BS: What to do in Taunton on a Tue afternoon (UK)

Subject: BS: What to do in Taunton on a Tue afternoon
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 09:47 AM

Once again I'm taking Mrs P to a conference. This time we've decided to go down this Sunday night (20 Feb), have Monday to ourselves for sight-seeing, shopping, etc. and then while she's at her do, I shall be left to my own devices. At the risk of asking a silly question, what is there to do and (especially) to photgraph in Taunton?

I found a website with "What to do in [insert name of Somerset town]" pages; one of the suggestions was "go to Cardiff"! After all (it says), it's only thirty miles away. If you swim, presumably. I shall save Caerdydd for another day (I went there in 1970); meanwhile -- what to do in Taunton?

Steve
PS I've been allergic to cider ever since that business with 48 pints of Inch's in 1975, so that's a non-starter.

Subject: RE: BS: What to do in Taunton on a Tue afternoon
From: The Beast of Farlington
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 09:51 AM

Busking, trainspotting, drinking?

Subject: RE: BS: What to do in Taunton on a Tue afternoon
From: Mr Red
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 01:11 PM

Steve - owr kid.

Dnno if this is still current or which Monday
Taunton -Westgate *pub 01823 284933 : open mic mth Mon Somers

there is a Cider "Experience" halfway to Wellington (only two Inch's on the map) but maybe thats one exerience to far and somewhere in the region there is a "Romany Museum"

AND in increasing distance (its been a slow day) I see a vineyard symbol at Staplegrove, Hestercombe (Garden symbol) and Fyne court NT on the map.

There is also a castle symbol within the conurbation but as I remember it - you go between carparks to see something - don't hold your breath.

Glen Titmouse would know better - I think I have seen him on this forum.

Subject: RE: BS: What to do in Taunton on a Tue afternoon
From: nager
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 04:15 PM

Watch out for the traffic.. it is awful in Taunton on any day of the week. We were there on our bike tour last year and stayed at the YHA about 7-miles out of town (thank goodness). The next day we slipped out over the Quantock hills to Bridgewater and the lovely Somerset countryside.

Subject: RE: BS: What to do in Taunton on a Tue afternoon
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 04:43 PM

I see from this site that "The town is about to undergo a 'once in a generation' redevelopment - the 'Taunton Vision'. This is a major scheme comprising 47 hectares of town centre sites providing office and retail space together with housing and cultural facilities."

So maybe you'll be just in time to see the place before they totally bugger it up.

Subject: RE: BS: What to do in Taunton on a Tue afternoon
From: curmudgeon
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 05:30 PM

Be thankful that you're not going to Taunton, Massachusetts in the US!

Subject: RE: BS: What to do in Taunton on a Tue afternoon
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 06:17 PM

if you have a car. the coast is very nice - sidmouth. Ladran Bay nearby is quite picturesque. There is a great theatre in Sidmouth that does Agatha Christie plays and the like. Ottery St Mary is the church where Coleridge's dad was the vicar. the church yard is full of coleridges, but I believe the great man is laid to rest in Westminster abbey or some such. Very moving to read Frost at Midnight though when he reminisces over his childhood in Ottery. His father died when he was young and he was sent off to be miserable and educated in London.

En route to Ladran Bay there is a nice trout stream you can stand on a sort of pooh bridge and watch the fishes. or take some sticks and play pooh sticks. It is good for cider - all that country and you can get some very good stuff from farmhouses, which advertise the real stuff - most shops in Taunton will have a drop of decent stuff.

If you like gardens there is a nice one pretty near called Bicton gardens and that is extraordinarily beautiful
this is just off the top of my head. There is a service station at Taunton Dean and you can play slot machines and eat kit kats and the like.

all the best steve
big al

Subject: RE: BS: What to do in Taunton on a Tue afternoon
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 06:46 PM

Perhaps the cider factory has some sort of museum for you to visit.

Subject: RE: BS: What to do in Taunton on a Tue afternoon
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 08:25 PM

ok so its about 8 hours too late..

but tauntons still got 2 or 3 guitar shops worth looking in..

[the banjo shop closed down a couple of years ago]

loads of charity shops and antique/2nd hand shops

some good cheese shops.. a shame you're off the cider though..

fairly ok museum

loads of poncy middle class clothes and lifestlye shops

a Lidls for 'bargains of the week tat'
[ now thats a proper working class punk culture shop.. cheap imported german alchohol and sausages..]

a good chip shop just off the town bridge

2 weatherspoons pubs for cheap beer & jugs of cocktails..

some dodgy 'local youth/thugs' pubs


..and the only pole dancing venue in somerset
apart from weston super mare.. errr according to my old mates in the area


not a bad place for a visit a few times a year

Subject: RE: BS: What to do in Taunton on a Tue afternoon (UK)
From: The Shambles
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 03:07 AM

When I took Mrs Shambles to a conference in Taunton - I had the car for the day and visited the RSPB reserve a few miles to the east. There is a hide (this time of year with bird feeders) where you can sit and get good close-up photos of all our common birds - plus one or two no-so-common ones.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/programmes/tv/bill_oddie/locations/somerset.shtml

Subject: RE: BS: What to do in Taunton on a Tue afternoon (UK)
From: Padre
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 10:33 PM

How about a day trip to Lyme Regis?

Subject: RE: BS: What to do in Taunton on a Tue afternoon (UK)
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 17 Feb 05 - 12:11 AM

You can always find a hardware store and look at screwdrivers. Maybe even take a few photos of 'em.

Subject: RE: BS: What to do in Taunton on a Tue afternoon (UK)
From: Cluin
Date: 17 Feb 05 - 12:31 AM

Pretend it's Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio.

Subject: RE: BS: What to do in Taunton on a Tue afternoon (UK)
From: LadyJean
Date: 17 Feb 05 - 12:46 AM

If the Dragon Bookshop is still there, you can stop in. It's a very very good book store. Taunton isn't far from Glastonbury, but you can't get there from there, at least mother and I couldn't, when we went to Taunton.
Oh, it was the home of Raphael Sabatini's Captain Blood. If you're into pirates.

Subject: RE: BS: What to do in Taunton on a Tue afternoon (UK)
From: GUEST,ClintonGibson
Date: 18 Feb 05 - 01:27 AM

Masturbate.







Like the rest of the wankers there.