Crab Kedgeree, French toast for breakfast, then a good 12.4 mile walk.
Blue is the planned route, red is where we actually went. Through the church yard and out of Dunster past the cemetery.
Climbed up onto Exmoor through a deer park, good views back of the castle, Exmoor ponies, no deer.
At the top of Aller Hill J heard and then spotted crossbills. We watched two males and two females high up in the trees by the edge of the path. Then we headed along a track through some conifers and came out onto heathland. We followed the Macmillan Way for a bit, and had good views over the Bristol Channel with Minehead Butlins in the distance.
At the bottom of the hill we stopped to look at St Nicholas Church at Withycombe.
We followed the lane to Blue Anchor station, and then went along the top of the shingle beach for a bit.
We splashed along a muddy track
and emerged right opposite The Butcher’s Arms in Carhampton.
The locals at the bar were friendly. No sandwiches on the menu (“not at this time of year”) but the barman, six foot, tattoos, ear full of metal, probably ex-convict, offered to make us some. Ham and cheese, with salad, nice pint of Tribute.
Back along the path to the sea, and then we followed the coast and the railway line back towards Dunster.
Beach huts. £97k, apparently.
Back at Dunster, cup of tea in the Tessa’s Tea Shop.
Birds seen:
