Taunton Library

Taunton Library sits bang in the town centre, a proper working library rather than a tourist attraction, but that's precisely what makes it worth a visit if you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks like Cornish Farm or Ashe Farm. The building itself is solid Victorian stock - all red brick and sash windows - and inside you'll find a decent local studies collection that actually tells you something about Somerset beyond the gift shop nonsense.

It's genuinely useful if you've got rainy weather during a park holiday and the kids need somewhere to kill an hour. The children's section is reasonable without being over-the-top, and the adult stock covers everything you'd expect from a county library. Free admission, naturally. You can browse for twenty minutes or settle in with a coffee - there's decent seating and it's warm, which matters when you're camping.

Historically minded types will appreciate the local history materials, though you're not going to spend half a day here unless you're genuinely researching something specific about Taunton itself. The opening hours are generous - they stay open until 7pm on Wednesdays - which works well if you're planning a shopping trip into town anyway.

Honestly, file this under "useful rather than thrilling". It's not a day out in itself, but it's the kind of place that slots neatly into a rainy afternoon without any fuss or admission charge. Very Somerset in that way - practical, unpretentious, does what it says on the tin.