28 Aug 2023
How To Spend A Gentle Week In & Around Frome, Somerset
But this felt like a good start to figuring out what holidays might look like now. There was something for the toddler: a big garden complete with sticks and something for the adults: brunch, bakeries and a general slowed-down vibe.
We stayed in the nicest little converted barn-cottage, complete with a brass bath and gorgeous views across the west country countryside. We were on the very edge of the town Frome in Somerset which was a very cute place to while away a week, particularly when the weather was sunny the whole time. Here’s a little diary of our favourite bits:
Saturday – starting the holiday as we meant to go on with a visit to Rye Bakery, set in a stunning converted church. Should you find yourself there, you have to try their cinnamon buns; they are not to be missed. I got a little addicted and found myself wandering back almost daily to get my fix.
Sunday – it was only after we’d booked our trip that I noticed ‘visit the independent market’ cropped up on pretty much every ‘what to do in Frome’ list. We were in luck though, our holiday happened to coincide with the first Sunday of the month which is when the market takes place. And I can see why it gets a lot of hype. It was huge for starters; the entire town is taken over with stalls of every kind. There’s live music, a lot of excellent food and a buzzy atmosphere. We spent a couple of hours soaking it all in (and stopping by the Rye Bakery stall for a cinnamon bun) before hopping on the forty-minute train to Bath to meet up with friends who live nearby. As it’s my old stomping ground, we didn’t feel the need to play tourist but, once we’d had pizza in the park, we had to do a fair bit of wandering to get Alfie to go to sleep. Bath is so gorgeous in the sunshine, and I don’t think I will ever get over the novelty of seeing Pulteney Weir. Plus, we had to stop into Topping’s bookshop which is sensational (although I am still ultimately loyal to my local Ely version).
Monday – brunch at The River House, a gorgeous little spot. I cannot emphasise how good the ‘Hash Gordon’ was – Cajun spiced hashbrowns, garlic yoghurt, chorizo, romesco & fried eggs *chef’s kiss*. We were treated to a two-hour nap from Alfie in the afternoon which meant we could sit in the sunshine and read our books with a G&T, before firing up the BBQ. What a treat.
Tuesday – a trip to Stonehenge! I think I went as a child, but my memories are very vague, and I wanted a closer look (as opposed to seeing it from the road) as an adult. Heads up if you’re National Trust members – you can get free entry despite the fact it is English Heritage. A very interesting way to spend the morning. A cynic might tell you it’s just a collection of rocks in the middle of a field, but I think there’s something kind of otherworldly about Stonehenge. The sheer amount of time it has stood there is mind-blowing.
Wednesday – We drove five minutes down the road to visit the Walled Garden at Mells and what a little gem this place turned out to be. It felt like something out of a fairy tale book. Think The Secret Garden vibes. It’s not immediately obvious, and then you duck through a little door and wow. There’s an outdoor cafe (with a pizza oven), plant nursery and a tranquil, rambling garden to get lost in. It was delightful and I would highly recommend.
Thursday – we ‘accidentally’ fell into The River House for brunch round two before spending the afternoon exploring the wealth of independent shops Frome has to offer. The two streets you must check out are Catherine Hill which is the famous steep cobbled street packed to the brim with independent shops, and Cheap Street which has higgledy-piggledy medieval buildings and – most distinctively – an old leat still running through the middle of it. It is also full of independent shops; I’d particularly recommend the bookshop and chocolate shop. As it was our last night, we also decided to brave an evening meal out with the munchkin. We went to the lovely Bistro Lotte which was another little gem. It felt very pleasant to sit there with their front all open to the summer air, and they were very welcoming to Alfie (we also went relatively early and vacated once he started throwing fries around which probably helped). Food was also lovely.
Friday – On our final morning, we were back in The Rye Bakery to check out their brunch which I’d had my eye on all week. I am pleased to confirm that the cinnamon bun French toast was just as good as it sounds. Those cinnamon buns. Genuine regret that I don’t live closer and they can’t be a regular part of my life.
And then we were leaving the cobbled streets of Frome behind. Such a lovely week.
As a side note – if you happen to be in the area and in need of reading material, I read The Vintage Shop of Second Chances by Libby Page whilst we were there, and the novel is set in Frome. I really enjoyed reading about a lot of the places we were also visiting!
Hey there!
