Clare gladstone takes a look at some of the jewels in north somerset’s crown – its coastal towns.
As well as being the ideal place to make sandcastles and see the annual sand sculpture festival, which this year runs from April right through the summer, Weston-super-Mare’s beach is also famous for donkey rides and its 50 or so donkeys remain a popular site on the beach, bringing tourists back year after year.
The Grand Pier is Weston’s main landmark, stretching 1,300ft into the sea. As well as arcade machines and rides, the pier also offers Edwardian-style tearooms to offer visitors a welcome break. The pavilion is also used as a wedding venue and for conferencing facilities and the pier, open all year round except Christmas Day, also boasts a cinema and theatre with shows taking place over the summer.
The elegant ballroom at The Winter Gardens offers tea dances with views across the bay and bands still play at Weston’s 127-year-old Grade II listed bandstand in Grove Park.
The town’s former lido, the Tropicana, reopened in 2015 after 15 years of being derelict and now offers indoor and outdoor event space that hosts a range of events throughout the year, including, this year, the Weston super Food Festival in September and the Hazy Days Music Festival in July, which will feature Newton Faulkner, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Reef and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
WHILE YOU’RE THERE
Visit The SeaQuarium, which, on its own pier on Weston seafront, has 10 different zones, including the Fantastic Phobias zone. Gasp at the sharks as they swim above you in the underwater ocean tunnel or marvel at the array of colours in the Tropical Reef Zone. OR
SPEND AN EVENING AT:
This story is from the April 2017 edition of Somerset Life.
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This story is from the April 2017 edition of Somerset Life.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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