About Somerset
The area covered by the new Somerset Council contains one National Park (Exmoor), four Areas of Outstanding National Beauty (the Quantock Hills, Mendip Hills, Blackdown Hills and part of Cranborne Chase), 127 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and miles of outstanding coastline. Around 15% of the area is either at or near sea level, with the highest point being Dunkery Beacon at 520 metres. It contains the cathedral city of Wells, and the largest towns (by population) include Taunton, Yeovil, Bridgwater, Frome, and Burnham-on-Sea/Highbridge.
Some facts and figures about Somerset
- An estimated 562,225 people live in Somerset (June 2019) (NOMIS MYE)
- The population rose by an average of 4,000 per year over the last 5 years (June 2019) (NOMIS MYE)
- 48% of the population live in a rural area (England: 18%) (Census 2011)
- Somerset’s economy is worth £11.6 billion (2018) (ONS)
- The county has 24,510 businesses (2019) (ONS)
You can find many more useful facts and figures covering People and Neighbourhoods, Crime and Community Safety, Health and Wellbeing, Environment and Transport, Economy and Jobs, Education, Skills and Learning, and Housing on the Somerset Intelligence Website.
Somerset is well-connected
With fast trains (1 hour 40 minutes Taunton to London), Somerset is well connected. The M5 motorway runs through the county, while two regional airports, Bristol, and Exeter, are within easy reach.
Sport in Somerset
Somerset boasts a number of excellent options for viewing sports. We have county cricket with its home ground at Taunton, Yeovil Town Football Club (called "The Glovers" as a reference to the history of glove-making in Yeovil during the 18th and 19th centuries), and more than 80 players who have worn the Somerset rugby shirt have gone on to play for their country including, in recent decades, John Horton, Jon Hall, David Trick, Richard Hill, Simon Halliday and Jerry Guscott. There are also racecourses at Taunton and Wincanton.
Things to do in Somerset
Somerset offers a range of outdoor pursuits at all levels - literally! The Mendip hills boast some of the best limestone climbing sites in the country - you can also climb in Cheddar Gorge and, if you want to combine this activity with sea views, Brean Down and the coastal cliffs of Exmoor also offer climbing opportunities. Underground you can visit Gough's Cave, Cox's Cave (with its stunning stalagmites and stalactites) or see the River Axe flowing through the limestone caverns of Wookey Hole. There are also excellent walking and hiking opportunities. With over 40 miles of coast and 95 water courses, as well as many reservoirs and lakes, Somerset is the perfect place for messing about in boats - one of the largest locations for watersports is Wimbleball Lake near Dulverton, Exmoor. There are also numerous houses, gardens, and other attractions to visit - both ancient and modern.
Further information can be found through the links below.
Further useful links
Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership
