Somerset, the Mendips & Wiltshire

Both scenically and historically, Somerset and Wiltshire rank as two of the most attractive and interesting counties in Britain.

Landscapes range from the breezy heights of the Mendips to the flat meadows of the Somerset Levels, and from the rolling chalk uplands of the Marlborough Downs to the mudflats and sandy expanses that fringe the Bristol Channel coast.

Walkers can experience a variety of such terrains in this guide.

The region boasts Europe's greatest concentration of prehistoric monuments such as those at Avebury and Stonehenge, and sites that inspired a host of romantic myths and legends, from King Arthur to Alfred the Great.