Day 44 – Lynmouth to Porlock

Day 44 – Lynmouth to Porlock 

News this morning is that Trotty’s left the Ashes Tour because of stress. No stress in Lynmouth on a cloudy but dry day. Good and early brekker enables us to be under way by 8:30, with John’s abandoned hat problem being alleviated by mine host’s provision of an Australian Brumbies rugby cap. His generosity is exceeded by his optimism about the distance to Porlock (8/9 miles is about 4 miles shy of actuality), although his assessment that the only testing part of the walk will be the first hour proves to be pretty accurate. It involves a constant – albeit not too steep – climb out of Lynmouth towards Foreland Point. However, the cliff edge just before the Point proves to be too vertiginous for Ben who decides to take an inland route and meet up again with Gary and John near Glenthorne. This takes place about 90 minutes later just as we’re entering a section along the undercliff, through some woods, and across several picturesque waterfalls. It’s probably a good job that we can stay on the undercliff and cross the waterfalls, because cove descents and ascents wouldn’t have been a particularly attractive proposition. We’re all suffering from colds of varying forms and energy levels are not at their highest! The early part of the woodland walk includes crossing the border from Devon into Somerset, and the later part includes passing what is allegedly the smallest entire parish church in England at a place called Culbone. So far as we know, we haven’t been the victims of tick bites (and possible contracting of lyme disease) which can occur in this area, so yet more good news. As we pass a pub called the Ship at Porlock Weir, we phone Ray to confirm that the pick-up Ship is in Porlock itself, and that the pick-up time is 4:00. A bit of beach (or pebble) action at Porlock Weir and weary traipsing across some fields bring us to the end of today’s – indeed, this year’s – walk and to the lane leading up to Porlock. We’re a mere 8 miles from the end of the path at Minehead, and there’s only one more climb to negotiate. By the time we arrive at the Ship, it’s almost 2:30, but just in time for some sandwiches and with plenty of time for several ciders. Post cards bought and written by Ben and John, and Ray arrives at 4:00 to get us to Taunton station in good time for trains home.