Having missed out on Porlock Wier yesterday I decided to have a short walk there this morning. It'd add a few miles to the day but what the heck!
First off though was a visit to St.Dubricius' church with it's truncated spire and wonderful interior.
I'd got an incorrect impression of Porlock when I arrived yesterday evening. This morning everything was different. Businesses were open and there were people in the street.
I stopped off at Bagatelle and met the owner Dave who has a great range of cards and vinyl records. He had some great photographs of Knebworth where he saw Genesis and Led Zeppelin and a particulalrly good shot of Jimmy Page in action.We talked Bout album covers for Yes, Blind Faith and Manfred Mann.
I bought a card and needed a stamp and right next door there's the Post Office run by Andy who sells an amazing range of walking boots.
I followed a easy, meandering, undulating path down to Porlock Weir.
The azaleas were out in their glory but from the height of the fencing that surrounded many of the gRdens I suspect that the deer must appreciate them too.
I stopped for a coffee and cake in the sunshine at The Porlock Weir Hotel overlooking the small harbour
and met Richard, Souza and Rob who their other 3 siblings had been celebrating a family reunion.
The six children and their mum had all lived in Mill Lane, Porlock Weir and had been educated at the local Primary School.
As it leaves Porlock Weir, the SWCP heads off across the top of the beach.
Along the beach there was another memorial commemorating losses from WW2. It was striking to see the wide range of original nationalities suggested in the names of those who were lost.
Poignant also to see the various tokens of support for Ukaine that I've been seeing all the way over the last few weeks.
I realised that if I was going to get to say hello to the volunteers at Minehead RNLI shop before they closed at 4pm, I'd have to get a move on. There were numerous distractions along the way
- nosefulls of gorgeous wild garlic.
- Hurlstone Point ( where I did what I was supposed to do and hurled a stone into the sea below)
- a killingly steep climb up to Bossington Hill
- wild Exmoor ponies.
Unfortunately, the station is going to be closed til Oct
so I continued to the official end / start of the SWCP
before checking-in to the Ship Aground pub.
Having arrived early I went for a relaxed walk along the front and spotted signs for the West Somerset Railway. Realising I had 10mins before the last departure of the day, I jumped aboard
...hungrily made my way to the buffet car...
and continued my research....
and as the train whistled and rattled its way to Watchet, I commenced seriously
my rehydration for the day with a bottle of local Somerset cider.
Total distance so far = 220.7 miles
Total ascent so far = 35 196 feet
If you're tempted to contribute to any or all of the great charities I'm supporting, here are the relevant links.
Parkinsons UK - My dad had Parkinsons in his latter years and the research work this charity funds and the support it provides to patients and their families is invaluable. - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/david-thomas215
Just Wheels UK - this is a small charity set up to provide wheelchairs in a rural community in Tanzania. It does this through funding training, education and the local fabrication and servicing of bespoke wheelchairs. My nephew uses a wheelchair and as he grows I can see the life changing freedoms that proper wheelchairs can bring to both users and their families.-
https://donate.thebiggive.org.uk/campaign/a056900002H35TDAAZ
- RNLI - these are the brave guys who selflessly head out to sea to help others. I volunteer at Littlehampton RNLI shop and often meet families of those who’ve had first hand experience of their loved ones being saved from the sea. Having sailed for years I can say thankfully we’ve never had to call on the RNLI's services but it’s amazing what it does to know they are there
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/david-thomas216
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