Somerset

White Hart

Somerton was once the country town of the county of Wessex and it retains a charming heritage feel. But there's something delightfully modern English about the crisp, clear and simple approach taken to life at the White Hart.

Eat: The kitchen is under the control of former River Cottage head chef Tom Blake and it shows. He makes excellent use of local produce, it being his mission to showcase just how good West Country food is. In his own words the food is "fresh, simple, local and special". And what more could anyone want. This is "pub grub" plus. There's food all day so that's breakfast, lunch and dinner. And although dogs aren't allowed in the main restaurant, you can enjoy the restaurant menu in the bar. There's also a charming courtyard and garden for eating and drinking outside on warmer days.

Sleep: The rooms follow the template of the pub, offering simple, stylish and  fresh rooms. One of the eight rooms (room 5) is dog friendly. It's billed as one of the smaller rooms, but really isn't that small and there's room for a super king deluxe bed. There's no extra charge for the dog.

Walk: There are plenty of interesting and scenic walks to be had in and around Somerton. Slightly further afield there are various classic Somerset attractions, including the 390-acre Ham Hill Country Park, Cheddar Gorge, Glastonbury Tor and the River Parrett Trail