Quantock Way.
Distance today: 23.5 miles.
Total distance: 1062.1 miles.
Accommodation: campsite.
I had a reasonably early start as the plan was to try to get to Minehead. As anticipated, I had to climb back up the hill, leaving the road just before the Rising Sun pub in West Bagborough and then following a bridleway until I was on top of the ridge. I was now on the Quantock Way and I could supposedly follow that all the way to Minehead.
For a while, the undulating trail was mainly wooded. This included an ancient tree-lined track called the Drove Road which was simultaneously beautiful and annoyingly difficult to photograph well. The trail eventually emerged onto more exposed moorland and with no escape from the wind, there was almost a danger of feeling cold. For most of this trip, the weather gods have been very kind to me and so the need to put on more layers did come as a shock.
When anybody signs up for one of these trips, I am sure they become obsessed as I am about mileage. How far have I travelled today? On this trail? In total? What I didn’t appreciate was, as the expression goes, your mileage will vary. MapMyWalk says one thing. Garmin says something else. Google changes its mind depending on whether it is predicting how long a route is or telling you how far you walked based on the plot points you gave it. Bottom line, there appears to be a large margin of error. During the trip, I chose to believe MapMyWalk even if I have since decided it does underestimate. The point is, that somewhere between Bicknoller Post and the top of Beacon Hill, I’d calculated (based on MapMyWalk data) that I had walked 1000 miles. One Thousand Miles. That is just ridiculous, surreal even. It was my second Proclaimers moment. “… and I would roll 500 more“. The next people I met were a group of 3 woman and I felt obliged to share my news. They did their best to sound impressed.
As I headed towards the coast and passed through places like Doniford, Watchet, and Blue Anchor I was back in ‘familiar’ territory again. Well, Penny and I had walked at least some of it before. The route into Minehead takes you along the side of a golf course with the inevitable instructions to stick to the footpath. I had to smile as I compared the paths the golfers got to walk on with the untended, overgrown, mini rollercoaster that the walkers were offered.
It doesn’t take long before you get several, very large reminders that this is a Butlins town. A doff of the cap, Mrs. Lewis. Further on, the other classic elements of a British seaside town come into view: the promenade, the amusement arcades, and the overweight tourists with sunburn.
Before I started the South West Coast Path tomorrow, I really wanted to have a decent guidebook and I’d pretty much decided I wanted the Paddy Dillon one. Knowing that it would be touch and go as to whether I’d arrive before 5pm, I’d rang ahead trying to see who had one in stock. No one. The Information Centre had another book and generously agreed to leave it at the reception of the Beach Hotel which was next door. Before I went there I thought I’d try to see if there was anywhere in the town centre that might have a copy. I’d already rang W.H. Smiths but while I was passing, I thought I’d check for myself. Happily, they had a copy of Paddy Dillon’s book. The woman at the counter apologized that she’d missed it – it had been busy when she looked and so she hadn’t checked thoroughly. Absolutely no problem. I rang the Beach Hotel and somewhat sheepishly said I wouldn’t be picking up the book but please could they pass on my thanks to the people at the Information Centre.
A flapjack shop! That is very niche. Apparently there are 6 in the franchise. Luckily, it was closed.
No surprises, Minehead has a Wetherspoons. I was a few yards away from the front door when I heard some heavy groaning with no idea where it was coming from. It could well have been someone in the throes of passion but it turned out to be a large, old man who had fallen over in the entrance way and until that point, had been ignored. I alerted the bar staff and soon a small crowd of helpers had formed so I left them to it. My work here is done. I had my usual order of a cup of tea but sadly, I could not find a socket to charge my phone. Sat at the next table were a couple who were staying at the Wetherspoons and were clearly not happy. The bloke spent the whole time reading out all the bad reviews he could find on his phone.
After picking up some supplies at the co-op, I headed for the Minehead Camping and Caravanning Club Site. It is not a convenient location. It is one and half miles up a very steep hill. That is not friendly at all, particularly after a long day. To be fair, the reward for being so high up was amazing sea views. Due to Covid, I needed to tell the person who booked me in exactly where I was going to pitch. I thought I’d picked a flat enough spot but decided afterwards it probably wasn’t. It would do.
And my final act (of vandalism) for the day? Taking a pair of scissors to the bits of the guide book I wouldn’t be needing. It felt like sacrilege but there was definitely a weight difference when I was done.
