A weekend at The Newt

Immerse yourself in the delights of this country house hotel and enjoy the bounty the glorious rolling hills of Somerset can offer

-  JANET MCMEEKIN ALAMY STOCK

Autumn at The Newt is something special, with bushcraft and woodland walks, a mushroom masterclass and cyder making (yes, with a y) on offer for visitors to this elegant hotel, spa and garden museum, set in Somerset's bucolic countryside, between Bruton and Castle Cary.

The Newt's heart is the honey-coloured Grade II* Hadspen House, built in 1687 and remodelled in the Georgian era. The manor, with its 800 acres of farm and parkland, was discovered by South African husband-and-wife hoteliers Koos Bekker and Karen Roos almost 10 years ago. An ambitious six-year project ensued - and the results are impressive.