29 March 2013: 32km. Started 08:30. Arrived 16:30
It was cold weather but dry again. My hostess had enjoyed her theatre trip. She continued to insist that I was carrying far too much luggage. She explained that the best way to get to the Quantocks was along a byway through a village and over the railway track for the local preserved steam railway. I think it was the route I had planned anyway, but it was kind of her to think how I could best walk along paths and quiet roads. I was rewarded by the sight of an engine in steam although it was not pulling any carriages. She was worried that the hill on to the Quantocks would be too steep for me to manage (because of the weight of my rucksack!). it almost goes without mentioning that I had no problems and I don’t think it was as steep as many of the hills on the coast path.
A farmer in a traditional dark green Landrover Defender overtook me on the track. I met him further up the hill where he had stopped to pick up a dead sheep. He presumed the ewe had fallen off the cliff – “the sheep go out wondering what they can do to kill themselves today!”. He went on to explain that now he was worried about her two lambs. Each sheep was worth about £120.
Once on the airy open land of the ridge, the east wind felt biting and cold. There were superb views over Bridgwater Bay and Hinkley Point as well as back over towards Exmoor from where I had walked the previous day. What I can’t work out is why I didn’t take any photos all day! The only problem was to avoid being run over by the enormous number of mountain bikers – it was the Good Friday Bank Holiday and the cyclists were clearly enjoying the dry although cold weather. A second problem – a dog jumped up on me – the owner implied that it was my fault for having something in my pocket although I knew that my pockets were empty.
I was still on the ridge at lunch time but found a sheltered spot to sit behind a holly tree on a soft seat of heather. Soon I was walking on paths and minor roads downhill off the ridge and then unfortunately on to the busy road between Taunton and Bridgwater. However I was subsequently able to turn off and head across some flat field paths almost to the centre of Bridgwater.
I located my hotel – “Old Vicarage” so logically near a church. I also found Wetherspoons – which I earmarked for dinner. However I had arranged to meet my husband for him to deliver off some clean clothes and take away the clothes I had been wearing for the last sixteen days. He booked a table for dinner at the hotel before even meeting me – it was more than my planned budget! He also insisted on cleaning my boots – which involved getting them wet, when all my efforts were geared towards keeping them dry. However the new laces to replace my broken ones were helpful and I’m sure he meant well regarding cleaning my very muddy boots. The dinner was admittedly much better than what I had planned – and included pudding.
There was of course good phone reception as I was in a town so I went on to book two further nights of accommodation – now relieved to have booked for the entire Cotswold Way part of the walk plus the night after that in Warwickshire.
Where's Kathryn? 