From: Williton to Combe Florey
Distance: 9m / 14.4km
Cumulated distance: 247.2m / 398km
Percentage completed: 24.04
While the accommodation last night at The White House in Williton was modest, the hospitality could not have been warmer. Kelly would get my vote for the most welcoming host of the year. She was an absolute star. http://www.whitehousewilliton.co.uk
Along our way to the Quantocks, we came across some charming sights. Unused telephone kiosks now used as community book-lending booths. Postboxes surrounded by spring bulbs. Ivy-clad gravestones. Accommodating hedges. And best yet, another sign of impending spring!
Place to get the latest Dan Brown
Pretty planting around the postbox
Village gravestones
Rural signposting
Blossom!
The soundtrack to the whole day was the nostalgic whistle of the steam train. The Spring Steam Somerset Gala had eager, anoraked passengers transported between Williton and North Petherton from dawn till dusk. And just for the day we wore anoraks too! We managed to cross the railway track several times and stood thrilled in the cuttings, watching trains power past in a cloud of steam.
Huge excitement as the train chuffs through!
But after we’d got over the excitement of the trains, we started our climb into the Quantocks. And promptly fell in love with them. They cover 100 square kms and became England’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1956. They’re made up of large amounts of heathland, oak woodlands, ancient parklands and some farmland. The fact that the compass was pointing south for much of the day, ceased to be disappointing once we became enchanted by the quietness and beauty of the hills.
Looking back
Adi continued to charm the wildlife out of their camouflage by spotting a herd of red deer. We stood for minutes admiring them on the hill-slope above us. Photographs don’t do them justice, I’m afraid ..
Well-hidden red deer
And as silhouettes at the top of the hill
Evidence of activity in the Quantocks goes way back to prehistoric times. Flints have been found in various places around the lower slopes. More tumuli are also marked on the map, indicating Bronze Age barrows. All was quiet for several centuries in the area, except for Alfred building various lookouts at the tops of the hills, to watch out for marauding Vikings. There wasn’t too much action during the Civil War either but the reign of James II was an altogether different matter. James was crowned King of England in February 1685 but his Catholicism made him massively unpopular in the predominantly Protestant country. Trouble was on the horizon as James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, claimed to be the rightful heir to the throne and mounted a campaign to depose ‘the Papist’. The King was swift to quell the Monmouth Rebellion, also known as the Pitchfork Rebellion, which culminated at the Battle of Sedgemoor, five months after the coronation. The Duke was despatched to the gallows for treason and his followers received sentences of hanging, which took place in the various market places of Quantock towns and villages.
None of this was at all evident today as we enjoyed the peace and solitude of this little range of hills. The snow had virtually disappeared and the wind had completely dropped. At one stage we came across wild ponies .. although again, the photos don’t attest to their loveliness.
Wild ponies hiding in the bracken
Seeing a good deal of weather on the horizon mid-afternoon we kitted ourselves out with our waterproofs and I optimistically decided that the next footpath heading downhill was the one for us. Big mistake. Just wishing that you’re in a place on the map, gentle reader, does not mean that you are actually there! As we descended down an excessively steep lane we found ourselves several miles away from where I’d hoped we’d be! (Adi sweetly chirps in .. ‘yet another happy accident’!) What a friend.
The last few miles of the day took us down several pretty B roads and lanes but ended rather wetly in a stream, purporting to be a path.
The dry before the wet
It was a good day. Especially as it ended with a fine supper at The Rising Sun in West Bagborough, featuring local gin and tonics with pink peppercorns and freeze-dried raspberry crumbles.
Black Dog Tails
Yoda is 4 year old Liam’s hero dog. Yoda is his seeing-eye dog. Remember you can click on the photo to find out more ..
HI Jules – your “Dry before the wet” photo looks like a Hockney! Loving the history and I do love a steam train – used to take the children from Swanage to Corfe Castle on one😀 xx
There’s something about a steam train that makes me feel ridiculously happy! xx
Hi Jules, your words are full of smiles and fun in the company of your friend. Hope the weather is fine for a while now. Almost at 25% of your journey!! x
Today was especially fun, as we slid around on the mud and communed with lamas! Can’t believe I’ve already done 25% .. Land’s End only seems like yesterday.xx
Curly would agree with you on that one! xx
He would have had a ball yesterday! xx
I didn’t want to preempt your take on the Quantocks and I wonder if you descended before encountering the 4 x 4 playground at the southern end:
Day13. 28th April 2008
“The walk to Bicknoller at the foot of The Quantocks was very pretty. I arrived there just after the village shop had closed for
lunch. I sat on a seat outside the Women’s Institute next door and munched on some cheese and biscuits, then unexpectedly the lady of the shop arrived in a car coming back for some unscheduled reason and allowed me into the shop so I was able to enhance my lunch with some proper orange juice and a custard tart. I had a brisk ascent onto the Quantocks and then ridge walked and saw nobody until I got to Crowcombe Park Gate at which point the whole scene was dominated by 4WD vehicles which, inexplicably seemed to be allowed to play in this outstandingly beautiful countryside. The Quantocks are quite special and should not be allowed to be abused in this way. I walked on to Wills Neck then
descended to Bishpool Farm. This turned out to be in the process of renovation by an ex dentist and he let me camp there for free.”
So glad I didn’t witness the 4WD antics yesterday! Our day was one of tranquillity and great joy in the Quantocks. Thanks once again for giving us the extra insight. Still in awe of you wild camping!
Dear Jules and Adi
Thank you so much for staying with us at The Old Stags Head especially as yesterday you managed to see a whole herd of them, the real thing!!
We loved having you to stay with us and feel extremely humbled by both of you.
Take special care of yourselves.
With love n hugs
Nell, Graham, Ryan, Cookie and Tommy Zoom, (our two cats!) xxxxx
Nell and Graham and all the pusscats! Thank you so much for your comment and also for your warm and wonderful hospitality last night. Love from both of us, Jules and Adi xx
Jules ! Only 1600km to go , you are doing so well , and still smiling 🙂
Am recommending your blog to anyone who loves a quality read and wants to learn more about UK history , fauna and flora . The number of fans and followers is definitely increasing my friend xox