be given away to local community groups.
For beer fans visiting throughout the year, a visit to Butcombe Brewery should prove popular. Tours run monthly, starting at 10am and taking approximately two hours.
Visitors receive a welcome drink, a pint of their choice and a sample selection of beers after exploring behind the scenes. Tickets cost £15 or £30, including a fish and chip lunch at the brewery's pub, The Langford.
Notable Wrington residents of the past include Henry Herbert Wills (1856–1922), who lived at Barley Wood, and along with his brother, was responsible for the building of the Wills Memorial Building, at Bristol University, in memory of his father. Henry Walton Smith (1738–1792), the founder of bookseller and new agent W. H. Smith, was also brought up in Wrington, but these days the village is a hub for creative and artistic types.
To travel there on public transport from central Bristol, you'll need to get the train to Weston-super-Mare before catching the number 51 bus to The Golden Lion. But for most people, driving will be the best way to get to Wrington.
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