The Blue AnchorGreat value for the travelling photographer

For my first blog post I thought I would share something that has nothing to do with taking pictures, well not directly anyway. I have to fit my shoots in to days off from work and arranging trips to great locations can often be a somewhat stressful affair, I find. My time is precious and I want to come back with a memory card full of great images. This is where the stress kicks in, where to go, will it be a good location based on the weather forecast and where to stay.

I usually shoot alone so finding a place to stay is an important consideration. Let's be honest I don't want to spend a fortune, after all I'm going to be shooting for as long as the light is good, so I won't be spending long in the place but I do want somewhere that will be welcoming for the lone photographer and is close to my chosen location. Ideally it will also serve some decent value food and a good pint!

All of which brings me to the point of this post. My last trip out was to the North Somerset coast, an absolute treasure trove of fantastic locations but more about those in a later post because today I want to write about a pub that I can recommend to any photographer going to the area. The Blue Anchor near Minehead is set on a cliff overlooking Blue Anchor Bay and is perfect for the many locations along this stretch of coastline. 

The pub was recently taken over by new management and they are busy renovating this sprawling old building. It is going to be a major task and until they complete it the place remains a little worn in places. The rooms are modestly furnished but crucially the bed in my room was very comfortable. The staff are friendly and welcoming and they have got the food and beer spot on, perfect after a long day on location. Finally, I must mention the terrific value. I went in March and got a deal off their website of £44 per night excluding breakfast for a king double ensuite room.

So if you are thinking of a trip to the North Somerset coast check out the Blue Anchor for a photographer friendly place to stay.