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The Chew Valley is situated in North Somerset and encompasses a number of picturesque villages, ancient monuments and bodies of water.
After exploring every inch of the Chew Valley, pop into one of our friendly Somerset restaurants for a classic British pub meal made with locally-sourced produce. Plus, you can top it all off with a pint of proper Butcombe beer, from our impressive selection behind the bar.
Offering delicious, locally-sourced meals and award-winning Butcombe beers and ales on tap, our range of restaurants near the Chew Valley are the ideal places for a bite to eat after a busy day exploring this mythical part of Somerset.
We’re passionate about great food and drink at The Rising Sun – expect delicious seasonal dishes and hearty pub classics, with a focus on fresh ingredients and produce carefully sourced from our local suppliers. Behind the bar you’ll find a selection of award-winning beer from our own Butcombe Brewery, and you’ll notice that our menus and daily specials also feature our own ales where possible – like our Butcombe Gold beer-battered fish and chips. The Rising Sun offers a huge beer garden with children’s play area, and large carpark – the perfect place to stop after a day out in the Chew Valley.
A haven for walkers, cyclists and locals alike, The Swan Inn is all about delicious, locally-sourced food – pub classics, flatbread pizza, and tasty bar snacks – with a cosy, welcoming vibe and an impressive selection of award-winning Butcombe beer on the taps. Stop by after exploring the Chew Valley, while walking your dog, or after visiting other popular Somerset attractions like Cheddar Gorge, Wookey Hole Caves or England’s smallest city – Wells.
With beer-battered fish and chips, our delicious ‘Bower burger’ and our famous Sunday roast, you’ll find something you love at The Bower Inn. Enjoy your locally-sourced meal in the refurbished, historical 18th-century cottage and beautiful gardens, and pair your dish with an award-winning pint of craft beer from behind the bar – the perfect end to the day after exploring the Chew Valley.
If you’re in the mood for a classic British pub meal in an atmospheric, historic setting, you won’t find anywhere like The George Inn in Norton St. Philip. This Grade II-listed inn, a short drive from the medieval town of Glastonbury, dates back to 1397 and is one of Britain’s oldest taverns, serving locally-sourced, modern twists on classic pub food and an array of proper Butcombe beers behind the bar. From decadent baked camembert to classic beer-battered fish and chips, and indulgent roast dinners, you’ll find something you love at The George Inn.
Not far from the wonderful scenery of the Chew Valley, you’ll find The Lamb Inn – a charming, cosy, 15th century converted coaching inn, complete with traditional beams, open fireplaces, a beautiful beer garden for alfresco dining. For a characterful and historic place to enjoy a delicious, home-made, locally-sourced classic pub meal, paired with an award-winning pint of Butcombe beer, you can’t do much better than The Lamb Inn.
For a true taste of the West Country, you can’t do any better than The Langford Inn pub-restaurant. On the menu, you’ll find a mix of seasonal dishes with hearty pub classics, all made with local Somerset produce in a field-to-fork approach to sustainable dining. Bring your pup along after your day out in the Chew Valley – The Langford Inn is dog-friendly, so your pooch will feel right at home!
The Ring o’ Bells is a local legend in Compton Martin and throughout Somerset, boasting secret live music gigs from renowned pop artists like Kylie Minogue, Paul Weller and Coldplay, while retaining its traditional country gastropub vibe. It boasts a beautiful beer garden, kids’ play area, live sport, locally-sourced pub grub and cracking selection of award-winning Butcombe beers and real ales behind the bar. Book a table while you’re exploring the Chew Valley and stop by after to enjoy modern twists on hearty pub classics, unlike anything you’ve had before.
Blagdon Lake was created when Bristol Water dammed the River Yeo, with construction completed in 1905.
Its primary use is as a reservoir, supplying more than 9 billion litres of water every year. It is also used as a trout fishery, popular with local anglers and those travelling from further afield.
The lake itself covers 440 acres, while the total area is 526 acres. It received designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1971, with many species of animals and birds found here. It is also home to a diverse range of trees, shrubs and flowers.
Located less than 2 miles from Blagdon Lake is its larger, more impressive neighbour – Chew Valley Lake.
It was opened in 1956 by Queen Elizabeth II and covers some 1,200 acres, providing the majority of the drinking water for the city of Bristol and its surrounding areas.
Particularly during the summer months, Chew Valley Lake is very popular with walkers. While it is possible to walk all of the way around the lake, you cannot do so close to the water’s edge. Instead, we recommend one of the most popular walking trails.
With more than 200 species of birds present, Chew Valley Lake is also a national centre for birdwatching. It is frequented by enthusiasts, all eager to feast their eyes on the native and migratory birds that are here throughout the year.
Stanton Drew Stone Circles are a collection of Neolithic monuments that are located near the Somerset village of Stanton Drew.
While Stonehenge might be the most famous stone circle in the world, the Great Circle at Stanton Drew is actually larger than its well-known counterpart. The Great Circle measures 113 metres in diameter, with 27 of the original stones (it is believed that there were a total of 30) still standing.
Two smaller stone circles exist to the north-east and south-west of the Great Circle, while a stone called “Hautville’s Quoit” is a little further to the north.
In addition, there is a cluster of 3 stones known as “The Cove” located in the garden of the local village pub.
Around 12 miles to the south of Stanton Drew and just 5 miles outside the Chew Valley is a collection of earthwork enclosures known as the Priddy Circles. They are located between the village of Priddy and the city of Wells.
There are 4 circles in total, with 3 of them being almost evenly spaced and in a near-straight line. The final circle is positioned slightly further away from the others and not in line with them.
While experts have been unable to accurately date the circles, it is believed that they were created in the Neolithic period. Located less than half a mile from the circles are two round barrow cemeteries, providing further examples of monuments from a similar era.
Maes Knoll is a hill fort which is located to the north of the Chew Valley, around 2 miles from the Stanton Drew Stone Circles. Also known as Maes tump or Maes Knoll tump, it covers 20 acres of land and reaches an elevation of around 45 feet.
Like many of the hill forts in Britain, it is believed Maes Knoll was built around 250BC. A Celtic tribe living in England, known as Dobuni, are responsible for building it, most likely as a form of defence against invasions.
The views from the top of Maes Knoll are far-reaching, with views over Bristol, Bath and the Cotswold Hills to the north and the east, as well as the Chew Valley and the Mendip Hills to the south.
The River Chew rises in Chewton Mendip and meanders its way through the towns and villages of north Somerset, before it meets the River Avon in the market town of Keynsham.
Flowing for 17 miles, it passes through Chew Valley Lake and the villages of Chew Magna and Chew Stoke, before continuing through Pensford, Publow, Woollard, Compton Dando and Chewton Keynsham.
The River Chew is popular with anglers and is rich with many species of coarse fish. Barbel, Perch, Chub, Roach, Rudd and many others frequent the nets of people fishing the various stretches of the river.
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