Stay Here. Go There.

Sherborne has just been named Dorset Town of Culture 2027. If you haven’t visited for a while, now is a very good time to put that right.

This is a town best explored without too much of a plan.

Start at Sherborne Abbey, whose history stretches back more than 1,300 years, before wandering towards the town’s two castles. From there, follow whichever independent shop, antique window or café catches your eye.

Stop for coffee at Café d’Urberville. Discover the exhibitions and events at The Sherborne. Browse the shops. Have lunch. Change your plans.

That, really, is the point.

There’s another reason we’re particularly excited about Sherborne. This September, The Eastbury begins the next stage of its story as part of the Stay Original family. When it reopens in spring 2027, there’ll be beautifully redesigned bedrooms, a new restaurant and bar and a bakery, while preserving the Georgian elegance, wonderful gardens and character that have made The Eastbury special for generations.

And, just like all our pubs and hotels, you won’t need to be staying with us to make yourself at home. Come for coffee and cake. Meet friends for lunch. Bring the dog after a walk. Find a corner and open the laptop for an hour. Or stay the night and let Sherborne take care of tomorrow.

August is a very good month to remember there’s a whole other landscape above us.

Long evenings give way to warm nights, and away from the brightest towns, Somerset and Dorset offer some wonderful places to watch the sky.

For a sunset with a view, climb Glastonbury Tor or nearby Burrow Mump, both rising dramatically above the Somerset Levels. In Dorset, head for Golden Cap, the highest point on England’s south coast, or the Hardy Monument for enormous views across the surrounding countryside.

And then there’s Cranborne Chase, an International Dark Sky Reserve where getting away from streetlights turns looking upwards into an entirely different experience.

Take something warm. Give your eyes time to adjust. And perhaps, for once, leave the phone in your pocket.

Some of the best views don’t need photographing.

Bath needs very little introduction.

But visiting after most of the day-trippers have gone home is a different experience altogether.

And one of our favourite things about staying at Timbrell’s Yard is that Bath is only around ten minutes away by train from Bradford on Avon.

Throughout August, the Roman Baths remain open into the evening for Summer Lates.

The Great Bath is illuminated by torchlight as the sun disappears, with music and a pop-up bar adding a distinctly modern atmosphere to nearly two thousand years of history.

Spend the afternoon exploring Bath. Stay for the evening. Then hop on the train back to Bradford on Avon and wake up beside the river.

Ancient history has rarely made such a good night out.

Wells is always worth a visit.

England’s smallest city packs an extraordinary amount into a very walkable centre: the medieval Bishop’s Palace, the famously beautiful Vicars’ Close and, towering above it all, Wells Cathedral.

This summer, however, something rather less ecclesiastical has moved in.

Mythical Creatures at Wells Cathedral takes inspiration from a 17th-century book held in the Cathedral Library and brings its strange inhabitants to life inside the 850-year-old building.

There are dragons. Very large dragons.

Follow the mythical-creature trail around the Cathedral and then spend some time exploring Wells itself. Officially, one for families. Unofficially, we suspect most adults would also quite like to go hunting for dragons in a medieval cathedral.

Some attractions arrive with ticket offices, gift shops and carefully planned opening hours.

Others have simply been standing there for hundreds of years.

Somerset and Dorset are home to some remarkable ancient trees. Near Glastonbury, seek out the legendary Gog and Magog oaks, survivors associated with the ancient Avalon Oaks and a landscape steeped in stories and mythology.

Or head to Shaftesbury and pick up our self-guided tree walk from The Grosvenor Arms, taking you through a landscape of ancient trees, rolling Dorset views and centuries of history.

No queues. No timed entry.

And nobody is going to stop you hugging one. Sometimes the oldest attractions are still the most impressive.