We set off on an explore of Somerset gardens, just ahead of Storm Ali, with a trip to Wells. In normal fashion, the first stop was somewhere to eat (no point in site seeing with an empty stomach. I’ve been to Wells before – it’s a beautiful small cathedral town, but never to the Bishop’s Palace, which is the residence of both the bishops of Bath & Wells, and the Bishop of Taunton. The garden is open to the public, for a sum, so we headed off there for a potter through the gardens, set in the ruins of the Old Hall, apparently made ruinous by a Victorian bishop for the romantic look, and perhaps to avoid heating any more ancient mediaeval buildings. Then across the bridge into the quiet gardens by the wells (springs push the water up at that spot, allowing the bishops of mediaeval Wells to control the water around the town, how handy, and lucrative). It’s lovely there. Right off the tourist track, but beautiful. Lucky bishops.