Day 20: Roadwater to Quantocks (14.2 miles)

I left my wonderful home for the night around 8:40am having made a breakfast of instant porridge and bacon butty from yesterday’s breakfast. It didn't quite hit the spot that the cooked breakfast at the inn had the day before but having a warm bed, shower and electricity was such a bonus!

I’d looked out when it’s was dark and the stars were wonderful. I also noticed that the pheasants were quite active during the night. And when I started the walk I was surrounded by bird song - robins, chiffchaffs, blackbirds, wood pigeons …. and gulls!!!

As I reached the brow of the hill I heard skylarks and saw a buzzard soaring. A skylark rose in front of me and started to sing, and I thought of Mum. There are times I can remember the happy times - and feel how lucky I am my childhood was full of wonderful memories. With both Mum and Dad encouraging my love of walking, nature and in particular, the moors.  But I have to confess that this morning, I felt just how much I miss her and grieved anew. But then, I saw some blackthorn in flower and thought of the spring unfolding. I lengthened my stride and resolved she would want me to be happy and strong and I could hear her say “take care of yourself” with a firm squeeze of my hands. Onward into the day.

It was a fairly misty day so although the views were fine the opportunity for for photos was limited, but these cultivated hills have a quiet beauty of their own. I was sure that on a clear day I would be looking across the Bristol Channel. What did cheer me up at this point was that the gates and stiles were all good so far! I spoke too soon...

A Red kite glided out of the woodland low in front of me. I then realised in my musings that I’d wandered onto the wrong track and had to backtrack to the previous gate to get back on the correct path. I needed to focus but at least it was a nice gate! I had started to wonder why the direction taken seemed to be away from the Quantocks.

As I dropped down from the hill I discovered a rather inconvenient elderflower branch had snapped over the path and 2 corner stiles - it was an effort to lift it up over my head and backpack!

I felt nostalgic seeing a rather tumbledown thatched cottage as I came down into Nettlecombe and then a fascinating large coach house before coming round to the church and Nettlecombe Court. I heard lots of great tits, chiffchaffs, rooks and wood pigeons as I left Nettlecombe behind, and enjoyed the parkland around. The scratchy sound of a whitethroat added to the chorus around me.

A beguiling stream bank tempted me into having some elevenses there rather than seeing if there was anything at Monksilver. There’s certainly a general lack of cafes and local stores round here. As I was going down the wooden steps to the village I realised I was under a very active rookery from both the constant cawing and the large amount of bird droppings - I rather hoped one didn’t choose to relieve itself as I passed underneath!

I made a complete mess of navigating the red soil fields which were being tilled, having to crawl through a hedge to get on the right side (the digitised route on Outdooractive was incorrect, the Ordnance Survey was, I will need to watch that. I started to get a much clearer view of the Quantocks ahead and as I came down to a stream was delighted by the sight of two peacock butterflies flying ahead of me.

I came to an idyllic house and garden with a lake. Unfortunately for the owner the public footpath goes right through but they leave a polite notice asking walkers if they would mind going up and around the boundary - I wonder how many do?

The sound of a busy A road as I go through Vellow to approach Bicknoller comes as quite a shock - it makes me realise just how quiet this part of Somerset is - and then go across a see-saw stile (bottom step loose) just to remind me that the gates and stiles have been awkward to say the least in this last stretch.

I then put my skates on as I realised I could make it to Bicknoller Shop where they serve coffee before closing at 1:30. I arrived at 13:15 only to find it closed at 13:00. I was ok for food and water but would have liked to pick up protein and would have loved that coffee! 

The “steep but delightful” climb up Bicknoller Coombe described in the End to End book by Andy Robinson sounded dubious but I have to admit it was a joy. Taking it steadily, I stopped as the path opened to moorland. A sound I didn’t recognise had me searching a tree to see what it was - a colourful chaffinch cast his beady eye at me as his throat expanded and he began his more typical song. I always associate chaffinches with a memorable camping trip at the end of Lake Buttermere with my father. 

Once I was on the Quantocks ridge there were superb views right over to Minehead, the Bristol Channel to Cardiff with Hinckley in the fore ground and then to my astonishment I realised that over the tops of the near hill I could see further across into Wales - Swansea and even further west. Phenomenal views up here.

And then I saw a pair of stonechat. I do t think I’ve seen them since leaving the SWCP. And a raven! And a skylark. It makes me realise that Exmoor really was very quiet - maybe because of that strong and bitterly cold wind.

I left the path to Burley Beaconx a prehistoric mound, and then went across to Black Hill before proceeding on. I didn’t want to go much past Lydeard Hill today otherwise I would be too early getting to the glamping site at Goathurst I was heading for.

I then met a man with strong binoculars and asked him what birds he had seen. He explained he was actually checking on the Heather. He was looking to buy 4 acres for 100 hives just below where we were standing - putting all his assets into it including his small shop in Minehead. He intended to turn the land into meadow anyway but wanted to check the quality and quantity of Heather here as this would keep them going through the winter with the late summer flowering.

I started looking for sites from 16:45 with rain forecast by 17:00. I rejected a few good spots simply because it seemed too early, but as I felt a few drops shortly after 17:00 I started to look in earnest. There were some great spots but too visible from the path , but I then spotted some likely spots in little glades just before the next uphill climb to Wills Neck.

The tent went up well today ….. I hope, and am writing this having just cooked up some masala noodles and nibbling on a few snacks with the rewarding sound of rain on the tent. It’s forecast to be milder tonight but I’m going to do my utmost to keep warm before settling to bed at 20:00! Still light and still raining but I’m ready for sleep.

If you have been enjoying following along please do leave a comment at the end of the post. It is so great to hear from everyone as it keeps me motivated and I feel (slightly) connected to the outside world!