We get up early as we’ve a long day ahead. As we get started after breakfast, it’s cool and spitting rain - the first precipitation we’ve had this section. It was 30 degrees locally yesterday so this is a welcome relief.
It’s not too busy in Bridgwater today, despite signs describing it as the ‘Home of Carnival’. This is, in fact, true. There has been a November carnival here since 1605 celebrating the failure of the gunpowder plot. This is despite the fact that the instigator of the plot, Robert Parsons, was from nearby Nether Stowey. There is a long history of non-conformity here.
Bridgwater is very friendly and several people chat to us when we’re shopping in Morrison’s. One man on a mobility scooter tries to teach me to pronounce Wiveliscombe like a local: Wyvelisscum. Rich tries but says ‘weevily scum’ instead. The man also tells us that it’s only 14 miles and there are good tracks on the tops, but comments that he’s not walked on the hills for some time. We’re cheered at the thought that the paths might be okay, though unsure about the reliability of the information as the shortest route by road is over 18 miles.
Another local man helps us negotiate a path over the Bridgwater and Taunton canal. The canal was completed in 1841 and ceased commercial use in 1907. It was kept in good order, however, and has been used to bring potable water to Bridgwater since 1962.
We make our way to the Meads Eco-Park, a low-lying area of fields and ditches used for grazing. There are more paths here than are marked on the map and all are in good condition with easy access. The people of Bridgwater must walk west to the hills, rather than east to the levels.
We soon leave the town well behind and start climbing the hills towards the Quantocks, partly following the Samaritans way, a 103 mile route from the Avon Gorge to Lynmouth. It was devised to help struggling rural communities, especially dairy farmers. It is not well waymarked however.
Neither of us have ever visited the Quantock Hills before, so are full of anticipation. The Quantocks are a jumble of hills that reflect their complex geology. They are mostly Devonian rocks, primarily sandstones but with some limestone and volcanic tuffs of pyroclastic ash. There is even gypsum and alabaster in places.
The way up is relatively easy and we gain height steadily, soon reaching the village of Goathurst. We keep going upwards until we pick up an unclassified road that travels along on a regular gradient on the top of the ridge, with views across Hinckley power station to hazy blue outlines in Wales. After we pass Lydeard Cross, we stop on the verge for a break.
As we recommence, we both agree that we would like to climb Cothelstone Hill. It’s not on the most direct route, but is only a little out of our way and has a very tempting, large viewpoint symbol on the map. So as we leave the hamlet of Merridge, we turn off towards the hill, soon leaving the road at a car park and taking the well-marked gentle path up.
Cothelstone Hill has a long human history, dating back at least to Neolithic times, and it’s easy to see why. Approaching the summit, we spot a pair of stonechats and come across a herd of shy Exmoor ponies sheltering under the trees. This endangered, native breed has changed little since the Stone Age, 12,000 years ago. The summit is at 332 metres (1089 feet), the highest point of the HoLEwalk so far. It has spectacular panoramic views of Exmoor, Wales and even Dartmoor in the far distance. As Richard says, ‘It’s good for your soul’.
We descend down to the valley via a steeper path, coinciding with the MacMillan Way again for a short time, noticing just how much height we had attained. We pass through the tiny settlement of Cothelstone itself, heading down on road to Bishops Lydeard. We stop in the churchyard here for a late lunch and to exchange WhatsApps with various family members. We soon get going off down an unclassified road again.
We pick up a path, hearing a steam engine close by, and cross the A358 and then the West Somerset Railway. Isambard Kingdom Brunel was originally engaged in 1856 as the engineer for the railway, but he was occupied with other, grander projects and it was delegated to his assistant, James Burke. The railway closed as late as 1971 only to reopen again five years later. They seem to look after their heritage transport round here.
We continue on a tiring up and down mixture of footpaths and roads, through the villages of Halse and Fitzhead, eventually joining the Wivey Way, a 26 mile circular route centred on Wiveliscombe, which is characteristically poorly waymarked. This also takes us uphill, but is a lovely walk ascending Castle Hill above the town. King’s Castle is actually an Iron Age hill fort and is now an earthwork in the trees. This time we don’t take a detour to visit it.
We finally descend down into the town and then go uphill again to reach The White Hart, tonight’s overnight stop.
Total distance: 348 miles