Sunday, October 22, 2006

COLERIDGE WAY 5

It is half term and we have the Sussex grandchildren, soon to be followed by the French. As a result this week’s posting may be spasmodic. But here is one I prepared earlier. Actually we did Part 5 of the walk, the day after Part 4. We were on a roll and the beauty of walking with Son 1 is that I can switch off and leave all planning and decisions to him. Bliss! The walk was from Monksilver to Roadwater – just less than five miles and we would be entering the Exmoor National Park so our drives from home were getting shorter. We were going to park the car by the roadside, but some villagers were about to cut their hedge and asked if we would mind using the village car park which we hadn’t known existed. My son agreed, willingly and then they said to my grand-daughter they hoped he wouldn’t be cross as the car park was quite a way. I was glad I had decided to wait by the church as it was some time before he returned – not cross – just amused.

We went through Monksilver church yard up past the Old Rectory and were on the footpath. It was a muggy, overcast day and we were plagued by flies as we sweated up the hill. At the top we turned right along Bird’s Hill bridleway. After about a mile we came to the road at Colton Cross. We were told to look out for a gate which the landowner allowed you to use for access to an excellent viewpoint – somewhat hindered by the low cloud. Back on the road we continued to a bridleway sign posted Chidgley with views across the Bristol Channel to Wales There were lots of pheasants around and Son 1 told me the large blue plastic barrel was a feeder for the pheasants. We went through woodland and admired the Rowan trees ablaze with berries.

The weather brightened a little and I was touched when the children quoted their great grandma – my mother - who would always say ‘There’s enough blue sky to patch a Dutchman’s trousers!’ I wondered if they would remember me when I’m gone. Probably for the lullaby I used to sing to them.
Cowpats are free tra la, tra la,
But don’t throw one at me tra la, tra la,
Or you may get hit tra la, tra la
And they’re full of s…tra la, tra la!

Grandma!

We were cautioned to walk carefully down the stretch of the ’busy B road’ but we must have missed the rush hour as we saw no traffic. We were pleased to return to the track which took us past Chidgley Hill Farm. Then we headed to an old bank of beech trees and with them on our right, followed the track to Pitt Wood. Through more woodland and we were walking parallel to the Old Mineral Railway Line . The West Somerset Mineral Line was built during the 1860s to convey ore from the iron mines on the Brendon Hills to the coast at Watchet. From there it was transported to South Wales. It was abandoned at the beginning of the 20thC

We crossed over a stream and entered Erridge Wood. At the end of the wood we came to open fields and thence the road to Roadwater and our lunch destination the Valiant Soldier. Now we had completed 18.7 miles of the Coleridge Way and were just past the half way mark. My grandson had been nervously awaiting his GCSE results and I they were excellent. Well done Tom!

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Marvelous photos, dear.

Cheers.

Mybananalife said...

The weather is awful in London - wet, wet ,wet!

Pat said...

Randall: I'd like them a bit sharper but I'm not very good at freezing.

Banana: here likewise - I'm beginning to rust and my fountain overfloweth! Those poor little doggies. Are they getting their walkies?

Granny said...

A lovely walk it must have been.

And what a tasteful, serene lullaby.

My dad used to sing one about "The bloody blooming spider, he sent up the waterspout. The rain came down in torrents and it washed the spider out".

We're American of course so it wasn't until I was grown that I realized "bloody" was inappropriate in some countries. I don't think he ever knew it.

Pat said...

Hi granny! Your dad was a man after my own heart!

Zinnia Cyclamen said...

Love that lullaby. And the sunshine.

Pat said...

Zinnia: they seemed to prefer it to Rock a bye baby - dunno why!

Pat said...

Judy; seems I'm not the only naughty Grandma!

Tippler said...

When I were a lad in Yorkshire we used to yearn for a good, fresh cow pat.

But the cows oop north are too tight to sh#t...

Pat said...

Eeeeh Tippler lad! sit thysen down an I'll mak a brew.

granny p said...

can't beat the cow pat. Must try it on mine.

While as for that walk - I sigh yet again, as so often with you. The heartland. One of my two best/oldest friends lives in that valley where the mineral line comes to its end. I've often climbed up the whole track where the trains we're pulled up, all the way to the winding house; then got that marvellous view down to the Bristol. Your pictures catch it all so well.

Enjoy the visiting families; one of the best things there is, if wearing. (Oh and thanks for your comment on my last post. We need all the publicity we can get...)

FOUR DINNERS said...

Like lullaby's....no I don't! Losin' me rep there...Once sang Jax to sleep as a baby with "Anarchy in the UK".

Nice lullaby (but I never said that)

Pat said...

granny P: good - another cow pat fan! I remembered you when we saw the Mineral Line. First half of family visit gone well - just time to catch our breath before the next lot.

Pat said...

4d is a soppy date!

4d; if you live here you have to change gear - or go bananas

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

Ha, I knew it, cowpats are full of spit hee hee.

How I wish I can persuade my mum to start walking again with me. She'd walk for a few days then not continue. But when she's overseas, she'd walk and walk. sniff. Maybe if her grandchildren were here too...

Pat said...

GG: I understand your frustration. I had a period - with fractures - when walking was so hard - so now I really value it and it is a great sadness that my husband can now only do brief, flat walks. So tell your Mum from me that she should make the most of being able to walk freely. And I am not suggesting it in a bossy, but caring way:)

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

Ahh, she's started walking Pat :-) I tell her about you, and your walks and your times as a student nurse in WW2. I think that inspired her. I'll tell her what you say here too. She's bossy, by the way.

Pat said...

GG: that's great news!