Monday 27/5/19

Saturday, we had a slow day in our Cabin and only ventured out for a Sunday Roast dinner at local pub, the Malt Shovel. Rob can be seen here drowning his sorrows over the Lions 1 point loss to the Freo Dockers…

The next day, Bank holiday Monday in Somerset. A lovely sunny day, we decided to do a longish walk.

The Quantock Hills is a range of hills west of Bridgwater in Somerset, England. The Quantock Hills covering only a small area, 19 kilometres long and 6 wide were declared England’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, being designated in 1956, and consist of heathland, oak woodlands, ancient parklands and agricultural land.

Rob found a 7 mile (13.2km) walk for us to do and along the way acted as my guide, so romantic, reading me the history of the area including anecdotes about Coleridge (writer) and Wordsworth (poet) who were good mates in the late 1700’s and spent about a year in the area.

The walk was a loop from Holford Village bowling green going up and past the Holford Combe House Hotel which had a 130 year old water wheel last in use in the 1950‘s and into the first Combe (deep narrow valley).

The walk meandered, steadily upward through a leafy laneway towards Holford Combe and the Dingly Dell.

Fun fact – my “guide” told me that parts of the 1991 Robin Hood movie starring Kevin Costner were filmed in this area.

Climbing steadily and looking up the hills on either side, through beautiful forest, this area reminded me of the last day of our Overland Track walk in Tasmania 2016; so green that you almost feel like you are walking underwater.!

Still climbing upward we came to one tree frog hill and could finally see the Quantock Moors.

It was really interesting to see how quickly the landscape changed from the temperate lush greenery to the starkness of the heather and gorse of the moors. The weather changed too, across the top of the moors we head a strong Easterly accompany us as we walked.

We turned right on pack way towards Higher Hare Knap with an outlook to the channel.

We then walked down again into Shepherds Combe then up again along Lady’s edge following a stream all the way up until it disappears.

Further up we get to Bicknoller Post which marks the meeting way of several pathes. Fantastic views towards Minehead and Exmoor and the Bristol Channel from here.

On the way down Lonstone Hill we passed areas of moor that had been burnt, a process known as “swaling”.

We arrived back in Holford about 2.5 hours after setting out.

Brilliant walk!