Excellent, for anyone with a glimmer of interest in tanks, or indeed engineering. The museum has an…read moreembarrassment of riches, and is by far the best museum of its sort in Western Europe ( especially with the French tank museum , Saumur, on the verge of closing). They have many very rare vehicles, from every tank- producing nation, and have far and away the best collection of British tanks in the world. This is in part because they are the army's custodian for a great deal of captured material ( from WW2, Korea, and the various Gulf wars), and the links to the army are underlined by the fact that it's located within yards of an active army base. The ticket is £13 for an adult- but this allows you return visits in the same year. The killer is the location; it's a long way from any major city, and there is about one train to London per hour). At time of visiting, they had a "Fury" themed display ( most of the Sherman tanks, as well as the Tiger used in filming were borrowed from Bovington).as well as a War Horse" and WW1 exhibition.

Of all the museums that I have visited throughout the world, the Bovington Camp Tank Museum is my…read morefavorite. In my personal opinion, this museum surpasses the Louvre and British Museum. I am a big tank aficionado, so my opinion is a bit biased. My last visit on March 12th was the best yet. After shopping at their interesting shop, I purchase my entry pass. I told the cashier that I knew that the Sherman tank used by Brad Pitt in the movie "Fury" was under maintenance and not on display. The cashier calls up senior staff and they give me a personal one-on-one visit with the Sherman tank, which was in the workshop. They did not have to be so nice, but they were, so that only confirms my opinion. Tanks from all eras may be found at this amazing place. The Brits produced the first tank in history, Little Willie, named after German Imperial Crown Prince Wilhelm. Winston Churchill, at the time Lord of the Admiralty, sponsored a committee to investigate the building of a new weapon, the tank. Even without a car, the Tank Museum may be reached by taking British Rail to the Wool Station and taking the 104 bus from the Wool Rail station to the Tank Museum entrance.

This wooden craft shop is situated on the main road through Abbotsbury and has its own car park…read more Although I have described it as a wooden craft shop it is and it isn't. Pretty much everything it sells has been made out of wood, some of it could be called craft but some could be called art, furniture or toy. They sell everything from thimbles to four poster beds, everything is beautifully made and the toy section will keep children entertained while adults marvel over the beautifully crafted clocks.

I came to Yeolvil for the 2017 Fleet Air Arms airshow and I must say the British put on some of the…read morebest programs, without a doubt. I make an effort to travel from the US, to visit here when on vacation. This museum is time well spent, when coming to the UK. Make sure to visit and support the IWM. Many of the fellow attendees were great to talk to, when learning about planes and military equipment. In challenging times, it is the men and women of the military who protect and serve to keep us safe from those who embrace hate. English people are very nice and welcoming, except the one time when I might have accidentally driven in the wrong lane and get called a Yank! But that's a whole another story in itself and is totally my fault in getting those responses :) The planes on display here are well preserved and you can learn much about the naval air history and traditions here. The museum staff were pleasant and very helpful. The store has lots of great art and books, relating to the material also. Plan to spend several hours here! The Royal Air Tattoo is next week, and that also is a great show! Thank you for taking the time to read this post.

I visited the Royal Navy's fleet air arm museum recently, they have an array of planes that have…read morebeen used in the past and present. a fair few aircraft to see and displays, the museum is on an operational base and you can see the comings and goings of aircraft from their viewing areas. well worth a visit: £13 Adult £9 children You can see more of my pictures of the museum in my set on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/top_gun_1uk/sets/72157627117203135/

This is a museum which explores the history of our modern Army, women at war, and the development…read moreof technology. The museum highlights the roles of women at war, with displays and interactive ehhibits detailing the ATS, SOE, FANY and the WRAC. You can discover how women were trained for espionage! There is an interactive display which relates the history of codes and code breaking in wartime, with a series of interactive displays, fun trails and quizzes. A collection of vehiclesi ncludes the SF's 'Pink Panther' and Monty's Armoured Command Vehicle. And a collection of military motorcycles from 1914 to the present day depicts the role of the dispatch rider. One can also send and receive morse code, 'DF' the enemy position. guide a laser beam around a room, see how radios work, drive a full size truck through a virtual world. This exhibition also tells the story of the little known Long Range Desert Group and how they worked with the newly formed SAS. The LRDG was formed for desert reconnaissaince and intelligence gathering. And, not least, there is a section on animals at war, and how the Signals used them for sending messages. This is good day out, especially on a rainy day, for families or any one interested in the Army or wars.

Needing to find somewhere out of the wind and rain and I'd seen the advertising for this and…read moresuggested we visited. Security is tight (it's an MOD facility) so you need to have proof of I'd to get in. Very well laid out and very informative, displays about communications in the 1st and 2nd World Wars including code breaking and the history of telephony. A lot of interactive stuff too although I suspect children won't really appreciate it as much as adults. The museum highlights the role of women at war. There's a small cafe NAAFI style offering a decent cup of tea! Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.

This is a gorgeous art gallery/shop in Beer, on the Devon coast…read more Beer is a lovely little fishing village, relatively untouched by mass tourism (it's too difficult to access for big bus loads). The pebble beach is idyllic, and you can watch fishing boats coming back with their catch - which they also sell there and then. Back to the gallery: they have 2 outlets in the village, the Steam Gallery and the Marine House. Both display work from local artists, and the quality is very high (so are some prices). We found the most exquisite hand blown glass pieces, which would not be out of place in the most expensive shops in London. Beer itself is worth a visit for its quaint, quiet and authentic atmosphere; and whilst you are there, these two artshops should be on your list.

The Steam Gallery in the pretty East Devon fishing village of Beer is a good place to browse for…read moregifts or that special treat for yourself. The gallery is housed in several rooms on the ground floor of what was once a house. It is the sister gallery to Marine House, which is situated further down the road towards the sea. The Steam Gallery has less traditional paintings than Marine House, although there is plenty on the walls often the emphasis is on sculpture and 3 dimensional work. Last time I visited there was a lot of glass sculpture on display, and there is usually jewellery and pottery too. Original artwork by local artists.

A top class art gallery in the middle of nowhere - what's not to like?! Hauser & Wirth is a…read moreleading gallery for contemporary and modern art with well established outlets in Zurich, London, New York and LA. I love the fact that they took over an old farm in Somerset and turned it into an oasis of calm and beauty. The current exhibition by Pipilotti Rist (till Feb 2015) alone is worth the trip. One of her video and sound installations is presented in a big room where visitors are asked to take off their shoes and settle on one of the fluffy sheep skins dotted around the floor - the most comfortable exhibition I have ever visited! There's also a lovely shop with local artisan products and a restaurant/bar - enough to keep you busy for most of the day.

The Bridgwater Carnival is the largest of several carnivals which tour towns in central Somerset,…read moreto celebrate the anniversary of the 1605 gunpowder plot, when Guy Fawkes failed to blow up the English Houses of Parliament. The Carnival is a dramatic, illuminated procession of about 100 floats, each lit by thousands of light bulbs. Each float is built (in great secrecy) by a Carnival club representing a town, pub or place of work in the area, with widely varying themes. It claims to be the largest illuminated carnival in the world, attracting over 150,000 visitors. A unique feature of the Bridgwater Carnival is the tradition of 'squibbing', which takes place after the procession. Squibs are huge hand-held fireworks, and about 100 are lit at once in a dramatic (and slightly scary!) display. (The practice gives its name to the English expression of 'a damp squib', which refers to a non-event.) The entire event is organised by volunteers and raises money for charity. This also gives a rather attractive 'homely' feel, as entries vary from fabulous floats to individual children dressed up in odd constumes.. The web-site gives full details of how to watch the procession (early arrival is essential as many main roads are closed for the event) and alternative venues in the different towns of the circuit - Burnham-on-Sea, Wells, Glastonbury and Weston-super-Mare. The web-site also has a photograph gallery from previous processions and video clips of squibbing. Wikipedia has an excellent review of the history of the Carnival with some great photographs at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Country_Carnival

The Bridgwater Carnival has a long history in Bridgwater. Its always held on the Thursday nearest 5…read moreNovember in celebration of Guy Fawkes Day. Loads of the residents of Bridgwater and the surrounding towns and villages are involved with the carnival clubs and spend the year raising money and creating the carnival floats. Most of the floats now-a-days are technically quite impressive with loads of light bulbs and moving parts. A lot of effort is made with the floats and some of the tableus are very impressive. It is funny that there are the same themes every year, you can always bet on seeing carnival carts with the following themes; cowboys and indians, pirates, jesters, disney charactors and grown men dressed as babies! After the carnival is the Squibbing, a squib is a very large firework with a long wooden handle and 100 of these are lit and carried in a parade through the town centre, by Squibbers in old fashioned costumes.

Lytes Manor is a modest but attractive mediaeval manor house, restored in the early 20th century,…read moresurrounded by lovely gardens in the Arts & Crafts style. It is now in the care of the National Trust. As well as the house and gardens, there is a cafe, and a small second-hand bookshop. The area was part of the Lytes family manor and it's existence is recorded in a mid-13th century. The name derives from the family name (Lytes) and the nearby River Cary. The oldest part of the building is the small, mid-14th century chapel, originally a chantry chapel. The great hall was added in the 15th century, and the oriel in the 16th century. Further additions were made in the 17th and 18th century, but the house was sold by the Lytes family in 1755, and thereafter gradually fell into disrepair and the northern range of buildings was demolished in the 19th century. It was saved in 1907 when it was purchased by Sir Walter Jenner, who gradually restored the house, acquiring genuine period furnishings and faithful reproductions. He also developed the gardens around the house, in the Arts & Crafts style, as a series of "rooms", including two orchards and a croquet lawn, a lavender garden, kitchen garden, and a long herbaceous border. The house makes for a charming afternoon out; there are helpful volunteer guides in every room, the highlight of which for me was the chapel, which contains both genuine and very faithfully reproduced mediaeval stained glass. The gardens are delightful: the herbaceous border is one of the nicest I have seen for a long time, a mass of purples and reds, with delicate creams and yellows. At one end is a border created entirely from a range of white blooms, of different textures and heights. Parking is a short walk from the house. The house mostly provides level access, but some rooms are upstairs. Some of the house corridors and garden paths are narrow, and the garden oaths are uneven. There is Blue Badge parking, an accessible toilet, and a wheelchair is available (best to call ahead).

Lytes Cary Manor is a manor house with an arts and crafts style garden and is owned by the National…read moreTrust. The draw of this house is the fact that it belonged to medieval herbalist Henry Lyte and there is much information on his plant directory - Lytes Herbal. The house extends beyond the walls and into a magnificent garden where hedges form outdoor rooms and, eventually, you are led from the formal to the riverside and lowland walks. Topiary is evident throughout the garden and to be admired! Light refreshments are available from the cafe and, in the summer, there are some great family events. Couple a trip here with a trip to Barrington Court or perhaps Montacute House.