Langport is a busy little town on the river Parrett, built where that river ceases to be tidal and so it became an important centre for boat traffic bringing goods upstream from Bridgwater and the Bristol Channel. The hills rise up at Langport, and the older, fortified part of the town is approached by a narrow winding street, full of old stone built houses. Once a thriving small industrial centre boasting two railway stations Langport is now quieter but still thriving. Although even as early as 1791 the town was described by Collinson as being ``anciently more celebrious than now''.
There can be little doubt that one of the fastest growing forms of exercise over the last decade has been leisure cycling. Not the nose to the ground, doubled over the handlebars exercise of the Tour de France hopeful but the leisurely pedalling of the sightseeing visitor. More and more people are discovering the delights of cycle trails formed from disused railway tracks. As well as often being scenically beautiful, they do have the added advantage that railway trains were never too good on steep gradients so these tracks do tend to be fairly level!
At the Langport and River Parrett Visitor Centre on the Taunton road out of town  you will find Bow Bridge Cycle Hire where you can hire all types of cycle depending on your group's age and experience. Child seats, trailers and tandems are all available and you will also receive expert guidance on the best route to take, depending on your fitness and the time available. The centre also sells cycles and accessories - again with really knowledgeable guidance.
One very pleasant ride will take you to the village of Muchelney. Look on the map and it seems to be a small cluster of houses and cottages - but the history and interest which it holds are out of all proportion to its size. Both the National Trust and English Heritage own properties in the village.
John Leach carries on a family craft tradition here, started  by his grandfather Bernard, and his father, David at St Ives in Cornwall. Many of John's original designs made in his pottery on the edge of the unique Somerset levels can be seen in museums, galleries and private collections worldwide.
Current designs are on display in the shop adjoining the pottery and also at the nearby Muchelney Abbey (English Heritage). Visitors to the pottery can also enjoy the tranquil beauty of the wildlife sanctuary created by John on land near to his pottery. The sanctuary is now an official County Wildlife Site and has been featured on both the BBC and ITV.
Why such a seemingly remote village should have such a wealth of historic buildings is partly explained when one learns that the name Muchelney actually means ``great island''. In this flat and often flooded area of Somerset, with the River Isle meandering through, the available sites for building in the Middle Ages and earlier were indeed limited. Whilst not so conspicuous as Glastonbury, Muchelney did attract monks of the Benedictine order in the 8th Century when an Abbey was founded there by King Ina of Wessex (688-726 AD). This makes it the second oldest foundation in Somerset. It was never a large foundation - mainly due to its nearness to the more famous Glastonbury. Abbey - Muchelney never had more than about 20 monks. Although much of the Abbey is now ruined there are several parts of the building still in a good state of preservation. The Abbey is now owned and maintained by English Heritage.