Quantocks 2020

Corona.

Friday late afternoon I get the train to Salisbury and it's pretty quiet. Probably due to the fact that this is about to become the big Corona Virus shut down weekend. Duncan picks me up from the station and cooks a delicious meal.

Saturday we drive west stopping off for a walk around Glastonbury. We navigate the levels, canals and a very muddy hill, due to bull, and down the other side see the stump of the original Glastonbury Thorn planted by Joseph of Aramathea. We then get to the Tor which before drainage of the levels would have been an island at this time of year. We have great views over the levels up to the Mendips, across to Exmoor, Wales and the Pilton festival site which I now know will not happen until 2021. After descending the sacred place we visit the expensive abbey ruins which was the biggest & richest in the country no doubt through the exploitation of the locals. We wander round head and other hippy shops where I pick up a bargain of an original Adge Cutler and the Wuzels album. Well, when in Zummerzet. Leaving Hippiedom we drive through my birthplace of Bridgewater where we shop then onto Watchet to the The House of Rules albeit run by a the very welcoming Jane.

Tor from the Levels

St Brides Well - the original

Tor from the other hill

Trekking up the Tor

The chapel at the top

Church in the abbey grounds - the 7 deadly sins

Abbey ruins

Glastonbury route - 9 miles

Sunday it's raining heavily as forecast. Why do we do our walks in the Spring after a season of wet weather and into the rainiest season? We decide to walk anyway and today it's the Quantocks Northern Route starting at Crowborough. It's nice an varied through lanes and muddy tracks but not too bad. Through fields and sheltering woods. We both discover what's not fully waterproof (nearly everything!)  Although hardly long distance views we do see down to the Bristol Channel and across to Minehead. Then it's out onto open heathland with great views across Bridgewater Bay, up the Bristol Channel past Hinkley Point nuclear power station looking so innocent. Wales in shape not form. Then it's down to Holford and the rain has stopped just in time to sit on a bench for lunch. As forecast. After refreshment it's back over heathlands rising for great views north  across the levels up to the Mendips and west to Exmoor. By now the sun is out and we walk through woods before descending the steep 1 in 4 road back to Crowborough which would be worthwhile tackling on a bike. Maybe. Then we're back home for local cider and a curry courtesy Duncan. Porridge (series) and well earned sleep.

Crowborough Cross

The northern reaches of the Quantocks back to Minehead

Are you sure this is the path back? Bridgewater Bay

Northern route - 20 miles (including the missing bit)

Monday morning and there's a brilliant blue sky so it's just the day to tackle the Quantocks Southern Route. We park at Broomfield church and after a quick chat with a local who says he shouldn't be walking his dog as he's over 70 (Corona advice) we are up and at it traversing heathland and beech woods. Great views and we can see further than yesterday but hardly crystal clear. Descending from the Quantocks' highest point of Wills Neck (where my parents used to take me before I can remember) we hit country lanes & muddy bridleways. We lunch next to the Trimbell Stone which is a derisory 2 foot tall (Duncan lives near Stonehenge). My sniggering at their monument is punished by the local gods as I nearly sank into oblivion into mud and mire at a cow gate which looked fairly solid. Back along busy lanes and a busy road, well compared to others round here, then over fields to our start with directions from lots of friendly locals. Pub in the evening despite Johnson's advice but the West Somerset Hotel had little chance of breaking the 10 people limit as only us 2 and the barmaid. We later find out that if we'd gone left instead of right we'd have reached a legendary cider pub. And if two days earlier would have found Jon and Scottie there.

Sunshine! Dry paths!

Up onto the heathland...

... through the beech woods...

... past the lonely tree...

... and up onto Wills Neck the highest point of the Quantocks

Typical Somerset signage - always 9 miles from Bridgewater

Exmoor pony and pond

The diminutive Triscombe Stone - trying to make it look bigger

Lambs overlooking Bridgewater

Southern route - 17 miles

Both routes in geographic context

Tuesday we decide on a shorter walk, the last two days being about 20 miles each, and drive to Porlock. Today we're ascending a wooded combe with gentle stream in full flow up to the start of Exmoor and down over the moor to the coast. We walk along a shingle beach getting windblown by the sea breeze and the police helicopters that are searching for a missing woman. I thought the two coppers approaching us were going to arrest me for chucking an apple core into the hedge or that a Corona Curfew had been mandated but unfortunately asked us about a more serious business. We return to Porlock along the South West Coast Path which here is nearly as muddy as it was on the southern coast from two years ago. We decide against the curry house and as we aren't aware of the cider pub stay in with rough cider from a bottle and Guiness from cans as it's St Paddies day. All needed to alleviate the fierce chilli Duncan's made.

Out of the combe onto Exmoor

Across Porlock Bay

Exmoor

The sea reclaims the land

Shingle strand towards Porlock Weir

Strand towards Bossington Hill

Porlock's decapitated church tower and ageing yew

Porlock walk - 10 miles

Wednesday we have a wander round Watchet finding the cider pub we missed by turning right instead of left but too early to indulge. After walking the harbour wall we head back to our respective homes stopping off in Wincanton for chips and then I'm on a deserted train speeding back to London.

Watchet harbour & marina