Where is Wells, Somerset located in the UK?
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Located in the southwestern part of England and known as the smallest city in the UK, Wells is part of the Mendip district of Somerset County and sits at the southern base of the Mendip Hills
A visit to the enchanting city of Wells, Somerset, without a car is easily arranged. We know because we did it!
With Bath 21 miles to the northeast, Glastonbury 6.2 miles to the southwest and Wookey just 3 miles west, there is much to do and see in and around beautiful Wells. The city is quite walkable and public transportation is good, making a car unnecessary. Curious how to get around Wells Somerset without a car? That’s exactly what we plan to show you.
From the Airport or train to Wells without a car.
Arriving at the Airport.
The closest airport to Wells is Bristol, a mere 21 miles almost due North. Once at the airport, you’ll need to take the Airport Flyer to the Bristol bus station to continue your journey to Wells.
As you step outside the airport lobby, you’ll see the Airport Flyer bus stop to the right. The Airport Flyer (£8.00) starts at the Airport, services the Temple Mead Train Station and terminates at the Bristol Bus Terminal. It runs about every 10 minutes. There is a ticket machine at the Airport bus stop or you can pay as you get on.
Arriving at Temple Mead train station.
If you are coming to visit Wells by train, your arrival is at the Temple Mead train station in Bristol. There are several buses, including the Airport Flyer, which will take you to the Bristol bus station. Be advised, the Airport Flyer stop, when heading towards the bus station from the airport, is across the street from the train station. Ask an agent to direct you to the stop location.
First Bus also operates buses from Temple Mead to the Bristol bus station/Bristol CBD. You can check their website or Rome2Rio for travel information. We recommend that you download the First Bus and Airport Flyer apps as you can buy tickets online and take delivery on your phone.
Mendip Xplorer to Wells (376)
Once you are at the Bus terminal, take the Mendip Xplorer, route 376, which stops at the Wells Bus Station. This is the same route that will take you from Wells to Bath or Glastonbury for a fun day trip.
Tickets are sold by “zone.” From Bristol to Wells is the “West of England Zone” which is £3.85. Buy your tickets at the station, via the app on your phone or from the bus driver. The bus ride takes just under an hour. Now it’s time to really relax and leave the driving to someone else.
If making a day trip, you can easily walk all around Wells from the bus station. When you have luggage, taxis are there to get you to your lodging.
A short side trip to Bristol
If you’d like to visit Bristol before heading on to Wells, we recommend staying at the Premier Inn City Centre. (Haymarket). You literally come out of the bus station and walk to the left around a building. Go down a few steps and continue around the building to the front door of the Premier Inn.
We love Premier Inn and certainly wish they had a loyalty program. They are affordable, generally centrally located, and standardized as to what you get. It is good, clean, comfortable lodging. Now on to Wells!
People and “dog-friendly” Wells
Visiting Wells is like walking onto the movie set of Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood. People are out and about, many with their dogs in this uber dog-friendly city. You’ll see dog dishes outside most shops and restaurants, signaling their dog-friendly status.
Friends visit on corners or gather at one of the many coffee shops, sipping teas and coffees while catching up on daily events. People are shopping, some in earnest and others just wandering through. Everyone is smiling and laughing, impervious to the chilly air. (We were there in early February.) The city seems to exude well being and prosperity.
Market day
I love outdoor markets and the one in Wells does not disappoint. Held on the town square on Wednesday and Saturday starting at 9 am, they overflow with artisan goods, clothing, pasties (Jack’s favorite) fresh veggies, eggs, cheeses and more.
Although open until 3 pm, they are very well attended so get there early for the best selection. We waited too long to make our purchase at the “pie” stall and missed getting our preferred choice. We were not so foolish the second time around.
If you want fresh meat, fish, poultry or any other similar items, you’ll find it at the Wednesday market. Stalls in front of the Town Hall transition from the “usual fare” to fish on ice, prepared and packaged game hens, chicken, all kinds of meats and sausage.
No need to go to the grocery store at all! If I lived in Wells, I would probably shop for the week at the Wednesday market then hit one of the three grocery stores (yes, they have three well-stocked supermarkets) for salad fixings, veggies and milk. Done! Don’t miss it and bring your reusable shopping bag with you. No need for directions. Just follow the crowd and you’ll get there!
Magnificent Wells Catherdral
It took my breath away the first time I laid eyes on it. To see such a grand cathedral with such presence in this small city (2018 population is 12,000) was unexpected. Alone, it rests on a well-manicured lawn rising to impressive heights commanding all that is around it. At least, that’s how I felt upon first seeing the Wells Cathedral.
This magnificent Cathedral is a must-see. While entry is technically free, they do ask for a “donation” of £6.00 each, but were quite happy with our £10.00. There are free tours throughout the day.
A tour we missed but would love to do is the “high parts tour” where you climb the spiral staircase up to the balconies. Here, you get a behind the scenes history of the Cathedral. This tour is only offered twice a day, currently at 11:00 and 14:30. Book online here for the tour and for the daily free tours.
Pages and pages could be written about the history of this famous Cathedral, but I’ll let you take that in during your visit and tour. I will however share this one quirky bit of history.
During the Reformation in the 16th century, the interior walls of the Cathedral were whitewashed to cover the dramatic paintings of biblical scenes and saints. Later, wishing to rid the interior of the whitewash, the “great scrape” took place from 1842 to 1844, revealing the beautiful subtle color you see today.
To see a video of the interior click here. They were tuning the organ the day this video was shot.
Wells Cathedral Clock
Located on the west wall of the north transept of the Catherdral, it is possible to walk past the cathedral clock without noticing it on a self-guided tour. This wondrous clock is thought to be the second oldest mechanized clock in England, and possibly the world, to still be in use in it’s (almost) original condition.
Created around 1390, two jousting knights charge each other as the bells chime. If you look closely, you will see that only one knight survives the charge! The clock is certainly worth the extra effort!
Up until 2010, the clock was hand-wound but in 2010 the mechanism was changed to electric because the jeweler was retiring. Click here to see a video of the jousting knights. Watch closely for the knight who is knocked down!
The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens
Adjacent to the Wells Cathedral, the Bishop’s Palace has been home to the Bishops of the Diocese of Bath and Wells for 800 years. A visit to this medieval Palace commences with crossing the moat, where there the resident swans are another “must see.”
Palace records from the 1850’s indicate that a pair of swans were taught by Bishop Eden’s daughter, Maria, to ring a bell for food. Happily, this tradition is alive today and is a delight to experience. The swans are fed numerous times throughout the day. Check with a staff member as you enter for more information on feeding times. Click here to see the swans ring the bell.
In addition to enjoying the swans, there is a cafe and gift shop that are free and open to the public. Several events are held here throughout the year. There is an entrance fee of £10.00 to tour the Palace, Chapel and the grounds. You can even walk along the rampart wall which provides some interesting photo opportunities of the moat, etc. To properly tour and enjoy the Palace and 14 acres of gardens will take several peaceful hours! Here is the Palace website for more information.
The Vicars’ Close
Built in the 14th Century to house the boys of the cathedral choir, the Vicars’ close still serves that purpose today. It is attached to the cathedral by a covered archway over Cathedral Green street, presumably to give the young men a sense of “community” while also “protecting” them from the wiles of the local women! Today, it is said to be the oldest original buildings on an exclusively residential street in Europe!
There is no charge to walk down the close and enjoy the beauty of the buildings and the peace that seems to radiate from them!
Wells & Mendip Museum
If history is your thing, then continue down from the Close to 8 Catherdral Green to visit the Wells & Mendip Museum. Open every day but Sunday from 1000 to 1600 during winter and to 1700 during summer, the museum showcases local history exhibits and artifacts. Admission is £3.00 for adults.
St. Cuthbert’s Church
Another beautiful church which is a short walk from Wells Cathedral is St. Cuthbert’s Church. It is sometimes mistaken for the Wells Cathedral due to its fine 15th-century tower.
Upon entering, there is a small brochure available that highlights interesting facts/history of the Church.
Along with the brochure, there are numbered stations throughout the Church with much the same information as is in the brochure. Look at the pillars when you are in the Church. You will see 3 meters (9.8 ft.) of color change in the stone. This is where the Church was raised by inserting new stone into the pillars!. How they did this is a mystery to me!
There are many other interesting facts about this Church. Free and open to the public, it most certainly warrants a visit!
The Wells Film Centre
A visit to the Wells Film Centre will unveil a little treasure. However, don’t expect a large screen megaplex movie theatre as you’ll have to visit Bristol for that. The Wells Film Centre is open every day, showing current films on their three screens.
What we enjoyed about this theatre is their “tea” matinee, which not only offers a reduced price of £6.50, but also includes a cup of tea or coffee and a biscuit with the price of admission. Brilliant – as they say in the UK.
We loved it. The theatre is small and cozy and we thoroughly enjoyed being able to stroll to this venue in the middle of the day. Matinees are at 15:00, except for Wednesday when they are at 11:00. Doors open at 14:30 and 10:30 respectively so make sure to get there early for the best seating. Check their website for other movie times and special events.
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More fun visiting Wells
There is so much to do in and around Wells. The Mendip Xplorer will take you to Bath in about an hour or to Glastonbury in 15 minutes. The 126 bus takes 35 minutes to Cheddar, where you can get real Cheddar cheese. Wookey Hole is just 2.7 walkable miles away or you can take a bus.
As you can see, a car is not needed to enjoy Wells and many of the other surrounding villages. If you prefer to take a tour, we recommend this one from Bath which includes Wells and Cheddar. Here is another fun and popular tour which originates in Bath and includes Wells, along with Cheddar and Glastonbury.
Lodging for your visit to Wells, Somerset
There are many fine inns and lodges in Wells, and the Ancient Gatehouse is one of the best. Situated just steps from the Wells Cathedral, it is an excellent location from which to explore the city of Wells. Click here for booking information.
The Best Western Swan Hotel is another excellent choice for Well, Somerset lodging. This 15th-century coaching inn faces the west front of the Wells Cathedral and offers both traditional and contemporary cuisine in their restaurant. Click here to book.
The Ashford House B&B is just 450m from the Wells Cathedral, making it yet another excellent choice for your visit to Wells. Everything you will want to see and do is just steps away. The Ashford House offers free wifi and a continental breakfast for its guests. Here is your booking information.
Lodging by House/Pet sit // House swap
If you’re new to our journeys, it may surprise you to learn that our lodging is often in conjunction with house/pet sitting and/or house swapping. We were blessed to do a return sit for some lovely homeowners and their pet in Wells, all within a few minutes walking of all the activities presented in this post.
If you are interested in house sitting, please check some of our other posts, which are specifically about house sitting and house swapping. We do most of our sitting through Trusted Housesitters and can offer you a 25% discount on membership by clicking here. You can also copy and paste our discount code: RAF103037.
And finally…..
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Amazing Wells! Pin it!
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