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🗺️ Farm Day Trips guide
Things to Do Near the Lavender Farms of Wells, Frome & Sherborne, Somerset and Dorset
Lavender near Sherborne flowers in early July, a short drive from Wells Cathedral, Glastonbury Tor and Stourhead, where entry was £23 in October 2026.
8 places · updated October 17, 2026
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Updated October 17
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This stretch of countryside runs from the Mendip Hills around Frome and Wells south across the Somerset Levels to Sherborne on the Dorset border. It takes in the cathedral city of Wells, the hill and abbey ruins at Glastonbury, a moated castle at Nunney, the castle ruins at Farleigh Hungerford, the lake and temples of Stourhead, and a heritage steam railway at Cranmore, with farm shops and vineyards in the lanes between.
Two lavender growers sit at either end. Lavender Keepers at The Wilde Story Café, at Sandford Orcas just north of Sherborne, grows its own field beside a café open Thursday to Sunday, and ran field-to-still masterclasses on 8 and 9 July 2026. Somerset Lavender at Faulkland, south of Bath, has entry by donation and a café, but we could not confirm its 2026 opening dates, so check their website first. Early July is the time for flowers; autumn brings pumpkin picking and the color at Stourhead.
The lavender farms
- Somerset LavenderLavender farm · Faulkland
- Lavender Keepers (The Wilde Story Café)Lavender farm · Sandford Orcas
Peak around early July
Café open Thursday to Sunday year-round; lavender field and pond on site; masterclasses in early July by booking.
Best time to visit
Plan on early July for lavender: The Wilde Story's own posts showed the field in flower then, and its 2026 lavender masterclasses ran on 8 and 9 July. Wraxall Vineyard runs vineyard tours from April to October. In October, Farrington's Farm opens its pumpkin patch on set dates (10–11, 17–18 and 23–31 October 2026), Hartley Farm runs Pumpkins in the Paddock from 25 to 31 October 2026, and the East Somerset Railway has a Day Out with Thomas on 27–29 October. Sherborne Castle's gardens close for the season after 1 November, the Bishop's Palace moves to winter hours (10am–4pm) from 25 October, and Glastonbury Abbey closes on Mondays from 2 November 2026 to 15 February 2027.
Places to see nearby parks, trails, beaches and landmarks
- Wells Cathedral🏛️ Historic site · Wells · about 17 mi, 35 min drive
The cathedral at the heart of Wells, with a chained library and guided tours that climb a spiral stair to the high parts; the Loft Café is on site.
Open daily 7am–6pm; general admission 9am–4:30pm, Sundays noon–2:30pm (2026)
Admission passes listed on their website
- The Bishop's Palace and Gardens🌷 Garden · Wells · about 17 mi, 35 min drive
A medieval palace that has housed the Bishops of Bath and Wells for more than 800 years, ringed by a moat whose swans have been taught to ring a bell for food since the 1870s, with 14 acres of gardens and a play area in the arboretum.
9:30am–5:30pm until 24 October 2026; 10am–4pm (last entry 3:30pm) from 25 October through winter
Tickets sold through their website
- Glastonbury Tor🌉 Landmark · Glastonbury · about 20 mi, 40 min drive
Climb concrete paths, with a bench halfway, to the 15th-century St Michael's Tower for views over the Somerset Levels into Dorset and Wiltshire. Sheep graze the slopes, so dogs stay on a lead.
Dawn to dusk year-round
free (no National Trust car park; nearest pay car park on Chilkwell Street)
- Glastonbury Abbey🏛️ Historic site · Glastonbury · about 20 mi, 40 min drive
Abbey ruins in 36 acres of grounds in the middle of town, linked by legend to King Arthur's burial; dogs on short leads are welcome in the grounds.
Daily 10am–5pm, last entry 4:15pm; closed Mondays 2 November 2026–15 February 2027
Adult tickets on their website; under-16s free
- Stourhead🌷 Garden · Stourton, near Mere · about 17 mi, 35 min drive
National Trust landscape garden where a path circles a lake past the Temple of Flora, Temple of Apollo and Pantheon, with a Palladian house; especially colorful in autumn. King Alfred's Tower, a 160ft folly, opens on spring and summer weekends.
17 October 2026: garden 9:30am–4:30pm, house 11am–4pm
Adult £23 (£25.30 with Gift Aid), child £11.50; parking £4.50 for non-members (as listed October 2026)
- Sherborne Castle & Gardens🏛️ Historic site · Sherborne · about 5 mi, 10 min drive
Built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594 and home to the Wingfield Digby family since 1617, with a Grade I listed landscape that was one of Capability Brown's first commissions.
2026: gardens open daily except Mondays until 1 November; castle closed for the season
Gardens from £15; castle tour and gardens from £20
- Nunney Castle🏛️ Historic site · Nunney, near Frome · about 7 mi, 15 min drive
A 1370s castle with four round corner towers rising straight out of a deep moat, damaged in a 1645 siege; you view it from the outer moat edge in the village.
Any reasonable time in daylight
free; free car park off Castle Hill
- Farleigh Hungerford Castle🏛️ Historic site · Farleigh Hungerford · about 6 mi, 15 min drive
Ruined Hungerford family castle with two surviving towers, a chapel of medieval wall paintings and a crypt of rare lead coffins, some shaped with faces; an audio tour runs from the Priest's House.
Daily 10am–5pm, last entry 4:30pm (as listed)
English Heritage ticket; book online to save 15%
- East Somerset Railway🌉 Landmark · Cranmore · about 11 mi, 25 min drive
Heritage steam railway running from Cranmore station through the Mendip countryside, with a station café; dogs ride free.
Wednesdays and weekends; Day Out with Thomas 27–29 October 2026; café Wednesday–Sunday 9:30am–3:30pm
Day Rover tickets on their website
Where to stop: farms, food and stays
- Wraxall VineyardWinery or vineyard (21+) · Shepton Mallet
A vineyard planted in 1974 with guided tastings and The View café-bar overlooking the vines; tours April to October.
- White Row Farm Shop & CaféU-pick farm · Beckington
Working farm near Frome selling its own pork, eggs and vegetables, with a busy café and fish and chips.
- Farrington's FarmFamily fun farm · Farrington Gurney
Farm shop, play barn and free farm park, with a 20-acre pumpkin patch on set October 2026 dates.
- Castle Farm MidfordRestaurant · Midford
Walk-in weekday lunches cooked in an old tractor shed on an organic farm south of Bath.
- Newton Farm FoodsU-pick farm · Newton St Loe
The farm's own beef, lamb and pork at the butchery, and a café open daily 9am to 4:30pm.
- Hartley Farm Shop & KitchenU-pick farm · Winsley
Fifth-generation farm shop and kitchen above Bradford on Avon, with Pumpkins in the Paddock from 25 to 31 October 2026.
A one-day plan
- 10:00 AMLavender Keepers (The Wilde Story Café)
Coffee as the café opens and a look at the lavender field, in flower in early July. Café open Thursday–Sunday, 10am–3pm. About 1 hour.
- 11:15 AMSherborne Castle & Gardens · about 10 min drive
About 10 minutes south. Walk the Capability Brown landscape and lakeside gardens (closed Mondays). About 1.25 hours.
- 12:45 PMWraxall Vineyard · about 30 min drive
About 30 minutes north on the A37. Lunch at The View overlooking the vines (book a table; Wednesday–Sunday). About 1 hour.
- 2:15 PMGlastonbury Tor · about 20 min drive
About 20 minutes west. Park in town or on Chilkwell Street and climb to St Michael's Tower. About 1 hour.
- 3:30 PMGlastonbury Abbey · about 5 min drive
About 5 minutes back into town. Walk the ruins and grounds before last entry at 4:15pm. About 1 hour.
- 4:45 PMWells, Cathedral Green and the Bishop's Palace moat · about 15 min drive
About 15 minutes north. Walk the green and the palace moat in the early evening; to go inside, swap this stop to the morning, since cathedral admission ends at 4:30pm.
Tips
- Somerset Lavender's own website would not load for us and its tourism listing may be out of date, so confirm opening days with the farm before a special trip.
- Most stops close one or two weekdays: The Wilde Story café opens Thursday–Sunday, Wraxall's The View Wednesday–Sunday, and Sherborne Castle's gardens shut on Mondays.
- Glastonbury Tor has no National Trust car park; use the pay car park on Chilkwell Street or walk out from town.
- Wells Cathedral's general admission runs 9am–4:30pm, but only noon–2:30pm on Sundays.
- Stourhead charges non-members £4.50 to park, and dogs on short leads are welcome in the garden all year.
Checked in October 2026 against official park, tourism and business websites. How we check listings
Questions
When is the lavender out near Sherborne?
In early July. The Wilde Story's own posts showed the field in flower then, and its 2026 lavender masterclasses ran on 8 and 9 July.
Is Somerset Lavender at Faulkland open?
Entry has been by donation with a café on site, but we could not confirm 2026 opening days from the farm, so check their website or call ahead.
Can you climb Glastonbury Tor for free?
Yes. The National Trust land is open dawn to dusk with no entry fee; you pay only for parking in town.
What does Stourhead cost?
As listed in October 2026, adult entry is £23 (£25.30 with Gift Aid), children £11.50, and parking is £4.50 for non-members; National Trust members get in free.
Where can I pick pumpkins here in October?
Farrington's Farm (10–11, 17–18 and 23–31 October 2026, booked tickets) and Hartley Farm's Pumpkins in the Paddock (25–31 October 2026).
🪪 Collect a stamp at every stop
The free Lavender Passport keeps a stamp for each farm and stop you visit, in real life and in the Lavender Farm Simulator. At the farm, play Field Quest to collect plant varieties as you walk, climb the leaderboards and unlock sponsor rewards.
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