{"id":1242,"date":"2018-03-22T00:01:34","date_gmt":"2018-03-21T13:01:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/?p=1242"},"modified":"2018-03-23T09:13:19","modified_gmt":"2018-03-22T22:13:19","slug":"day-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/day-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 19"},"content":{"rendered":"

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From: <\/strong>Dunster to Williton
\nDistance: <\/strong>10m \/ 16km
\nCumulated distance: <\/strong>238.2m \/ 383km
\nPercentage completed: <\/strong>23.17<\/p>\n

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It was a shortish day today. And the first proper day on The MacMillan Way West, which is pretty well marked on the map. I can’t say the same for the signage, which made navigation quite a challenge. Every now and again Adi and I would find a waymarker with the little sticker showing a mint green bow on a post .. we could only imagine that the rest had peeled away. Given the intricate network of footpaths in this part of the world, it was easy to mistake one for another .. and we did!<\/span><\/p>\n

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The elusive MWW sticker<\/p><\/div>\n

Our rest day had been idyllic. A lazy start, a relaxed breakfast with much coffee and then a wander around pretty Dunster, with more coffee at the Castle. It was a joy to spend time together and for me to relish spending time with such an old friend .. ‘less of the old’, chirps Adi! After tracking down a terrific masseur to pummel my calves, we drank Black Dog gins and had a delicious Indian dinner. Perfect day off.<\/p>\n

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The Yarn Market<\/p><\/div>\n

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Chilled<\/p><\/div>\n

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Medieval Dunster with the Conygar Tower on the horizon<\/p><\/div>\n

There were sooo many beautiful flowers around the town .. Christmas roses, daffodils, camellias, crocus, even the odd early tulip.<\/p>\n

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Christmas roses<\/p><\/div>\n

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Trumpeting daffs<\/p><\/div>\n

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Camellias in full bloom<\/p><\/div>\n

We loved stepping into the Priory Church of St George. The church was shared between the monks of Dunster Priory and the parishioners, back in the day. But after several kerfuffles between the two a special wooden carved rood screen had to be commissioned to separate them. The result was a fabulously intricate and historically renowned divide.<\/p>\n

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Diplomatic partition between monks and parishioners<\/p><\/div>\n

Attached to the church was a sweet Garden of Remembrance, dedicated to Dunster soldiers lost in the two World Wars. It was planted with beautiful flowers and had a tranquility all of its own. However, at the entrance there was a gate with the teeniest of windows which prompted some peekaboo fun!<\/p>\n

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I spy with my little eye!<\/p><\/div>\n

We had had a fab stay at the Dunster Castle Hotel.\u00a0https:\/\/dunstercastlehotel.co.uk\u00a0<\/a>In fact, we were even given the honeymoon suite! Although we did think at breakfast that the kissy couple to our left would have been more deserving of the room.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Dunster Castle Hotel .. give yourself a treat and stay if you’re in town<\/p><\/div>\n

Before we headed off to find one of those flaky stickers, we sought out and found the hole made by a cannon ball during the Civil War in one of the rafters of the octagonal Yarn Market. Extraordinary to see that such a thing still exists. A lot like the 15th century packhorse Gallox Bridge which we had to cross to join the MacMillan Way West on our way out of Dunster,<\/p>\n

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Gallox Bridge across the Avill River<\/p><\/div>\n

Adi then made a wish of mine come true! She found a red deer for me .. even if we did only see its fluffy white bottom disappearing into the undergrowth. At this stage we probably added a couple of miles to our day searching, and not finding, the MacMillan Way West. (Adi once again chirps, ‘at least five miles’). There was a climb rewarded with views across the moors, where snow was becoming a distant memory.<\/p>\n

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View from the top<\/p><\/div>\n

I have to report that Adi was just as enchanted with sheep as I’ve been! This is one of her photographs ..<\/p>\n

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Fluffy plops<\/p><\/div>\n

And then, I heard a sound which took me right back to my little boy’s childhood. And his passion for trains, or choo choos as he once called them. Far below us there sped a steam engine train, billowing out white, white clouds of steam. It made my heart sing.<\/p>\n

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West Somerset Railway<\/p><\/div>\n

A couple of hours into the day we were well ready for a cup of coffee. We’d already planned to take a look into the white clad Church of St Nicholas in Withycombe to see if we could spot the statue of the unknown man, thought to be the first church monument featured wearing a hat. It was secreted away at the end of a pew in a little recess. He was carrying a heartcase to symbolise that he died somewhere else and that only his heart was brought to Withycombe to be laid to rest. A huge bonus of visiting the church was the kettle and offer of coffee or tea at the back of the church. How generous and welcoming was that.<\/p>\n

The route took us for several miles along a variety of paths and quiet country lanes, through idyllic looking farms with enticing names like Feather Down and Mount Pleasant. There was a magnet which drew us ever closer: the Cider Farm. We were greeted by russet coloured piglets and obstreperous sheep but rewarded with a delicious cream tea, friendly staff and hanging teapots .. not to mention the cider.<\/p>\n

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Cider Farm<\/p><\/div>\n

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Let me in!<\/p><\/div>\n

We rolled into Williton a couple of hours later to find the village teeming with railway enthusiasts. Seems there’s a Spring Steam Gala tomorrow, with hundreds of people converging on the station .. can’t wait!<\/p>\n

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It was a shortish day today. And the first proper day on The MacMillan Way West<\/p>\n

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