Weekend Escapes From London To South West England

There are around a million ways to spend a weekend within three hours of London, the trouble is knowing where to start and which ones are genuinely worth your precious weekend.

Within three hours of London you have medieval cathedral cities, market towns with amazingly good food scenes, fossil beaches, and stunning countryside that most people only see in passing along the A303. There is definitely not a problem with the number of options, it’s knowing which places deserve two days of your time and which ones are better as a day trip (or not at all – just keep driving through).

I’ve lived in Somerset for most of my life, on the Somerset, Dorset and Devon border. When I’m asked which places make the best weekend escapes in the south west, these are the ones I’d truly point you toward.

The beautiful Vicar's Close in Wells Somerset

Boats in Lyme Regis harbour, Dorset on a beautiful sunny day

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For a stylish & sociable stay

Bruton, Somerset

A lovely view overlooking Bruton in Somerset

Bruton is small (it takes around twenty minutes to walk end to end), but what it lacks in size it makes up for in sophistication. It may have an ancient market town vibe, but it’s home to art galleries, chic boutiques and top-tier dining – the perfect mix of culture and character.

Hauser & Wirth, one of the world’s leading contemporary art galleries, has its Somerset outpost here, set in a beautifully converted farmyard with a garden designed by Piet Oudolf. This is much of the reason Bruton has become known for its creative energy and brought international attention to the town.

Its compact size is what I like the most, making it easy to explore the independent shops, boutiques and indie bookshops. You are, of course, also in the middle of Somerset surrounded by the most beautiful countryside for walks and enjoying the outdoors.

For such a small place, Bruton is a serious culinary destination, so if food is your thing I would definitely recommend spending a weekend here. Michelin-starred Osip offers a refined farm to table menu experience, while The Chapel is a beautiful all-day restaurant with in-house artisan bakery, wine store and boutique hotel set within a stunning converted chapel. Enjoying one of their wood-fired pizzas on the terrace is the perfect way to spend a warm evening.

A few miles outside town, The Newt is one of Somerset’s most beautiful estates. It’s well worth a stay here, or the magnificent gardens and attractions are open to visitors with a membership, which I would 100% recommend.

Getting to Bruton & where to stay

Bruton has it’s own train station with direct services from London Waterloo. However this is a limited service and takes around 2.5 hours. The quickest option is to travel from London Paddington, with a change at Castle Cary, which takes around 1 hour 40 minutes.
Driving to Bruton from London is pretty straightforward taking the M3 and A303. I would highly recommend taking a car to make it easier to explore the surrounding area. Bruton does have narrow, winding lanes (as do most places in Somerset!), but parking can be tight – it’s always worth checking if your accommodation has dedicated parking.
Best place to stay – No. 1 Bruton or At The Chapel

Frome, Somerset

Frome is a picturesque historic market town that’s regularly named among the best places to live in Britain, and it’s easy to see why! Cobbled streets, independent boutiques, bookshops and artisan cafés, all with a fabulous creative community. It’s energetic without losing its Somerset charm.

The Frome Independent Market takes over the town on the first Sunday of the month (between March and December) and is well worth planning a weekend around. With local food, makers and live entertainment, the town really comes alive.

Weekly markets also operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with the Farmers market taking place on the second Saturday of the month.

As well as its regular markets, charming streets and 17th-century buildings, Frome also makes a good base for exploring slightly further afield with Bath, Longleat and the Mendip Hills all within easy reach.

Getting to Frome & where to stay

Frome has its own train station but with a very limited direct weekday service between London Paddington. The fastest route is to change at Westbury or Bath Spa. Frome’s route network is specialised with a lot of express services passing it by, so it’s always best to plan your route via National Rail. The station is just a 10 minute walk from the town centre.
The drive from London to Frome takes just under 2.5 hours depending on your starting point. The southern route is more scenic using the M3, which merges in to the A303. Or the northern route takes the A4 out of London, before joining the M4 motorway and then the A350, branching on to the B3109 and on to the A361 in to Frome.
Best place to stay – Bistro Lotte for a convenient, central location or the Full Moon Inn Rudge for a beautiful traditional pub a little further out.

For a calm city break that’s easy to explore

Bath, Somerset

No list of South West weekends would be complete without Bath. It’s just 90-minutes by train from London, making it perfectly accessible and one of the few cities in England that’s relaxed, charming and not overwhelming to explore.

As cities go, it’s very walkable and if you’re anything like me, you’ll fall in love with its Georgian streets, fabulous independent shops and cafés. I’m going to go out on a limb and say I think it’s one of the most beautiful cities in the UK!

The Roman Baths and Bath Abbey are the obvious highlights, as well as Thermae Bath Spa where you can bathe in natural thermal water while enjoying views over the rooftops of the city.

Bath can absolutely be done as a day trip from London, but I would always recommend staying at least one night to really make the most of your time in this beautiful city. Book the spa for a morning and enjoy a long lunch as well as the endless exploring.

The Bird is a beautiful boutique hotel with an excellent central location overlooking Bath’s Recreation Ground, towards the Abbey and is always my recommendation for a good stay.

Getting to Bath & where to stay

Train is the most convenient option for getting to Bath from London. There is a frequent high-speed train link between London Paddington and Bath Spa, which departs roughly every 30 minutes, and takes around 90 minutes. Bath Spa train station is right in the heart of the city on Dorchester Street, making all the main attractions and central hubs exceptionally accessible on foot.
Driving to Bath from London takes around 2 – 2.5 hours in normal traffic taking the M4 motorway. It’s worth noting though that the M4 is notorious for heavy weekend traffic as people head to South Wales, Devon, and Cornwall (via the M5 interchange near Bristol), so the journey can take much longer.
Parking in Bath can be difficult and expensive with limited on-street parking and the major car parks filling up quickly. The easiest option would be one of the three park-and-ride car parks located around the city.
Best place to stay – The Bird, Bath for its beautiful boutique feel and central location.

Wells, Somerset

Famed for being England’s smallest city, it packs a lot in to a small space! A cathedral, a Bishop’s Palace, a medieval close and a market square , all in a place you can walk end to end in around 10 minutes. I’ve visited Wells more times than I can count, and I think it’s one of England’s most underrated weekend breaks.

If you’re looking for nightlife or lots of shopping, Wells probably shouldn’t be top of your list – Bath is the better call for that. But if you enjoy history, independent cafés and exploring on foot, it’s close to perfect. The Cathedral and Bishop’s Palace gardens are worth taking slowly over two days, especially with a good lunch, a browse around the independent shops and a walk along Vicar’s Close thrown in.

I’ve written a full Wells guide that you can read here if you’d like to explore more:

A weekend in Wells – A local’s guide to england’s smallest city

Getting to Wells & where to stay

Wells is the only city in England to not have its own train station, so you’ll need to travel to a nearby town or city and then get a connecting bus. Bath, Bristol, Frome or Castle Cary are all good options. Wells Tourism is a good place to start to plan connecting busses.
Wells is easiest reached by car from London. It takes around 2 hours 50 minutes depending on traffic, taking the M25, M3 and A303. Weekend traffic is always heavier so allow extra travel time for traffic.
Wells has ample parking, with extra all-day parking offered on Saturdays during July and August at Palace Farm Fields. Some accommodation also has parking available during your stay.
Best place to stay – The Swan Hotel for comfort, central location and free private parking (although limited).

For a real countryside escape

Hinton St George, Somerset

Probably a place you’ve never heard of, but for a complete escape under three hours from London that involves nothing but countryside, quiet and a beautiful setting, this is a great choice. The Shepherd’s Hut Retreat is a collection of six beautifully designed adults-only huts in the village of Hinton St George in South Somerset, each sleeping two and overlooking a peaceful lake – just about as far as you can get from city life. It’s such a hidden gem that even a lot of locals don’t even know it’s there.

You’ll need a car as it’s beautifully remote, but the Jurassic Coast is just 30 minutes away, plus the beautiful National Trust properties of Barrington Court and Montacute House, and Ham Hill Country Park are all between 10 -20 minutes away. The Lord Poulett Arms, a fabulous gastro-pub, is also just a short walk across the fields, which I would highly recommend for an evening meal.

Lyme Regis seafront looking beautiful on a sunny July day — Stunning Lyme Regis seafront

The beautiful gardens in bloom at Barrington Court in Somerset — Stunning Lyme Regis seafront

Getting to The Shepherd’s Hut Retreat

I wouldn’t recommend taking a train from London to Hinton St George. It’s very remote so you may feel quite isolated without a car to explore the area. The closest train station is Crewkerne, which has direct services from London Waterloo, but no busses run to Hinton St George so a taxi would be the only option, which takes around 15 minutes.
You might need the help of satnav to get to Hinton St George – it’s pretty remote and some little country roads, but it’s worth it. The journey takes around 3 hours on the nose, taking the M3 and A303.
Where to stay – The Shepherd’s Hut Retreat

For a charming coastal escape

Lyme Regis, Dorset

Lyme Regis high street with bunting in the summer sun

If your idea of a perfect escape from London is breathing in fresh sea air with the sand between your toes, Lyme Regis would be my top coastal recommendation within 3 hours (just).

I live just thirty minutes away and always find myself heading there whenever I have a free day – in January just as much as July. That’s what I love the most about Lyme, it has a life to it all year round that most seaside towns simply don’t.

It’s beautiful and historic, sitting right on the edge of the Jurassic Coast, but it’s the lived-in feel that really sets it apart with independent shops, a huge selection of genuinely good places to eat, the Cobb harbour, fossil hunting on the beach, and lovely walks with the reward of a fabulous pub lunch.

It’s not a place to to check off a huge list of things to do. A weekend here is better spent soaking it up rather than ticking things off.

You can find out more about why I think Lyme Regis is a great option for a weekend escape from London in my full guide:

A weekend in Lyme Regis | Where to stay, eat & explore

Getting to Lyme Regis & where to stay

Lyme Regis doesn’t have it’s own train station so if arriving by train you’d need to go to Axminster (around 6 miles away), which has direct services from London Waterloo. The journey takes around 2 hours 45 minutes and from Axminster, you can take the X51 or X53 busses that run regularly in to the centre of Lyme Regis and take around 15 minutes.
Driving from London to Lyme Regis takes just over 3 hours depending on traffic. Driving around the town itself can be slow, especially during busy times, thanks to its narrow streets and cars trying to park. There is plenty of parking in Lyme Regis but it can be difficult to find a spot on sunny days in the school holidays and bank holidays. The ideal would be to choose accommodation with parking.
Best place to stay – Lym House for its beautiful décor, fabulous location and private parking available.

Lynton & Lynmouth, Devon

You may have noticed there’s no Somerset coast on this list and that’s quite deliberate. I live on the Somerset, Dorset and Devon border and when it comes to a coastal weekend break, I’d always recommend Devon or Dorset first. Lynton and Lynmouth are a perfect example and although they’re just over the three hour mark from London, I’d say they’re worth every extra minute for a charming coastal escape.

These two pretty North Devon villages sit above and below each other on the edge of Exmoor, connected by a Victorian funicular cliff railway that’s been running since 1890. The views are simply stunning and the harbour at Lynmouth, where the East and West Lyn rivers meet the sea is just the most gorgeous spot. As well as enjoying the tranquil beaches, you’re also perfectly placed for leisurely walks through the stunning Exmoor National Park.

Getting to Lynton & Lynmouth & where to stay

I’m not going to sugar coat it, getting to Lynton & Lymonuth is not the most straightforward journey from London. The nearest train station is Barnstaple with regular services running from London Paddington via Exeter St Davids. From Barnstaple take the 309 or 310 bus, which run roughly every 60 to 120 minutes, and take just under an hour.
Driving is the more direct root, but will take just under 4 hours taking the M4 west from London, then the M5 and A39.
Best place to stay – The Bath Hotel for its superb location in the heart of Lynmouth, directly opposite Lynmouth Harbour and the Lyn River, as well as its quirky décor, fabulous staff and great food.

Rested not rushed notes

A few things worth knowing before you start planning your south west escape from London.

The A303 and the M4 corridor are notoriously bad on Friday afternoons, especially in summer and during the school holidays, so allow plenty of extra time for your journey. As someone who lives just off of the A303 I can vouch for how much quieter it gets after 7pm. If you can leave London in the morning or in the evening it makes a real difference.

Most of the places I’ve listed will be much quieter mid-week, especially Bath, which gets busy at weekends. If your schedule allows for a Tuesday to Thursday break, you’ll have a quieter, calmer experience almost everywhere here.

If you’re thinking about combining destinations, Frome and Wells sit well together at around 30 minutes apart. Lyme Regis pairs beautifully with the Shepherd’s Hut Retreat in Hinton St George for a weekend that mixes coast and countryside.

Be sure to book ahead. Thermae Bath Spa fills up quickly and is worth booking well in advance. Popular restaurants in Frome and Bruton, especially At The Chapel, can also get booked up fast at weekends. It’s always worth arranging before you leave rather than hoping for the best when you arrive.

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