Excellent - and
early - brekker, with a bit of flak directed at the one person who goes for
just the "full-ish" English, rather than the Full Tudor English.
We're collected by Clare at 8 a.m. and she takes us back to the Parrett end of
the path at West Huntspill, so we're walking well before 8:30. A misty morning,
and a bit damp under foot with the river quite high. But after an hour or so,
and having wended our way through the lanes of Highbridge, high tide has gone
and, once we've passed what is advertised as being Britain's shortest pier at
Burnham on Sea, we can walk along the beach. Indeed, in ever brighter
conditions as the sun burns off the mist, we walk a long way along the beach -
about 5 miles from Burnham, through Berrow, and along to Brean. Just before
noon, we reach the end of the sand at the foot of the cliffs of Brean Down and,
at the National Trust cafe, we stop for pasties (very good ones) which are
accompanied by.....mugs of tea! Truly, a couple of days replete with
extraordinary events. A gentle climb up the cliffs and an equally gentle walk
around Brean Down passing Brean Fort at the far end. How we now get to
Weston-super-Mare depends on where we can cross the River Exe. Brean Sluice, a
couple of miles upstream has been identified as a possibility but, as we get
into the second mile, the riverside field path becomes rougher indicating less
than regular use. So it's no real surprise that, when we reach a field gate
alongside the sluice and a caravan park, we're informed by a farmer that we've
been walking over his land, and that the gates on either side of the sluice are
locked. However, the farmer is sanguine about the situation ("It happens")
and, at that moment, an Environment Agency van appears. We ask the driver
whether he can open the gates for us to walk across the sluice. His initial
reaction is no - so it looks as though we'll have to take a far longer inland
route to Weston via the main road. But just as we're heading for the caravan
park, the van driver calls us back and unlocks the gates so that we can walk
over the sluice. All in all, a few minutes of chat and reaction which have been
somewhat different to those with the vet yesterday! The walk back downstream
towards Weston is unremarkable until, just before Uphill Church, John pulls up
lame with a shooting pain in an ankle. Gradually, when some pain killers have
got to work and we've rounded the marina, things seem to improve, and we stroll
for a mile or so along Weston beach, finishing before 4:00 at the Seaquarium.
Like yesterday, we've walked almost 20 miles which, since our days on the
Thames Path, is the most we've done on a second day. There's still plenty of
time to walk to the station and have cans of cider in the station bar before
John catches a rattler for a change of trains at Temple Meads, and Ben and Gary
get a direct train back to Paddington.
Day 47 - Steart to West Huntspill
Train to
Bridgwater - via Temple Meads - where we are collected by the same Colin (or
Clare) who drove us from Steart to Taunton on the last trip. We arrive at
Steart in time to get under way around 10:15. Study of the log later in the day
shows this to be our earliest walking start time since day 1 of the SW Coast
Path. Shortly after leaving Steart, a throw away remark by Gary about the level
of the Thames a few days earlier leads to lengthy and ultimately inconclusive
discussion about tides, the equinox, gravitational pulls, and the valves and
ends of rugby balls. The discussion lasts for a goodly part of our morning walk
down the south/west side of the River Parrett. Although the level of the river
is low, there's unsurprisingly extensive evidence of the effects of the recent
floods. We arrive (back) in Bridgwater early afternoon, and lunch consists of
pies and sausage rolls purchased at a local shop, and eaten on the hoof. Light
rain accompanies part of our return up the north/east side of the Parrett,
which includes carefully considered - and wholly justifiable - "short
cuts" across (or denobbings of) a couple of curves in the river at Dunball
and Pawlett Hams. Our subsequent attempts to regain the river via some fields
at Stretcholt are met with the resistance of a local vet who appears from his
surgery to inform us in no uncertain terms that there's no way through to the
river at the far side of the fields and that he doesn't want us scrambling
through his hedges to try and get there. After he's bid us a not too fond
farewell, and having consulted maps, we decide to go and point out to him that
our intended route is shown as being a public right of way. However, as we
approach his surgery, we encounter one of his colleagues who is more helpful,
simply saying that she hasn't seen anyone go over the fields before and
pointing out the route which is usually taken to get back to the river. We
therefore decide (some more reluctantly than others!) that we should avoid
further veterinary confrontation and follow the "usual" route. Back
by the river, it's not too far to the end of our walk for the day at the top of
a path leading to West Huntspill where the Crossways Inn and pints of rather
strong Rich's cider are an excellent way of whiling away the 20 minutes before
Clare picks us up and returns us to Bridgwater and the Tudor Hotel. Baths are
hot and reviving, and ciders and supper follow. We've walked almost 20 miles
today which is more than we've achieved since the Kimmeridge to Chipperville
(Weymouth) stretch on day 3 of the SW Coast Path. John reckons it's the first time
he's underestimated our likely mileage for a day. And this probably accounts
for the next point of note, namely what we believe to be our record low for
evening alcohol consumption. Just two pints of cider each (including the Rich's
at Crossways), one bottle of red between us, and no stickies. But we sleep
well!
Day 46 – Watchet to Steart
What Bill
was correct about yesterday was that the West Somerset would be “basic”.
Comfortable enough though, and good value at £35 to include a perfectly
acceptable brekker. We’ll be walking along a virtually uninhabited stretch
today and so, while Gary admins bill payment, John and Ben access provisions
(bananas, pork pies and water) at a local shop. Under way just before 9
o’clock, and John’s logger proves to be more important than ever because
today’s route is not the most straightforward we’ve encountered. The section
out of Watchet is a mixture of railway footpaths, private holiday parks, roads,
tracks across fields, and woods, all slightly away from the coast. We do
eventually regain the coastline and conditions which are a mixture of thick wet
grass and muddy/heavily puddled tracks, but things progress smoothly until we
reach Hinkley Point Power Station. The seaward side which we were hoping to use
is inaccessible, and the inland diversion is long and not very well marked.
Again, the logger comes into its own (now accompanied by one of Ben’s OS Maps)
but the diversion still involves a bit of scramblage and trying to avoid quite
large areas of water – not always successfully. Yet again, the weather has been
kind – just a few short sharp showers – but, as we finally leave Hinkley Point
behind and approach Steart, a biting wind starts to blow and the clouds roll
in, making the surroundings very bleak and reminding us how wet our feet are.
We’ve been keeping our pre-ordered cab from Bridgwater informed of our progress
(or occasional lack of it) and it’s good to see it approaching the meeting
point just outside Steart shortly after we get there at 3:45. The wind and
clouds could herald the arrival of the severe gales and rain which have been
forecast, but all remains calm during our return to Taunton which we reach in
time for a can of cider in the station buffet before catching trains home.
Postscript: The severe
weather duly arrives in the South West after our departure. Consequences
include the destruction of the rail line by the sea at Dawlish along which
we’ve travelled so many times during the last 3 years enabling us to walk and
complete the SW Coast Path.
Day 45 Porlock to Watchet
Day 45 Morning –
Porlock to Minehead
A change of
rail schedules, caused by work to a tunnel beyond Taunton, means a new early
morning route for the London contingent – train to Bristol Parkway and then
join John on “his train” to Taunton. Terrible recent weather in the South West
(evident from seriously flooded fields as we approach Taunton) is supposed to
ease during our 2 day visit, continuing the good fortune of the last 3 years.
Colin (Bill) from Taunton gets us to Porlock around 10:15 and we’re ready on
our first outing of 2014 for the final leg of the path to Minehead. Ben is
clearly more than ready, as he treats the long steep climb out of Porlock with
something approaching disdain. Gary has one of his “difficult” ascents – so
much so that John kindly carries his rucksack for the final section of the
incline. No problems thereafter. A dry morning – albeit very wet under foot in
several places – and we reach Minehead by 1:30. SW Coast Path duly ticked off. Photos duly taken at the
official end/start point and, more importantly, celebratory ciders consumed
(with baguettes) in The Quay.
Day 45 Afternoon –
Minehead to Watchet
We’re now
starting, at 2:30, what is advertised on a Minehead pavement as being the West
Somerset Coast Path. It’s raining – shock horror – and, although it’s not too
heavy, after we’ve left the roads in and outside Minehead, it’s sufficiently
steady as to make conditions on the already sodden ground a tad boggy. Indeed,
John comes a cropper at one point, but his fall is “slow” enough that the
damage is limited to the increased amount of mud on his kit. But by the time we
reach Watchet, we’re all very muddy below the knees and very damp inside the
boots. Colin Bill had indicated earlier that the residents of Watchet might be
a bit wary of “strangers”, but a very hospitable welcome is received at the
West Somerset Hotel. Two ciders before getting ready for supper which is taken
at the The Star just around the corner. Not the best food of the trip (being
the winter, quite a lot cooked from frozen), but good enough, and although
we’re the only customers, the staff are again very welcoming. So much so that
we stay for three stickies (doubles of course), before having a fourth when we
get back to the West Somerset. We wonder whether this constitutes even more
than on the “night of the bottle” at West Bay at the end of day 5?
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 Taunton
Day 43 – Combe Martin to Lynmouth
Slightly delayed start due to signal problems at Reading
West for the London Woody Bay Gary
Day 42 – Mortehoe to Combe Martin
One of the reasons for rounding Morte Point yesterday was
the hope that it might enable us to get beyond Combe Martin today – maybe as
far as The Glass Box – and give us a chance of finishing the path in another
couple of days. However, after a good breakfast (Ben feeling much better) and
early postcard purchase, the first couple of hours walking in steady drizzle
over rocky and slippy tracks are all it takes to make it clear that we won’t
reach Combe Martin itself until after 2 o’clock. There is therefore no reason
whatsoever not to take a lunchtime break in Ilfracombe – after a minor
diversion on the approach to the town centre – and try to dry out and warm up
over a refreshing glass at the Britannia. John ascertains from the barman that
the Pack o’ Cards is the best “meeting place” in Combe Martin, and we arrange
to rendezvous there with the almost eponymous Martin at 3:30. The rain
eventually eases about half an hour after leaving Ilfracombe, but Gary Hele Bay to
the effect that, because a small section (about 150 yards) of the path around Watermouth Bay Gary
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