| Wednesday
28th March 2007. Around Ilminster (photos Roger Conway) walk stats 5 miles 625ft of climb |
 |
 |
| Surviving the arrival of the bus where everyone was waiting, the party set off up and over Beacon Hill and down to the main road where another up hill was rewarded with some nice views across the valley, but with the haze it was not possible to see the Brendons in the far distance. Across the field and along to lane (where the saddle stone barn and carving pictured above were seen) to reach the old trackbed of the GWR and a little roadwork to join the Sustrans route to Chard for a short way before heading up Herne Hill for a drinks stop and the final climb of the day. Back to town through the playing fields and around the end of the Chard Canal. The clever ones took tea and toasted teacakes before going home. | ||
| Wednesday
21st March 2007. Brendons from Luxborough (photos Jan Bacon) walk stats 6.7 miles 1,243ft of climb |
 |
 |
| On a crisp and sunny afternoon, 17 walkers and 3 dogs set off on what the leader described as "2 up hills and 2 down hills", and he wasn't wrong! A steady climb for the first ¾ of an hour brought us up to the top and some super views across the Bristol Channel and as we started down (for the first time) the haze lifted a bit and the 'eagle eyed' spotted the towers of the 2nd Severn Crossing. The downhill continued for sometime, so much so that couple of the party felt obliged to inform the leader that we were still descending although he did assure us that he was aware of the situation. At Peterswell Lake Cottage we took to the Coleridge Way and the gentle up hill through Langridge Wood with its air of mystery in the hazy light. Over the tops and through the muddy farm yard and down the bridle way to return to the car park. | ||
| Sunday
18th March 2007. Ebbor Gorge, Priddy & Rodney Stoke (photos Dave Patten) |
|
|
| Ten stalwarts braved stinging horizontal hail and the perils of Ebbor Gorge on Sunday's bracing walk up from Westbury sub Mendip. Led by Dave Patten but this time minus the Bassets, the group enjoyed glorious views from the ridge before winding through The Gorge. An inspection was made of Swildon's Hole but as no torches were evident, the short cut via Wookey was declined. An excellent hot soup was enjoyed by the leader supping alone at The Queen Victoria at Priddy while his party shivered in the hail showers outside causing him a frisson of guilt.Pushing on the party braved the storm and surmounted the umpty-ninth stone stile before descending rapidly to Rodney Stoke. Relying on his two year old recce which unaccountably led to an escape out of a hedge locked field via a cattle trough, Dave led the surprisingly indulgent group through a lamb flock to safety | ||
| Sunday 18th March 2007. Lydeard Hill, Aisholt & Triscombe. | ||
| A fierce north wind blasted across
Lydeard Hill car park heralding the arrival of a large
black mass of cumuli nimbus; suddenly a mixture of hail
and snow deluged from the heavens above. But still
walkers appeared in ones and twos through the flurries of
snow throwing defiance into the face of the elements
until thirteen with three dogs had congregated. Our
leader briefed his troops on their walk route that went
first to Aisholt on to Triscombe Stone and back to
Lydeard Hill and then with a cry of exhortation to
stiffen the sinews and summon up the blood, (injecting
the atmosphere of that momentous St Crispin’s Day of
a bygone age), he led them over the top. The ramblers made their way through Much Care Wood downhill to Aisholt past the 16th century Durborough Farm admiring its thatched roof on the way; new born lambs were seen in the fields staying close to their mothers as soon as these strange creatures in large walking boots and multicoloured clothing appeared. It had stopped snowing and the sun was back out again; this lifted the spirits of the group with a definite quickening of pace apparent. A decision was made to bypass Aisholt church, so the walkers started uphill past Higher Aisholt Farm to the Parsons Plantation and onto the track through the Slades Wood. On the way the sharp eyes of one of our young ladies from Wellington spotted a number of deer grazing in the valley below. The party continued uphill to Triscombe Stone where a welcome break for refreshments was taken. Our leader related that the Triscombe Stone was a blue stone from the Preseli Mountains in Pembrokeshire with magical properties and that if you touched the Stone you could make a secret wish. Suitably reinvigorated, the group followed the Drovers’ Track called King Alfred’s Way that goes from Watchet to Durleigh diverting to Will’s Neck, the highest point on the Quantocks at 1260 ft, where the views of Taunton Vale and Exmoor to the west and the coast and Bristol Channel to the east were enjoyed. The location of a Bronze Age tumulus and a fire signal pit used in Elizabethan times to warn of invasion by the Spanish were pointed out by our leader on the way. The party continued through West Bagborough Wood to Lydeard hill where they retired to the Pines Tea Rooms for copious cups of tea and toasted teacakes. During the consumption of these vital commodities for energy replacement, the conversation turned towards the appearance of various blue stones on the Quantocks and postulation as to their arrival in the area was made. |
||
  |
||
