We are dropped off at Kilve church and walk down the lane to the coast path.

……..where an information board tells us about the practice of glatting on Kilve Beach.

Someone could not resist a quick sabotage of the photo so here is one from the internet. I’m afraid I cannot eat eels at the best of times and a conger eel……………..just look at what I found………

Congers are predators and can attack humans. In July, 2013, a diver was attacked by a conger eel in Killary Harbour, Ireland, at a depth of 25 metres. The eel bit a large chunk from his face. The diver reported the creature was more than 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in) in length and “about the width of a human thigh” Eeeeeek………

Today we are walking along the edge of the Quantock Hills that are famous for being England’s first designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The dramatic sky looks like rain but the forecast says otherwise.

Off to the left is a grand country house but it is not shown on the map…………..

We follow the England coast path through fields and along the pie crust cliff edge – the dramatic beach striations reveal themselves as the tide retreats.

At one point we come to two or three fields of maize standing to attention in neat lines. I may be a bit slow on the uptake but I suddenly realise why the African/Caribbean hairstyle is called “corn rows”.

At St. Audries Bay we meet one of those signs ……………..

……..but fortunately there are a few people on the beach walking dogs or looking for fossils and they seem to know that the tide is going out and will turn again at 1 pm – plenty of time.

At the end of the beach is a spectacular waterfall – wonderful to stand under on a hot day I would imagine, although the top of the cliff doesn’t look too secure.

Around the corner is a metal staircase to take us up to the top of the cliffs – from here the path winds around a holiday park and then joins the road into Doniford.

We are by now gasping for a cup of tea but when we reach Watchet harbour there is such a lot going on that it takes a while before we find the right place. The harbour front is full of colourful stalls and happy crowds – this must be a regular Sunday market.

…………..and in the midst of it all is this – a sombre reminder of the wages of sin –  The Ancient Mariner (Coleridge’s poem was written while he lived with his wife in Nether Stowey, a village 10 miles away).

………..the desperation and sorrow in his face is chilling.

Time for a nice cup of tea, which we find in a delightful little tea house on the corner.

The path out of Watchet follows the main road west out of the town and then branches off to take us up onto the cliffs again. From here to Blue Anchor are long stretches of mud and sand and it’s pretty monotonous walking but the clues cast mesmerising shadows.

Eventually we reach Blue Anchor and I get a chance to take some photos of the station.

…………….priceless……….

………there’s tea and biscuits and pots of jam for sale. Books and magazines too………

……………..and after a short wait, here comes our train, a steam train this time! Hurray!

 

Distance: 12 miles