We spent close to a week in Downhead, Somerset.  The plan for this particular holiday was to have no plan. A sort of free and easy sojourn, which is rather easy to organise when there is just the two of you. My husband and I decided to wing it when we got to Downhead, a place we hadn’t heard of but for the address  of our self-catering accommodation.  Surprisingly, it turned out to be one of our better and more relaxing breaks.

To be honest, it’s usually not terribly difficult to feel relaxed on a holiday, away from work, and daily responsibilities and routines.  My mind and body seem to subconsciously wind down, just like I am able to sense or feel a little different (nice difference) when it’s the weekend or a public holiday. I digress.  Back to our holiday. Our accommodation, a beautifully converted chapel, plus its location in the delightful hamlet of Downhead, a smaller version of a village, nudged up our happiness level by several notches.

We decided earlier on as part of our no-plan holiday that we didn’t have to or want to see everything and do everything. We didn’t want to tick all the highlights in Somerset or even attempt to explore most of the villages and towns in Mendip, where Downhead is located. One place a day, if at all, seemed plenty. We wanted to walk, not hike, take in the surroundings and enjoy the almost pin-drop quiet country environment.  Living in Kuala Lumpur, where there is a constant cacophony of noise courtesy of traffic and the ongoing construction of the mass rapid transport system, peace and quiet is a luxury that we appreciate. Don’t get me wrong, we like city living but we also like less din.

Chapel Studio, our home for six nights, was an unforgettable experience.  From the outside, the chapel looked charmingly sedate, but once inside it oozed a wow factor. Thoughtfully decorated, the walls were adorned with interesting photos of family and celebrities, a chandelier that I had never seen the likes of before, a flower light that reminded me of something out of the movie, “Little Shop of Horrors” and yet it felt right at home with the rest of the decor, little vases with flowers on the window sill and a grand piano. Yes, a grand piano, although no good to us, it was a nice have. I guess if there was one item that was unusual in this almost perfect haven was the rather tiny TV. We were bemused by how small it was compared to our computer screens.

A really nice touch was the unforgettable, warm welcome treat; a freshly baked brownie placed in a cake stand on the kitchen counter (a little too sweet for my husband, translated all for moi).The chewy gooey brownie pretty much sealed the deal for me. I was sold on Chapel Studio.  It was a comfortable and cosy getaway for a couple. It was, at times, too comfortable that we didn’t feel like stepping out of our abode.

That said, Downhead itself provided lovely walks through bridleways, foot paths and country lanes to nearby quintessential English villages like Leigh-on-Mendip and Cranmore. We were lucky with the weather. It was comfortably cool and dry and there was an abundant harvest of wild blackberries on hedgerows. Sweet and succulent, there were so many to be had that even the birds couldn’t get through them fast enough. I did have some fancy ideas about baking a blackberry pie with the blackberries that were ripe for the picking. Didn’t happen. Still, the berries were a wonderful bonus to our daily walks.

From Downhead, we drove to Frome, which was hosting its first Sunday of the month artisan, food and flea market. It was similar yet dissimilar to other markets we have been to. Stalls selling Thosai and Thali meals caught my attention as there were long queues for these very traditional Indian cuisine. A highlight on market day was Frome’s annual charity duck race, of the plastic variety. Each year, some 1000 plastic ducks are launched from the Jenson Button Bridge in the centre of Frome to float along the river to their destination. Priced at £1 each, the first two ducks that crosses the finish line swim away with cash prizes. The duck that finishes last is reimbursed the £1. A sporting gesture to the last arrival even if it is not a real duck, I thought. We had £1 riding on one of the ducks. Unfortunately, the race was postponed to a latter date due to environmental issues or so we were told by one official.

As part of our one-place-a-day plan, we also visited Wells, Mells and Bath.

 Wells

We liked Wells, the smallest city in England. What stood out was Wells Cathedral’s stunning architecture with its inverted arches and collection of stained glass.  The medieval Wells Clock was another fascinating attraction.  It was worth waiting for, the clock chimed every 15 minutes, to watch the spectacle of four knights on horses jousting around. It reminded me of the Swiss musical clock, the Glockenspiel, at London’s Leicester Square. Also striking was The Vicar’s Close, two rows of terraced houses with unusually tall, thin chimneys, which continues to provide accommodation for the Vicars Choral, who still today, sing the daily services.

Mells

The dinner we had at the Talbot Inn in Mells on our first night in Downhead was so exceptionally good that we decided to return to see the pub and Mells in the daylight.  Sprawling, with two to three dining areas, cobbled courtyards and gardens, the pub’s entrance archway gave its façade an added allure.  The village, identified as one of the nine prettiest villages in Somerset by Somerset Life, lived up to its ranking. The stately, handsome Mells Manor, postcard-perfect thatched cottages and wide open rolling fields made our day.

Bath

Despite not wanting to do much, we took a trip to Bath and quite enjoyed the nine or so km circular Bath Skyline walk. It turned out to be a pleasant stroll through woodland, meadows and fields, and in parts, we were treated to elevated views of the architecturally enchanting city of Bath. Bath city came across as being both rich in heritage and contemporary in style and appearance.  Abuzz with tourists, the city centre reminded me of London and coincidentally there were many shops selling London keepsakes. Our favourites were the gorgeous Georgian terraces, Pulteney Bridge with shops lining the entire span of the bridge and the climbing angels on the façade of Bath Abbey.

All in all, the bits of Somerset that we visited were picturesque and interesting, and kept us happy and entertained all week. A definite thumbs up.