Avalon Marshes Centre

The Avalon Marshes Centre is the hub for a group of wetland nature reserves on the Somerset Levels, a short drive from Glastonbury. Families can start with the craft gallery and information point, which has maps, leaflets and a touchscreen showing recent wildlife sightings, then sit down in the café with indoor and outdoor seating. The big draw for children is Avalon Archaeology beside the car park, an open-air collection of full-size reconstructions including a Saxon longhall, a Roman dining room with a hypocaust, a Viking trading ship and an Iron Age roundhouse under construction. A short walk brings visitors to Shapwick Heath nature reserve, and a picnic area with a wildlife pond sits on site. The centre suits families who like history, wildlife and an easy outdoor walk, and it also works well as a stop on a bike ride along the Bittern Trail.