Day Trip to Glastonbury – Things To Do
Spending an enjoyable day out in Glastonbury is incredibly easy. We spent a lovely day out there, and I’m creating this post to hopefully encourage you to do the same. I’m sure you won’t regret it. It is a family-friendly town to visit and somewhere really different to anywhere you’ve probably been before.
Life isn’t just about visiting all the numerous tourist attractions. Don’t get me wrong, I love that kind of day out. But sometimes it’s nice to throw a day out in a town into the mix. Plus, there is plenty in Glastonbury to keep you busy for the day.
When you talk about Glastonbury, most people will think of the popular music festival that happens in the fields nearby. People perhaps often overlook visiting the town itself. Not only is it pretty much the quirkiest town in England, it’s also steeped in history and myth.
A Brief History of Glastonbury
Located in the southwest of England, in the county of Somerset, is the town of Glastonbury. Evidence shows that the town has been inhabited as far back as the Neolithic period. There is an abbey in the centre of the town which has been there since the 8th Century.
Glastonbury Abbey has great importance in England, especially as it was the site of King Edmund Ironside’s coronation in 1016. Many of the town’s important buildings date back to the 14th century, and it later became a centre for commerce.
Today, the town has a large New Age community. Many flock there because of the festival, but also because of the town’s links to the myths and legends around Joseph of Arimathea, the Holy Grail and King Arthur. Many of these are often related to Glastonbury Tor, a tower on a hill which dominates the skyline of the town.
Where to park in Glastonbury
There are a number of car parks in the centre of Glastonbury. We headed for one of the largest, which is located behind the main street of shops. We parked in St. John’s Car Park, which has almost 150 spaces, including some covered parking and a few electric car charging points. It cost £6.50 for the day, which I had to pay in coins. You can pay online, but I couldn’t get it to work.
It is worth knowing that St Dunstan’s car park is where you can park for the Glastonbury Tor park and ride. This car park is, however, shut on Tuesdays when it’s market day.
Start your day exploring the wonderful shops in Glastonbury
Glastonbury has a really good range of shops. You won’t find your Boots, WH Smith, Primark, etc. here. These are independent shops selling local goods and a great variety of mystical items. As you walk around, you will experience the heady aromas of incense burning. We wandered into many shops, and some of them were like stepping back in time.
My son had certainly never been in so many shops selling all these kinds of products before. He loved it and was keen to spend some of his money there, as were we. I bought a lovely silk dress from a woman’s clothing shop (not a high street shop), and he bought a dragon statue. We wandered in bookshops, bought food from a baker’s shop, pondered purchasing tea and candles, and so much more.
This list of shops is great for getting an idea of what there is in Glastonbury. We also saw a fair few characters as we wandered around, including a man dressed as Jesus may have done, who sat almost naked except for a white robe.
Following the Mural Trail around the town
Amongst many things that Glastonbury is well known for are the numerous walls painted with large murals. You can download a PDF to take around the town with you to help you find the murals. This is great fun for all the family. They even have an interactive map online where you can click on a location, and it will show you a picture of the mural that can be found there.
We found quite a few during our visit, and I’d love to return to spend a full day finding them all. There are over 50 to find. It is an initiative brought together by a community of artists intent on brightening up Glastonbury and keeping it beautiful. It is free to wander around, and it is continually evolving with many new artworks being added to the map.
Best of all, the trail is great for finding a variety of interesting areas of Glastonbury that you might not necessarily have come across. If you can’t print out the trail map, it is available for free from the Glastonbury information centre.
A Visit to Glastonbury Abbey
Once an important monastery in England, Glastonbury Abbey is now largely ruined. Back in medieval times, legend said that it was the earliest Christian foundation in Britain linked to Joseph of Arimathea. Its second legend is that it is the burial place of King Arthur. You can choose to believe what you wish. Personally, the site feels magical, and what ruins remain today are actually rather impressive.
Monks once asserted the connection to the Legend of King Arthur and that Glastonbury was Avalon. In legend, Avalon is a mythical island that is featured in the Arthurian legend. Avalon has often been identified as the former island of Glastonbury Tor. Several other alternative locations of Avalon have also been claimed or proposed.
We spent around 40 minutes exploring the ruins, including the old kitchen, which is a complete building with interactive elements. There is a plaque dedicated to the place where King Arthur and Guinevere are said to be buried. It is a beautiful and tranquil setting, and if you want to learn even more, you can book a tour with a costumed Living History presenter.
Conquering Glastonbury Tor – how to get there
If you are driving into Glastonbury, it is more than likely that you will spot the wonderful Tor set high on a hill overlooking the town. On top of the hill is the roofless St Michael’s Tower, which is a Grade 1 listed building. As mentioned above, the Tor is mentioned in Celtic mythology and is linked to King Arthur and several other mythological and spiritual associations.
It would be a shame to visit Glastonbury and not admire the wonderful views from the top of the hill. As we were already tiring after exploring the town, some of the murals and the abbey, we didn’t fancy walking to the top from the village. From the information centre, the walk is 30 minutes (or more) uphill.
The Glastonbury Tor Bus
On the way in, we noticed signs to the Tor Park and Ride. It turned out it was a local community bus that takes people up near the top of the Tor. It basically saves you around 20 minutes of walking. Pick up and drop off is from St Dunstan’s car park and costs £4 per adult return, and children aged 5-16 are £2 return. Children under the age of 5 are free. Buses run throughout the summer.
From the drop-off point, it is a 10-minute and pretty steep walk to get to the top. We had said we’d just take photos and not walk any further, but once there, the temptation to conquer the hill was all too real. After a few stops along the way, we made it to the top. We also made it back down in time for the next bus, which came 30 minutes later. I’m glad we got the bus as the lanes were single-track with nowhere really to park.
Other things to do
On the outskirts of the town, you can visit the Chalice Well, located within a secret garden. This is at the foot of Glastonbury Tor. You can park on the road nearby, but spaces are very limited and are in a shop’s car park, which is pay and display. I wish we had time to visit.
The wells’ water flows at 25,000 gallons per day and has a constant temperature of 11 °C. It dates back to at least the 12th Century. Also near here is the Somerset Rural Life Museum. This is a heritage farm that is on the same site as the former Abbey farm. There are a series of galleries, a farmyard and an orchard to explore.
Where to eat in Glastonbury – our recommendation
We ate at the George & Pilgrims Inn. If you love historical places mixed with somewhere a bit different, then this is the restaurant for you. Its reviews on TripAdvisor aren’t favourable. We were actually considering eating somewhere else because of them, but I’m glad we went anyway.
The building is on the main high street, and it is stunning. It’s a restored historic building, which makes you feel like you are stepping back in time. It was built in the late 15th Century to accommodate visitors to Glastonbury Abbey.
You enter via the old coaching inn entrance for the horses and carts. Everything inside feels incredibly authentic, with gates to the bar and a magnificent reception which I’ve never seen the likes of before. Plus a spooky stairwell up to the rooms (yes, you can stay there) and so much more. It is, of course, said to be haunted.
We all really enjoyed our meals, and we’d certainly eat there again given the chance.
Glastonbury also has an award-winning Fish and Chip restaurant called Knights. On the street opposite is the Queen of Cups, which is a restaurant that is in the Michelin guide.
